As part of the Willis Street redevelopment, McKee Fehl rejuvenated a tired and disjointed heritage site into one of Wellington’s most central, sizable and iconic offices for Transpower New Zealand’s headquarters.
The $54m project required creative problem solving and close collaboration at every stage to meet the tenant’s high technical requirements and conquer inevitable challenges associated with such a sizable heritage site. The team worked relentlessly to find innovative solutions for a multitude of legal, health and safety, environmental, logistic, engineering and construction challenges until its completion in September 2017.
Taking the stage as Supreme Winner at the 2018 New Zealand Property Council Awards, this highly technical redevelopment involved:
Connecting two buildings to create one central office space via the creation of an atrium with contemporary office fitout to accommodate a new-age flexible workforce.
Earthquake strengthening to IL3 for the South Building and to IL2 for the North Building by employing new shear walls, structural steel, BRB bracing and cutting a new seismic gap.
Visual seismic monitoring via scratch plates. Electronic remote monitoring of the building when moving under seismic activity.
Aesthetic transformation of the exterior via the replacement of old frontages and the installation of facades to the new areas with an energy-efficient curtain wall system.
Creation of a pedestrian link to the neighbouring Press Hall and Willis Street.
Awards
Property Council New Zealand Supreme Winner and Best in Category for the Commercial Office Property Award along with Merit in Green Building
Master Builders Commercial Project Awards as National Category Winner and Gold Award
ACENZ 2018 Innovate Award of Merit
NZIA Local awards for Architecture + (Commercial Office), Jasmax (Interiors)
