New Zealand Commercial Design Trends Series NZ Commercial Design Trends Vol. 34/03C | Page 70

ceiling finish defines a livelier or a quieter area.
As an individual base within this flexible work
environment, lockers provide for personal items.
The variety of work settings is also supported by
a variety of social gathering spaces and centralised
support facilities, that ensure colleagues retain the
ability to informally foster a sense of belonging.
“In a recent workplace experience survey,
Vodafone participants reported high levels of
belonging, friendships with colleagues, and feelings
of being part of a group at work,” says Gatt.
And with work, there’s play. Game space is
located on both sides of Level 2, including elements
such as a digital climbing wall and table tennis.
The wellness facility on the ground floor includes
a cardio room, parent’s room, faith/ reflection room
and wellness room. A healthy lifestyle is also sup-
ported by a purpose-built, end of trip facility with
showers and bike parking in the basement.
In aesthetic terms, the campus is designed as
a playful environment, creating a series of spaces
that reference the New Zealand landscape and
celebrate its diversity. Underpinning the playful
narrative is a clear and simple planning rationale,
comprising two modules and the atrium.
“Module One references urban, gritty landscape
while Module Two references the New Zealand sub-
urbs, green and lush,” says Gatt. “Each has a strong,
colourful reference to its concept, which becomes
more playful as it moves close to the atrium.”
The atrium’s edges are the melting pot where
the two modules collide, becoming a focal point of
energy and place to go for employees to collabo-
rate. The Vodafone brand is intended to sit within
this framework and has greater presence in the
public and external facing areas. As well as addressing staff wellbeing by its
various sporting or niche spaces, the sustainable
nature of the fit-out has to be good for staff health
as well as limiting the building’s running costs.
Key sustainable factors – beyond the green move
of refurbishing and re-purposing an existing build-
ing – included new solar shading and glazing to the
atrium to minimise heat gains; sensor zone control
in open plan offices; installation of low energy LED
luminaires; and building energy monitoring.
Then there was consideration of sustainable cer-
tification when selecting materials, separate bins for
recycling and waste on all floors at breakout and util-
ity zones, and restricted water fittings. These are just
some of the green moves in the now highly sophisti-
cated yet humanistic Vodafone InnoV8 building.
The drive of the Vodafone InnoV8 project was to
provide a pro-active, future-ready environment that
allows the organisation to do and be their best.
“This meant creating a workplace with variety
and choice to support effective working and high
performance, at the same time as providing spaces
for relaxation, reflection and reprieve.
“In a recent workplace experience survey, 73%
of Vodafone participants said they feel like they can
be themselves at work.”
For Vodafone’s HR director Antony Welton, the
new building is about ensuring employees have
what they need to be at their best.
“We believe physical environments play a big
role in the general wellbeing of our people. We’re
proud to have joined the Smales Farm com-
munity and feature our own digital workplace.
We’re excited to demonstrate our technology and
expertise in getting the business ready for a digital
future,” Welton says.
Project Vodafone InnoV8, Smales Farm
Architect Warren and Mahoney, project lead Gabrielle Gatt
Project manager Rebbeck Dunn Watters
Contractor NZ Strong
Quantity Surveyor Cuesko & Ryder Levett Bucknall
Mechanical engineer Jackson Engineering Advisers
Electrical/hydraulic Engineer Norman Disney & Young
Fire Engineer Holmes Fire
Acoustic Engineer Earcon Acoustics
Structural BGT Structures
Flooring Atrium flooring – stone from European Ceramics;
corridor wooden flooring – Tasmanian Ash; staff kitchen
flooring – Noraplan from Jacobsen; carpet, type one –
Tretford, from Heritage Carpets; type two – Nocturnal 18
with feature tiles, Rainbow, Protégé and Landscape, from
Godfrey Hirst
Atrium stairs Powdercoated steel from All Steel Projects
Ceiling panels Atrium ceilings – Decortech and Autex;
general ceilings – Armstrong Ultima from Forman General lighting Supplied by IBEX Lighting
General area paint Resene Alabaster
Furniture Desks, lockers, lecterns, some meeting room
furniture – Vidak; cafe seating in atrium, and general staff
cafe furniture – Harrows; meeting room tables and chairs
– Kada; audiovisual – AVT; exterior furniture – ByDezign;
cafe, atrium big screen and reception – Retail Dimension
Workplace experience survey Gabrielle Gatt and Dr Lixin
Jiang, University of Auckland
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Story by Charles Moxham
Photography by Sam Hartnett and Shamanth Gounder
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287346653 at Trendsideas.com
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warren and mahoney at Trendsideas.com
Previous pages, clockwise
from top left:The cutting-edge
‘Arena’ conference room features
180° projectors; the atrium
screen in operation; the vibrant
outdoor basketball court; and a
games room.
Facing page:Social spaces
are pushed towards the central
atrium to optimise casual staff
connections and also to animate
the various floors when viewed
from across the atrium or from the
atrium floor.