387 TAMAKI DRIVE St Heliers, Auckland, New Zealand | 2007 - 2012

This mixed use development occupies a corner site on the waterfront of Auckland’s eastern suburbs. The lower level contains car parking, a bank, restaurant and the main building entry, around a publicly accessible courtyard, at the centre of which is a rotating sculpture known as ‘The Seedling’. These lower level spaces have been raised 0.5 metres above street level to allow views over parked cars to the beach and water beyond. The middle level contains 5 commercial office suites and one residential apartment, while the upper level houses 4 residential apartments.   The two upper levels have the same architectural expression, without differentiating commercial from residential uses, with the middle level capable of future residential conversion.

The deep rectangular site is enclosed on two sides by adjoining developments, resulting in a planning concept based on 6 internal courtyards, in addition to the public courtyard on the northern frontage. This allows for natural light and ventilation to all spaces, with only the commercial office suites being air-conditioned. The courtyards also spatially extend the units and provide views of landscaping. Skylights are employed to all bathrooms of the 387 Tamaki apartments, providing additional natural light and views of the sky from otherwise totally internal spaces. Large balconies to all units provide outdoor spaces to take advantage of the sea views.

The building is constructed entirely of off-white precast concrete panels, with hollow core precast floor panels. The concrete is left exposed to all external faces and internally to all common areas. Angled off-white glass reinforced concrete blades are employed on the east and west faces of the public courtyard for privacy and sun-shading, while maintaining views out to the water.

Photographer: Daniel Mayne