New Zealand Commercial Design Trends Series NZ Commercial Design Trends Vol. 30/12 | Page 58

which provides the main structural support for the
Strange’s building. The form of the cylinder, which
features concrete half a metre thick, is exposed
on all levels, and pops out the top, so it can be
glimpsed from many areas.
“The oval shape is one of the strongest forms in
nature,” says van der Lingen. “The client wanted a
building that would last forever. It wasn’t enough
to just meet earthquake codes – we needed to
surpass them, so this building is built to IL4 level,
which is usually restricted to emergency facilities.
This means the building is built to a standard that is
188% of the earthquake code for Christchurch.”
Various services are contained in the core – it
accommodates the stairs, lifts, and a number of
utilities, including bathrooms, ducts and switchboards.
The prominence and consequent significance of
the corner site was also recognised. Van der Lingen
says the building needed to make a strong statement, but the team wanted to reference the historic
predecessor at the same time.
“The glass facade is an abstract representation
of the old heritage buildings that lined Lichfield St,”
he says. “The windows are all vertical, with deep
recesses that create shadows and stringlines – they

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define the position of the floors inside. The vertical
panels are set in and out, which repeats the rhythm
of the fenestration on the Bonnington building next
door. To achieve a real depth of shadow we added
coloured fins to the panels. These also help with
sun shading at certain times of the day, and they
cast interesting coloured patterns on the interior.”
The pointed end of the building, at the junction of
the roads, is a key focus.
“The original building had a curved end that went
right the way up,” says the architect. “We felt the
end should be rounded at the lower section, where
people circulate around the building, and can see
and touch the glass. But on the upper storeys we
went for a sharp edge to the acute angle, which is
an urban gesture to the city – it clearly signals the
prominence of this corner site.”
While offices occupy the upper levels – the top
floor is tenanted by the builder Leighs Construction
– the lower level is given over to five café-style bars,
namely Lower 9th Diner, Nucleus, Orleans, Strange
& Co and Vespa. All the venues open into the new
laneway and courtyard, which is entered from both
High and Lichfield Streets. There is a new gateway
between the old and new buildings on High Street.
“Here, the dark steel framing curves down to the

Below left:No longer derelict
spaces, the laneways between
buildings have created shared
outdoor dining areas for bars and
restaurants. The oval-shaped
concrete cylinder forms a key
part of the structure of the
Strange’s building.
Below:Sunlight filters into
the laneway by day. At night,
the area becomes a vibrant
entertaining destination.
Right:Stepped balconies
cantilevered off the Glendenning
building enhance the industrial
feel of the precinct.