When Milford Asset Management approached Wingates to design their new Auckland headquarters, the specialist investment firm came with a clear brief. “The space needed to support future growth, offer a diverse range of settings for collaboration and focused work, and include a front-of-house that was welcoming, calm and professional,” recalls Natasha Baumgartner, Wingates Associate, Architectural Designer.

“They also wanted us to draw inspiration from the natural landscape of Milford Sound, as well as incorporate their signature orange brand identity in a way that was refined,” she adds.

It was no mean feat that Baumgartner and her team resoundingly delivered on that directive, especially considering the centre of the single-level space was devoid of direct natural light. In response, they relished the opportunity to transform the workplace’s least desirable location into its most eye-catching. The result is a central internal garden – The Oasis – that functions as a memorable arrival and client experience, resplendent with lush plantings, a water feature and timber joinery unit that features cosy seating nooks. Above is a bespoke metal panel ceiling feature patterned with a perforated dot-map of native tree canopies that evokes dappled forest light and water reflections.

The Oasis celebrates biophilic design principles and as an unexpected reveal in a thoughtfully sequenced scheme that begins with a low, compressed entry, it acts as a relaxing pause. Elsewhere, a quiet library was designed to honour one of Milford Asset Management’s founding members and comfortable informal settings support collaboration, while workstations are positioned back-of-house and close to the space’s boundaries, allowing for as much direct access to natural light as possible.  

Shaped as much by pragmatic requirements as a sense of poetic dynamism, a pathway winds its way throughout the back-of-house, mirrored by an orange exposed ceiling above it. The incorporation of the brand’s colour in this way is so subtle and seamlessly integrated into the overall palette, which also includes pops of turquoise, deep blue and emerald green that reference the wings of the kea bird, it doesn’t jar or appear out of place. These bright hues sit alongside an otherwise neutral colour palette of honey-coloured timbers, sandy tones and creams. Meanwhile, the kitchen features rich caramel-coloured local handmade ceramic tiles that pop on the splashback and island base.

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These tiles reinforce an emphasis on artisanal detailing and highlight the expressive nature of the overall design’s colour and material palettes. As Baumgartner explains, “the palettes were developed to reflect the firm’s values and evoke a strong sense of place, with subtle references to Aotearoa’s natural environment. We chose materials for their light-responsive and tactile qualities, with cathedral glass screening meeting rooms and mottled metal panels referencing the movement of water, which also allowed us to play with ideas of shadow and reflection throughout the space.”

Greenery peppers the rest of the workplace, further emphasising the scheme’s commitment to improving wellbeing via a design that fundamentally understands the principles of biophilia. It also softens the look of the space and redefines what a ‘serious’ corporate environment should look like. There is a warmth and familiarity to the design that is reminiscent of a domestic interior, which when teamed with a highly functional plan makes for a comfortable workplace conducive to productivity.

Wingates
wingatearchitects.com

Photography
Jono Parker