A small mixed use/apartment building which uses an interesting building layout to deal with site constraints and allow all the habitable rooms to get light and natural ventilation.
This is a mixed use development in an inner city urban environment that is attached to a heritage hotel. The site is within the Cuba Street heritage area in Wellington’s central city. There are two towers; one six storey that provides 62 one bed units for the hotel. The other is seven storeys containing 54 apartments. These two towers sit on a two-to-two and a half storey podium.
The development is part of the neighbouring heritage hotel complex which was refurbished and earthquake strengthened in 2004.
The podium of the new building along Cuba Street appears as three separate buildings that are made up of two heritage façades and one new façade. Behind the façade at first floor level is a conference facility, and a gym and swimming pool for the complex.
The towers are sufficiently set back from the street facades, so as not to dominate over the street and the adjacent heritage hotel.
The architecture of the towers is modern – contrasting with surrounding heritage buildings. The tower facades have a range of set backs, balconies and different materials that further help break down the building dominance. The development sits comfortably into its surroundings.