The Customhouse Located in the Harbour Quays precinct near the Wellington waterfront, the Customhouse makes the most of its unusual triangular island site, bounded on one side by a railway line, to gain excellent natural light on all sides and to maximise sea views. Curved on one side, its streamlined white and glass upper storeys float above the double height base of the building, wrapped in a timber rainscreen to bring warmth and human scale as well as visual weight to the base of the building. A two-storey rounded ‘nose’, like the prow of an ocean liner, forms an inviting entry to a separate retail tenancy on the ground floor and links the building visually to nearby port. The exterior features dramatically tessellated precast concrete façade panels, inspired by port barriers and thus incorporating the idea of the designation and protection of borders. Double-glazing runs horizontally in strips between the dynamic shapes of the concrete spandrels. On the west façade, adjacent to Jervois Quay, heavy exposure to the setting sun has been addressed with striking metal sunshades that unfold like flags along its curved length. At the top of the building, the series of cubes that forms the profile of the plantroom is suggestive of a stack of shipping containers, reflecting the surrounding maritime activities. A planted rooftop garden provides amenities for Customs staff. The interior is anchored around a heavy shear core, with a curving interconnecting stair, clad in warm honey-coloured timber, that creates a hub at the centre of each floor for building users. While the interior fitout was not completed by Studio Pacific, the interior spaces, oriented to the magnificent harbour views and featuring expansive areas of column-free space, support a high-quality fitout design. Awarded a NZGBC 5 Green Star rating, the Customhouse uses extensive areas of internal exposed thermal mass through an exposed double T concrete beam structure to reduce internal temperature fluctuations, as well as providing a higher ceiling height and a ceiling ‘landscape’. Heating and cooling is by means of ceiling-mounted chilled beams. Low VOC-emitting paints and carpets from Environmental Choice ranges were selected throughout and all composite products are low-emission formaldehyde. Rainwater is collected and stored for toilet flushing; the building also includes solar hot water heating units and a swale drainage network for infrastructure stormwater.
Archetech - Issue
Along with existing buildings in the area, the Customhouse building also delineates an urban space that will be developed into a vibrant square for the Harbour Quays precinct.