Mercedes-Benz New Zealand – 9 Pacific Rise, Mt Wellington, Auckland.
Having been through an organisational restructure, and with its existing office and distribution centre no longer meeting functional requirements, Mercedes-Benz NZ sought to identify options for new or refurbished workplace and showroom accommodation that would meets it’s future needs. The distribution centre was to be located at a separate site.
Following the evaluation of several potential sites, the existing Heidelberg Building located at Pacific Rise Mt Wellington was selected as the most suitable option.
Originally constructed in the 1980’s, 9 Pacific Rise, Mt. Wellington is a 2 storey office and warehouse / distribution complex located on a 5200m2 site.
This building allowed for the co-location of two distinctly different parts of the business together in one building. Previously in separate buildings, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services and Mercedes-Benz Passenger / Commercial Vehicles came under one roof in what is now the new head office for Mercedes Benz New Zealand. The building would also have to accommodate a vehicle showroom, vehicle workshop / training space together with a vehicle storage area.
The designers were engaged by the landlord to design, document and oversee the base building works and by Mercedes-Benz New Zealand to design, document and manage the fit out works.
The existing shell and core was retained wherever possible with some modifications undertaken to create more efficient areas for the workshop / training, office and showroom area. Modifications to the base building included penetrations in the building envelope to allow for the installation of external glazing to new workspaces (in areas previously used as warehouse / storage spaces) and within tilt slab walls internally to provide better visual connection within the work and training spaces.
The existing print warehouse area has been utilized for car storage. Existing print rooms have been modified to accommodate workshop and training room facilities and now incorporate vehicle hoists and a viewing window from training room to workshop.
Original ground floor spaces and showroom have been refurbished to provide reception, meeting rooms, staff café / lounge, vehicle showroom and open plan marketing / sales area. The first floor office space was gutted and re-planned to provide a more efficient and flexible open plan environment with some cellular office accommodation and internal meeting rooms. A new mezzanine storage area was also constructed above the vehicle storage area.
The overall aesthetic and concept for interior spaces was driven by reference to Mercedes-Benz automobiles and there is also subtle reference to elements found within the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Germany.
However, the overall material palette / look and feel was developed deliberately with the automobile in mind. Finishes were chosen because of their aesthetic appropriateness, durability and for possessing a quality reminiscent of the luxury automotive industry and Mercedes-Benz in particular.
The material palette includes carbon fibre, automotive lacquers, polished aluminum and acrylic (a cost effective alternative reminiscent of glass). The existing (and badly damaged) parquet flooring was removed in showroom area and replaced with a high gloss reflective surface, again reminiscent of the automotive body finish – poured black and white epoxy – and polished.
The white epoxy denotes the perimeter ‘racetrack’ or circulation from entry / reception and around the showroom. The main body of the showroom floor is finished in black epoxy. The polished nature of this high gloss epoxy covering provides an impressive background to both the vehicles and to the physical space.
Existing timber stairs leading up to the main workspace were retained and stained black.
There is extensive use of environmental graphics. These graphics have been designed by the Spatial Designer with specific reference to Mercedes Benz, its vehicles and its history. Graphics include wire frame models of vehicles together with graphic representations of racing livery from Mercedes-Benz cars over the years.
Two key elements are apparent upon approach to the main entry. One is the polished aluminium and carbon fibre reception desk, accented with LED strip lighting. The other is a carbon fibre display case which greets visitors within the reception area and cuts through an internal wall serving as a mechanism to link the reception to the showroom space. This display case features a large scale interpretation of model car parts board routed entirely out of 20mm thick clear acrylic.
Materials generally, including the carbon fibre and aluminium all exude a high tech aesthetic sympathetic of the Mercedes-Benz experience.
A large communal café has been provided for staff and people attending training workshops. This includes a generous outdoor seating and BBQ area accessed directly off the staff café. The café also flows through to the showroom space and can be opened up and used as an extension to the showroom when events are being hosted.
Floor layouts have been made more flexible largely by removing private offices. End user requirements have allowed for the use of linear ‘bench’ desk configurations within the open plan areas.
"The new open plan layout has created an environment of communication and encourages staff to interact face to face. Our teams are already planning events across the business as they are now being exposed to other ideas and efficiencies.
Stack have provided us with an amazing refurbishment which strongly represents the innovation of the Mercedes-Benz brand."
Debbie Russ – Mercedes-Benz New Zealand
Having been through an organisational restructure, and with its existing office and distribution centre no longer meeting functional requirements, Mercedes-Benz NZ sought to identify options for new or refurbished workplace and showroom accommodation that would meets it’s future needs. The distribution centre was to be located at a separate site.
Following the evaluation of several potential sites, the existing Heidelberg Building located at Pacific Rise Mt Wellington was selected as the most suitable option.
Originally constructed in the 1980’s, 9 Pacific Rise, Mt. Wellington is a 2 storey office and warehouse / distribution complex located on a 5200m2 site.
This building allowed for the co-location of two distinctly different parts of the business together in one building. Previously in separate buildings, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services and Mercedes-Benz Passenger / Commercial Vehicles came under one roof in what is now the new head office for Mercedes Benz New Zealand. The building would also have to accommodate a vehicle showroom, vehicle workshop / training space together with a vehicle storage area.
The designers were engaged by the landlord to design, document and oversee the base building works and by Mercedes-Benz New Zealand to design, document and manage the fit out works.
The existing shell and core was retained wherever possible with some modifications undertaken to create more efficient areas for the workshop / training, office and showroom area. Modifications to the base building included penetrations in the building envelope to allow for the installation of external glazing to new workspaces (in areas previously used as warehouse / storage spaces) and within tilt slab walls internally to provide better visual connection within the work and training spaces.
The existing print warehouse area has been utilized for car storage. Existing print rooms have been modified to accommodate workshop and training room facilities and now incorporate vehicle hoists and a viewing window from training room to workshop.
Original ground floor spaces and showroom have been refurbished to provide reception, meeting rooms, staff café / lounge, vehicle showroom and open plan marketing / sales area. The first floor office space was gutted and re-planned to provide a more efficient and flexible open plan environment with some cellular office accommodation and internal meeting rooms. A new mezzanine storage area was also constructed above the vehicle storage area.
The overall aesthetic and concept for interior spaces was driven by reference to Mercedes-Benz automobiles and there is also subtle reference to elements found within the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Germany.
However, the overall material palette / look and feel was developed deliberately with the automobile in mind. Finishes were chosen because of their aesthetic appropriateness, durability and for possessing a quality reminiscent of the luxury automotive industry and Mercedes-Benz in particular.
The material palette includes carbon fibre, automotive lacquers, polished aluminum and acrylic (a cost effective alternative reminiscent of glass). The existing (and badly damaged) parquet flooring was removed in showroom area and replaced with a high gloss reflective surface, again reminiscent of the automotive body finish – poured black and white epoxy – and polished.
The white epoxy denotes the perimeter ‘racetrack’ or circulation from entry / reception and around the showroom. The main body of the showroom floor is finished in black epoxy. The polished nature of this high gloss epoxy covering provides an impressive background to both the vehicles and to the physical space.
Existing timber stairs leading up to the main workspace were retained and stained black.
There is extensive use of environmental graphics. These graphics have been designed by the Spatial Designer with specific reference to Mercedes Benz, its vehicles and its history. Graphics include wire frame models of vehicles together with graphic representations of racing livery from Mercedes-Benz cars over the years.
Two key elements are apparent upon approach to the main entry. One is the polished aluminium and carbon fibre reception desk, accented with LED strip lighting. The other is a carbon fibre display case which greets visitors within the reception area and cuts through an internal wall serving as a mechanism to link the reception to the showroom space. This display case features a large scale interpretation of model car parts board routed entirely out of 20mm thick clear acrylic.
Materials generally, including the carbon fibre and aluminium all exude a high tech aesthetic sympathetic of the Mercedes-Benz experience.
A large communal café has been provided for staff and people attending training workshops. This includes a generous outdoor seating and BBQ area accessed directly off the staff café. The café also flows through to the showroom space and can be opened up and used as an extension to the showroom when events are being hosted.
Floor layouts have been made more flexible largely by removing private offices. End user requirements have allowed for the use of linear ‘bench’ desk configurations within the open plan areas.
"The new open plan layout has created an environment of communication and encourages staff to interact face to face. Our teams are already planning events across the business as they are now being exposed to other ideas and efficiencies.
Stack have provided us with an amazing refurbishment which strongly represents the innovation of the Mercedes-Benz brand."
Debbie Russ – Mercedes-Benz New Zealand