New Zealand Commercial Design Trends Series NZ Commercial Design Trends Vol. 34/01C | Page 13

However, it’s also about smart functionality.
“The idea of a connected and collaborative
workplace community is to foster opportunities to
engage, collaborate and innovate,” says Grose.
“Here, the elaborate stair is the connector of
the independent spaces, and works in conjunction
with the organic atrium to create multiple sight-
lines across the dynamic, bustling building. It also
provides for ‘bump’ or chance meetings between
occupants. In this sense alone, the dramatic stair
energises as well as connects the space.”
In contemporary office workplaces, wellness is
increasingly implicit within the design – and The
B:HIVE is also an exemplar in this field. After all, a
healthy, wellness environment is another major
drawcard for the office-leasing development. One
of the ways the building reflects this in its innovative
and highly efficient provision of healthy air.
“Natural ventilation is the primary air source for
the building,” says the architect. “Fresh air enters
from the lower levels and travels up through the
atrium to be drawn out through thermal chimneys
on the perimeter of the floors. The B:HIVE’s smart
building technology adjusts the angles of the intake
louvres to optimise air flow.
“Importantly, all the walls stop short of the ceiling
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