The category one heritage building at 35 Graham Street once served as the Auckland City Council service centre and is planned to be refurbished into a 6 Green Star office building – becoming the country’s largest-ever sustainable reuse project.

The project has recently gained resource consent and entered the planning phase. Real estate investors Augusta Funds report, “The projected CO₂ savings from using the existing concrete structure is roughly the equivalent of planting 52 hectares of trees or over 13,000 flights between Auckland and Queenstown.”

Architecture firm Woods Bagot is leading the design of the new office building, potentially the first Auckland CBD workplace to be designed post-COVID. The building will have sustainability at the forefront of its design and work will begin with seismic strengthening of the existing structure.

“Internationally we are seeing more consideration of sustainability in construction planning, a welcome evolution from a process that historically was purely financially driven,” says Woods Bagot principal Bruno Mendes. “Adaptive reuse bypasses the wasteful process of demolition and reconstruction, combined with energy savings and the cultural benefit of retaining a place with historic value.”

August Funds managing director Mark Francis says that the project is intended to give tenants flexibility for post-COVID workplace needs, with the largest floorplates clocking in at 3000-3500 square metres.

“The location of the development is expected to provide tenants with a number of geographical advantages ranging from unobstructed, panoramic harbour views through to a cafe with a landscaped outdoor area as well as secure car and cycle parking and premium end of trip facilities,” Francis notes. 

The provision of resource consent now allows the project – which commercial real estate managers Colliers are calling 35G – to move into further stages of planning and design.