33 Customhouse Quay

Welcome to New Zealand’s first purpose built, green office building.

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Our building is smart, energy efficient, beautifully designed and I trust will be a pleasurable place for you to work for quite some time.

This book has been produced to tell you a little bit about the building, the technologies, where to find things and who to contact if you have any questions.

Take the time to walk around, chat to people and enjoy your new surroundings.

I look forward to seeing you around and about.

Enjoy.

Contents

Part 1. A fitting landmark

The beginning 9

The Meridian Way 10

What is the Meridian Way?

Part 2. A new kind of space

Inside and out 14

Designed

Centrepiece

Natural selection 15

Wired communications 17

Digital knowledge

Meridian TV

Technology

In the know

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Part 3. Room for all

What goes where 20

Floorplan – Level 1 22

Floorplan – Level 2 24

Floorplan – Level 3 26

Daily life 28

Knowledge management

Mail and stationery

Health and safety

Building tours

Emergency procedures

After hours

Security

Part 5. Out and about

Base 36

Fresh sea air

Well connected

Cars and taxis

Overnight visitors

Things to do on the waterfront 39

Yesterday, today and tomorrow 41

Part 4. A fresh start

Freedom and flexibility 32

Rest and relaxation

Outdoor spaces

Part 1.

A fitting landmark

Above: The rata leaf.

Right: Drawing of the building,

as viewed from the water.

Courtesy of Studio Pacific Architects.

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33 Customhouse Quay brings together state of the art technology and environmental principles. The building is designed to use 60% less energy and 70% less water than comparable office buildings. Sophisticated lighting, shading, heating, cooling, and ventilation systems have all been designed to create the most comfortable working environment.

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In our new space our working style will also change – the space, mobility and choice of workplaces will bring about a more collaborative and freer style of working. And with all our Wellington-based staff on a single site, we’ll be able to work more efficiently.

This new building is a clear statement that we are committed to reducing our environmental footprint. A New Zealand first, this development is aligned with our focus on renewable electricity generation and sustainability.

Today Wellington’s waterfront is home to many landmark buildings, from the more modern Te Papa, to the historical ‘Sheds’. The area also holds great significance as the site of one of the largest Mäori pa in Wellington. This part of the waterfront takes its name from the Kumutoto Stream, which played an important part in the lives of local Mäori. While dramatic, our building has been sympathetically designed to nestle comfortably into its waterfront location, respectful of the local heritage.

The top floor of the pavilion has been set back from the edge of the floors below to reduce the ‘bulk’ of the building. A light, folding roof has been designed to give interest and scale and to match with the other varied roof forms seen on many of the Sheds on the waterfront. We’ve also used a rich coloured wood in the louvres to complement the dark red bricks in Sheds 11 and 13.

The beginning Top: Harbour Board Shed, wharf

and shipping. Construction 1904.

Photo: James Henry Daroux.

Bottom. Rich coloured wood in the louvres

complement the dark red bricks in Sheds

11 and 13.

HistoryThe Meridian Way began when Meridian first started business, and over the years we’ve developed a set of behaviours designed to help us work smarter and be more successful.

As Meridian has grown and developed, so has the Meridian Way. In 2005–06 we refreshed the programme to make sure it supported the changing nature of our business.

What is the Meridian Way?The Meridian Way is what gives us the edge: it is a driver of exceptional performance at an individual and team level. It shapes and guides how we work together to achieve our goals.

Our Purpose is about who we are, why we do what we do, and, of course, what we want to achieve. The fourth component is ‘how we do what we do’ and this is captured in the Meridian Way.

Essentially, it encourages people to behave in a positive way in everything they do, and so to have a sense of ownership of their actions. Its outcome is exceptional performance. This is dependent on relationships. The principles of ‘in it together’ and ‘treat others as you want to be treated’ characterise these relationships and are integral elements of the Meridian Way.

Behaviours ultimately define how we work together and the key behaviours that are important to Meridian are:

• Dream• Rapport• CommerciallyDriven• Agile• HotWired• Act

Our business is evolving. Our focus has changed. The logo derives energy from both its circular shape and the colour radiating from the centre. This motion expresses progress, reach and the balanced cycles of nature.

The Meridian Way

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Part 2.

A new kind of space

The new Meridian Energy building is not only a new landmark on the waterfront, but is a landmark in terms of technology and development. Intelligent building design and state of the art technology all work together to produce a contemporary and fresh working environment. Which as well as being a great place to work, will make a positive difference to the environment.

The external elements of the building use different systems and features to moderate the internal environment. Every building material and design feature has been carefully thought through to deliver maximum durability, sustainability and efficiency. The building is finely tuned to minimise energy consumption and even has an element of energy generation.

Designed The architect’s design takes into account the setting and the building’s place on the waterfront. Many of the features have been chosen to match the other buildings and to reduce its impact on the skyline. The ground floor area is mainly a public space, with shops and cafes, buzzing with waterfront life. The three levels of the Meridian offices sit above the ground floor.

The building consists of two separate forms, placed in an L-shape configuration. This reduces the overall scale of the building and helps to form a sheltered North and West facing plaza, with trees and seating to relax in. The ground floor has an airy 5.3m space from floor to floor, and is a transparent glass pavilion, creating an area flooded with natural light and allowing an uninterrupted view of the harbour. There is a publicly accessible thoroughfare between the two building elements, linking the enclosed building plaza with the plaza to the south.

CentrepieceAt the heart of the building a sweeping stairway – Waterfall Stairs – connects all the levels. The stairs are inviting and airy, making it a pleasurable experience to take the stairs, rather than ride in the lift. And of course, using the stairs is not only better for you, but means less energy is used operating the lifts.

On every floor there are social spaces and ‘bump’ areas, as well as cleverly designed meeting rooms. With a simple flick of a partition a more intimate space can change to a meeting room big enough to accommodate 180 people.

Inside and out

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Natural selection

Visually stunning and environmentally sound, the building works in harmony with the elements, harnessing all the available natural resources. The result is a fusion of comfort and sustainability. Even during construction every effort was taken to minimise the impact on the environment, like the booms – fitted to stop the run-off from the building site into the harbour waters.

The Sun. As well as using solar panels to heat the hot water, the extensive use of glass maximises natural light throughout the building. Adjustable louvres tilt to shade harsher rays when the building gets too hot. Photo voltaic arrays generate electricity from sunlight, which trickles into the building’s power supply. At the heart of the building lies a concrete core (made with 65% recycled fly ash). This acts as a heat recovery system by absorbing heat and then releasing it when the temperature drops.

The Wind. We’ll be making the most of Wellington’s famous resource. Automated windows can be adjusted to create a flow of natural air through the building and help to maintain the ambient temperature of 19°C to

24°C. The fresh air makes a healthier environment, reducing germs and containments from air conditioning and recycled air.

Water. The rainwater collection system gives us water to re-use inside the building for flushing toilets and sensors on hand basins, urinals and showers, which will minimise wastage of water.

Efficiency. The exterior of the building is formed by two layers. This provides complete insulation and allows the flow of air from the outside, without drafts. The louvres, ventilation and lighting controls can be operated both automatically and manually, optimising energy usage.

Wood. Victorian Ash and Cedar (sustainably harvested and certified) feature in the interior space, creating a modern clean and open interior, complementing the natural light and other natural materials to create a welcoming space. The entire building has been crafted from environmentally preferable materials.

Above and left: Aspects of the new

building and surrounding public spaces.

Courtesy of Studio Pacific Architects.

Top: L2/L3 utility area, looking east.

Middle left: L2 open plan office space,

looking south from northern end.

Middle right: L1 cafe, looking south from

reception.

Bottom: L1 reception, looking north.

3D sketches courtesy of Warren and Mahoney.

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The building is interactive, integrated and in tune with the very latest technology. It is designed to help us all work even more effectively. All the new tools will work together, connecting the Meridian team across the whole of New Zealand. Simple to use, everyone in Meridian will plug in to this technology, at all our locations, once the complete solution has been implemented.

Digital knowledgeAt the touch of a button, we’ll be able to record, store and display a massive range of digital content – presentations, training courses, “fly-overs”, web pages, television and professionally produced video material. We’ll also be able to access this content through a video portal on our laptops. So if we miss an important announcement, or we’d like to review some training material – we can play it back at a time that suits us best.

Meridian TVThere are LCD screens in both the public display areas and in the communal areas on every floor. We can manage the programmes and schedules of all the digital content on these screens. The use of live data feeds that was pioneered with the recent Wired upgrades will continue with live generation, customer management, and building performance displays in the foyer and other areas. These are key tools to help us keep in touch with what we are achieving as a company, minute by minute.

Technology Most of us will have a laptop and a mobile phone – together with a docking station, flat-screen monitor, keyboard and mouse at our normal office space. We’ll have the flexibility to ‘pick up and go’, working wherever suits us best. Phone calls, emails, instant messages, voicemails, fax – even video calls – will be visually available and accessible from our laptops or mobile phones.

We’ll each have one phone number that people can call us on – with calls being diverted by Meridian to our mobile phones. So we’ll use our

mobile phone to receive and make calls – both in and out of the office. To find someone, all you’ll need do is look them up and see if they are available, then you can send them a quick message or ‘click’ to call. For printing, we can go to any printer and, using our building access card, select the documents we want printed.

This technology enables us to work more effectively with people at other locations, because we can share information, use electronic whiteboards, record and distribute notes, and action items while at the meeting itself. When we attend meetings or workshops we’ll take our laptops – which means we won’t need to print out tonnes of papers and presentations, because we’ll be able to access them electronically wherever we are.

In the know You will be given training with good follow-up support, so that everyone can quickly get to grips with and start using these new tools. If you want any extra help simply place a request through HP Help Desk, and they’ll do the organising.

Wired communications

Part 3.

Room for all

What goes where

The clever design of the meeting rooms means you can change the mood at the touch of a button. Leave the room open and relaxed, or partition the space off for more privacy. Choose your lighting level, choose your room shape, choose your room size, choose the temperature – you’re in complete control.

The building also contains 17 non-bookable, one–two person quiet rooms for hot wired meetings, or quiet concentrated periods. Each directorate has a two person meeting room near the Director’s workstation for hot wired staff interactions.

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Room Name

Level Seating Style

Seating # Max

Audio Conference

Collaborative Whiteboard

LCD / Projector

Video Conference

Cardax Secure

Aotea 1 Rhombus 9 Yes Yes Yes Yes

Aviemore 1 Rectangle table 6 Yes

Barretts 1 Rectangle 14 Yes Yes Yes Yes

Beacon 3 Workbench 1

Bearing 2 Workbench 1

Benmore 1 Comfortable chairs 8 Yes Yes

Brooklyn 2 Round table 4 Yes

Crimson 1 Workbench 1

Intrepid 3 Comfortable chairs 4 Yes Yes

Kumutoto 3 Workbench 1

Lake 2 Workbench 1

Landing 3 Workbench 1

Lighthouse 3 Couches 4 Yes Yes

Mahutonga 3 Rectangle 10 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Manapouri 1 Rectangle 10 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Matariki 3 Workbench 1

Meridian 1 Oval 16 Yes Yes Yes Yes

Mountain 2 Workbench 1

Navigation 3 Round table 4 Yes

Otematata 3 Round table 6 Yes

Pacific Grass 2 Workbench 1

Pohutukawa 3 Workbench 1

Pukaki 2 Rectangle 6 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Rata 2 Workbench 1

River 2 Workbench 1

Ruataniwha 2 Round table 4 Yes

Somes 1 Rectangle 14 Yes Yes Yes Yes

Stream 3 Workbench 1

Tangaroa 1 Round table 4 Yes Yes

Tawhirimatea 2 Square 8 Yes Yes Yes

Te Anau 1 Couches 6 Yes Yes

Te Apiti 1 Rectangle 6 Yes Yes Yes

Tekapo 1 Round table 6 Yes

Tui 2 Workbench 1

Viewpoint 3 Square 8 Yes Yes Yes

Waitaki 2 Couches 6 Yes Yes

Ward 1 Rectangle 14 Yes Yes Yes

Water 3 Workbench 1

West Wind 2 Comfortable chairs 4 Yes Yes

White Hill 1 Square 8 Yes

Wind 3 Workbench 1

Zephyr 2 Workbench 1

FloorplanLevel 1

Boardroom

Furniture Store

Hub

Kitchen

Lobby

Meeting Room

Quiet Room

Reception

Store Room

Toilets

Utility Room

Video Conferencing

Visitor Café in Reception

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FloorplanLevel 2

Hub

Lobby

Meeting Room

Project Room

Quiet Room

Research Library

Seating Area

Store Room

Team Area

Toilets

Utility Room

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FloorplanLevel 3

Hub

CEO office

First Aid

Lobby

Meeting Room

Project Room

Quiet Room

Store Room

Team Area

Toilets

Trading Room

Utility Room

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You’ll find all the facilities you’d expect in a modern office building here, and a few extras too. There are three utility areas on each floor, one large utility and two smaller ones. Each utility has a multi-functional printer as well as the usual range of stationery supplies, document destruction bins, and paper recycling bins. The printing spaces have been centralised to give you the opportunity to move around and chat with your colleagues during the day.

Knowledge managementThis brand new space gives us a chance to improve the way we share and store our corporate information and knowledge, not only in Wellington, but across the entire business. Each team will now have their own dedicated knowledge management space, as well as their own filing space. We will also continue to revamp our intranet workspace and its electronic document management systems to get the most from our new environment.

Mail and stationeryOutgoing and incoming mail trays are in the larger utility rooms around the Waterfall Stairs on every floor, and at Reception on Level 1. Outgoing mail needs to be in the trays by 4pm. All courier jobs are to be left with Reception on Level 1.

Health and safetyYou can find copies of The Meridian Health, Safety and Wellness Policy displayed on walls throughout the building. Site Health, Safety and Wellness Manuals are held by various staff and at Reception, you can use these for reference at any time. Current on-site hazards are notified on a computer screen at Reception. For your safety, please ensure you check this screen each time you enter the building. The First Aid Room is located on Level 3 and extra First Aid kits are located in the kitchens.

There is a Health, Safety and Wellness notice board at each utility area containing information on:• thelatestHS&Wstats

(‘MonthlyH&SSnapshot’),• hardcopiesofforms,suchas

the discomfort self-evaluation form, positive safety observation/suggestion forms, and

• HS&WTeammeetingminutes.

Building toursThere may be selected tours for key stakeholders or special interest groups, but there will not be any tours for the general public. After all, our building is primarily a place of work. A website has been developed which describes and demonstrates all the different features of our new building. www.meridianbuilding.co.nz

Emergency proceduresEmergency response quick reference flipcharts are attached to walls near all main entrances to the building and to each floor. Refer to these flipcharts for immediate action in an emergency situation. Wardens have been appointed and trained to assist with emergency evacuations – contact the Health, Safety and Wellness Site Manager to find out about your wardens.

After hoursLighting will automatically come on in the areas you are moving through or working in. Lighting will also turn off automatically after about 15 minutes if no movement is detected, minimising energy usage.

Daily life

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SecurityIt is important that we all make sure we keep our workplace safe for ourselves, our visitors, our assets and our information. You will be issued with an ID card which you will need to access the building and the different work spaces. You will need to use your card to enter the Level 1 Lobby, to use the Waterfall Stairs between Level 1 and 2, and to use the lift between Level 2 and 3. Always wear your access ID card when on the premises and ensure your visitors wear a visitor’s pass and sign in and out. Our new protocol states that visitors are only allowed in and around Level 1. This helps to ensure we can better protect both our people and our data.

Here are a few common sense security procedures we can all follow:• Beawareofyoursurroundingsand

don’t let people you don’t know follow you onto the premises, including out of lifts or stairwells. If you don’t recognise someone, direct them to Reception for assistance.

• Don’tleavecash,handbagsorvaluables lying around on desks.

• Questionpeopleonthepremisesyou don’t know who aren’t wearing an access ID card or valid visitor’s pass.

• Printonlywhatyouneedand don’t leave uncollected printing lying around.

• Shredallconfidentialinformationyou no longer need, instead of leaving it in recycling bins or rubbish bins.

• Keepconfidentialinformationlocked away, or at least not sitting around on your desk.

• InformthePropertyManageror Group Risk of any security incidents.

Part 4.

A fresh start

Freedom and flexibility

With its intelligent design and state of the art technology the new building brings opportunities for a new style of working. We’ll now have the freedom and flexibility to change our working environment to suit our needs. Whether that means taking time to think in one of the smaller spaces, seeking inspiration out of one of the many picture windows, or joining the team in the open plan office areas – the choice is yours. The entire building has been designed to maximise space and natural light, so you can feel as comfortable as possible while you work. Spend some time exploring the building and discover your favourite areas.

We’ll have more meeting rooms equipped for video-conferencing, with LCD screens to display material, interact with meeting attendees and view video content. All our meeting rooms will have a simple, easy to use touch-screen display to operate the audio-visual equipment.

Rest and relaxationThere are plenty of areas for you to take time out and enjoy a break. Just next to the main reception area, you can get together for a coffee at the Recharge café. And on every floor there’s a kitchen/hub area that forms the link between the two parts of the building. Make the time to have a break and have a chat in these areas. Just outside on the ground floor there are more shops and cafes as well as the CBD area of Wellington. The public plaza area on the ground floor will have benches and planting for you to enjoy the sea air and take in the harbour views. And if you need to really get away from it all, there’s a library on the 2nd floor, dedicated to quiet reflection and dreaming.

Outdoor spacesThe top level of the building is encircled by several balconies, these are Meridian’s private outdoor spaces. Only two are accessible, the others form part of the building structure and are not safe for people. The Pavilion balcony is accessed beside the Traders Room and the entrance to the Annex balcony is next to the Mahutonga Project Room. These balconies are highly visible, you will be under public scrutiny and must behave appropriately at all times. You will need your ID card to get back in from the balconies and smoking is not allowed out here.

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Part 5.

Out and about

Base

Our building is located in the CBD area of central Wellington, close to transport links, food, bars and hotels. Within a few minutes’ walk of the new building there are a wide range of amenities including cafes, banking, childcare, gyms, shopping, bars and restaurants.

Fresh sea airIf you like the feeling of the wind in your hair and are using pedal power to get to work, you’ll find bike racks inside the loading dock. We’ve also provided some lockers, as well as showers to help you warm up or cool down.

If you are walking to the new building from the Courtenay Place area, the quickest (and most scenic) route is along the waterfront and takes around 10 minutes. Follow the waterfront round past Frank Kitts park, continue walking next to the water heading past Dockside and Shed 5. The Meridian building is the next building past the Loaded Hog.

Well connectedOur location in the heart of Wellington is well serviced by different transport options, so using public transport to get here is easy and convenient. The central railway and bus stations are just a five minute walk from the front door. And the Eastbourne ferry docks right in front of the building.

See www.tranzmetro.co.nz www.metlink.org.nz www.stagecoach.co.nzwww.eastbywest.co.nz

Cars and taxisThere are nine car parking buildings within five minutes walk of the new building. Within 10 minutes walk there are many other covered and uncovered parking areas/buildings. Coupon parking zones are within a 15–20 minute walk.

The nearest taxi stands are outside Wellington Railway Station or on Featherston St outside the Ibis Hotel. If you are coming via taxi, just tell the driver to go to Meridian Energy on the waterfront, beside the Loaded Hog. Overnight visitorsThe nearest preferred hotel is the Holiday Inn in Featherston St. For further information take a look at Wired for a full list of nearby hotels.

This new building has been designed to give you a comfortable working environment. And we’re sure once you get to know your way around, you’ll enjoy all the features. Use this opportunity to get to know your colleagues better and work more collaboratively. We’ve tried to include all the useful facts about the building in this book, but if you have further questions please contact either Shayne Gray or Murray Pugh.

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STOUT STREET

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Frank Kitts Park

Eastbourne Ferry

Loaded Hog

Shed 5

Fergs

BRANDON STREETPANAMA STREET

JOHNSTON STREET

GREY STREET

HUNTER STREET

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33 Customhouse Quay

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Things to do on the waterfront

Use a voucher for Expressions •Florist – and give away the chocolatesShoponLambtonQuay•Explore the Museum of City •and SeaSit with the seagulls (but not •too close!)Go penguin spotting•Visit the Len Lye Water Whirler•Stroll around the bays•Eat lunch in Civic Square•Try Arabica’s great coffee – and •use a voucher!Visit the Fine Arts Gallery•Follow the writer’s walk•Rollerblade with a friend•Take your lunch to Somes Island •Take a lunchtime run with a friend •around the baysTake the ferry to Eastbourne •and backClimb a wall at Fergs•Try all the coffee places•Read a book in Frank Kitts Park•Book a massage with Release •Therapies (with 15% discount from your voucher)Visit the City Gallery•Share stories at the waterfront•Savour a gin on the deck at •Loaded HogTake interesting photos•

Watch the sun rise over the water•Sit quietly and people watch•Organise an indoor netball game•Mix cocktails at Shed 5•Set up your easel and paint •a pictureGet a haircut at George Janis •(use your discount voucher!)Cheer the dragonboaters as •they practiseTake a spin with Helipro•Visit Te Papa – and not just once!•Sketch a scene•Walk across for a free tour •of ParliamentWave to strangers on boats•Fish off the wharf•Give directions to lost tourists as •they disembark from the ferryMake the most of Habit •Platinum’s free week gym passTake the City to Sea bridge to •the libraryUse your vouchers off Wired and •support local businessStare out to sea and see if anyone •wonders what you’re looking atTry lunch at Chicago Sports café •(20% off with voucher!)Lie in the grass at Frank Kitts•Enjoy an ice cream near the •Albatross SculptureTry a new brew at Mac’s brewery•

Skateboard at Waitangi Park•Try a spa treatment at Pearl Day •Spa. Use your voucher and get 15% offDress like you mean it and sprint •with passing runnersRead a book in the sun•Follow the waterfront heritage •trailStudy a Wellington waterfront •mapTry vertical bungy – no age limit!•Take a child to Capital E•Race a friend in a paddle boat•Hire a kayak from Fergs•Get cultural at Circa•Check out the views from the •telescope behind Te PapaBuy wine for a special occasion •from City Wines and Spirits and use your voucherRead and reflect on the •Memorial PlaquesShop at Untouched World and •use your voucherVisit the Wahine Memorial•Admire the Paul Dibble sculpture•Enjoy a gelato •Book a concert at the Ticketek •officeVisit the Straddle Carrier•Sip Belgian beer at Leuven•Get French at Arbitrageur•

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Left: A busy day in Wellington 1913.

Wellington’s waterfront has been an important centre of life and trade for many years. The area near around the Kumutoto stream holds a great deal of significance to local Mäori and the site has revealed archaeological evidence of early settlement here, with midden material and cooking ovens. Together with various kainga from Pipitea to Kaiwharawhara, Kumutoto area was established around 1824–25 by Ngati Mutunga and Ngati Tama Nihoputa. Around 1830 Kumutoto became a flax collection centre in a network of flax stations up and down the east of the North Island.

Over subsequent years, the area became more populated with both Mäori and European settlers. So the Kumutoto Stream area and pa became a significant site, to both Mäori and the wider community, reflecting the origins of the city.

Inthe1960stheNorthQueen’sWharfarea was reclaimed for a proposed motorway, which was never built. In 2003 the area’s significance was recognised when it was renamed Kumutoto. Now the space running from the city-side of the waterfront opposite Waring Taylor Street to the water’s edge has been redesigned and named Kumutoto Plaza. The vision for this new plaza includes a large sloping timber platform resembling a waka landing ramp, which will allow access to the water and providing the perfect place to sit and enjoy the view.

Our building sits in the centre of this new precinct and is angled to link with the mouth of the Kumutoto stream, acknowledging the important part the stream and the area has played in the history of Wellington.

Yesterday, today and tomorrow

Enjoy our new home