A good example of a high-rise apartment building that successfully responds to the city’s urban fabric and demonstrates excellent building design and a very well articulated façade. The rejuvenated Chews Lane Precinct creates boutique neighborhood at the city's commercial and creative heart.
Chews Lane Precinct is a mixed use development in central Wellington, between Willis and Victoria Streets. The development is a total of ten buildings that either operate independently or have functions that span more than one building. There are five new buildings, four existing buildings restored and one building that has retained its heritage street façade and surrounds the car parking component of the precinct. One of the new buildings is a 12 level residential apartment tower that is built on a podium of two of the other buildings and spans across Chews Lane. The top of this building is approximately 70m above footpath level.
This is a large central city site, which was previously in Wellington City Council ownership. Prospective developers had to include a concept design as part of their pitch for the redevelopment of the site. A key part of the evaluation process was how the proposed concept worked with existing heritage buildings and how it would revitalise this part of the city through a mixture of uses. The proposal reads as a collection of ten separate buildings – the new buildings – clearly of modern style, contrast with heritage buildings that were retained on site.
The uses on site include 97 apartments, offices, eight levels of car parking, retail, cafes and bars at ground floor. The development enhances the important pedestrian link of Chews Lane which lies between Willis and Victoria Streets.