ASB's slick new HQ rising fast

Chris Gudgeon says the six-level ASB North Wharf office building will be New Zealand's most advanced from a sustainability and environmental point of view. Photo / Greg Bowker

Construction of New Zealand's biggest, most sophisticated new commercial building has reached level four.

ASB North Wharf, the $126.2 million six-level office block rising in Auckland's expanding Wynyard Quarter on the corner of Jellicoe and Halsey Sts, opposite the new Viaduct Events Centre, will consist of two buildings joined by a glazed multi-level walkway or atrium over Te Whero Lane.

Fletcher Construction's team, led by project director Alan Gray, is working for NZX-listed landlord Kiwi Income Property Trust whose chief executive, Chris Gudgeon, said the revolutionary block would be the country's most advanced from a sustainability, service and environmental point of view.

Air conditioning, the building's cladding, interior lighting and energy aspects would go further than in any other building, he said.

A funnel-shaped rooftop is designed to cut back on air-conditioning use.

"The idea is that in the shoulder seasons, the building can be naturally ventilated.

"You can save energy and throttle back your standard AC system. The way the building is designed, you can open windows in the perimeter and in the central atrium, although the roof design is changing and has changed quite a bit from where we started," Gudgeon said yesterday.

Energy-saving aspects will include light and occupancy sensors, natural ventilation and a rainwater harvesting system to supply all toilets and garden irrigation, so about 70 per cent of the building's water will be produced on-site.

The building's skin or cladding will provide solar and wind control, allow large amounts of daylight on to the office floors and give good views.

Once finished, the north-facing building will have 20,577sq m of floor area: 1738sq m of retail space, 18,319sq m of office space, 500sq m devoted to other uses and 97 carparks.

Floorplates are large at about 3900sq m a floor.

Derek Shortt, who developed ASB's radical much-awarded Sovereign House at Takapuna's Smales Farm Technology Office Park, is also closely involved in the Wynyard project for the tenant and Gudgeon said ASB's new headquarters were an advance on that.

"This is arguably the next generation from Sovereign.

"ASB has a passion about building design and they see this as their home for potentially the next 30 years because they have an 18-year lease with rights of renewal," Gudgeon said.

Bligh Voller Nield, the Australian architecture firm which designed Sovereign, also designed ASB's new office.

Bank staff will leave their New Zealand headquarters on Albert St and shift to the waterfront around mid-winter 2013.

How it rolls

* February 2010
Kiwi struck deal with ASB.
* February 2011
Ground-breaking ceremony on-site.
* February
Auckland Council consent granted.
* March
Detailed design completed.
* March
Building work starts on site.
* July 2013
Practical completion due.