Wynyard Quayside is a new 6 Star Green Star ‘As Built’ rated commercial development comprising five buildings with frontages to Halsey and Pakenham Streets and Tiramarama Way. The project brief called for open, flexible commercial floorplates to support a wide range of tenants, alongside an active and engaging ground plane. A strong aspiration for leadership in sustainability and cultural identity underpinned the design approach.
Each building has a distinct identity, unified by a shared response to the precinct’s marine and industrial heritage. At a masterplan level, the project prioritises movement, pedestrian experience and amenity, reinforcing its role as the final and defining stage of the Wynyard Quarter Innovation Precinct (WQIP). Programmatically, Wynyard Quayside supports employment, innovation and economic outcomes, contributing to the continued evolution of the innovation precinct.
Responding to its proximity to residential, retail and commercial neighbours, the development draws design cues from its rich industrial context. Delivered through a rigorous design review process with Eke Panuku’s Urban Design Panel, the buildings balance scale, texture and permeability while resolving key urban edges between city and waterfront.
The Pakenham building features a permeable ground plane with retail at street level and seven floors of commercial office space above. The Tiramarama Way buildings are similarly mixed-use, characterised by generous, open, north-facing floorplates. The three-storey ‘Flowers’ building accommodates shared workspace and event spaces, supporting tenants across the precinct.
Architecturally, the ground level is defined by a solid masonry envelope punctuated with glazed openings that activate laneways and create secondary entry points. Upper-level façades employ varied textures and detailing, giving each building a distinct identity while referencing the site’s past. Retail frontages, seating and landscaped areas foster interaction and dwell-time, creating a vibrant public realm that transitions from day to night, weekday to weekend.
Social and cultural sustainability were integral to the project, guided by a close co‑creation process with Mana Whenua artists Tessa Harris and Janine Williams. Elements of the building envelope, material palette and public‑facing spaces draw directly from Te Aranga Design Principles, embedding whakapapa, place-based narratives and cultural continuity throughout the development.
The design breaks the building mass into smaller, human‑scaled components, improving connectivity, accessibility and community comfort. Cultural themes across the precinct -particularly those of Māori lunar and celestial narratives, the Waitematā tidal edge, intertidal ecologies and constellations represented in the Tiramarama Way catenary lighting- informed the architectural language and spatial relationships. These connections reinforce a view in which all elements - land, water, sky, people - are interrelated.
Sustainability is at the forefront at Wynyard Quayside – achieving a world-leading 6 Star Green Star design rating, and targeting a 6 Star Green Star built rating and a leading NABERSNZ rating, demonstrates leadership in responsible design and delivery.
