'Colourful B:Hive office in Auckland voted best in world'

We are thrilled with recent recognition for the ‘World’s Best Office’ - Smales Farm: B:HIVE development.
World of Architecture’s sister festival Inside World of Interiors gave B:HIVE the international award last week, one of several it has received this year.
It was a challenging, rewarding and ultimately highly celebrated project to have been involved with. eCubed Director and Mechanical & ESD Engineer for B:HIVE Eric Dronet is proud of the whole eCubed team’s efforts. Congratulations to Jasmax/BVN & all the partners involved on B:HIVE!

Excerpt from Stuff.co.nz article by Colleen Hawkes —

A stunning, colourful office project at Smales Farm in Auckland has taken top honours at the World Architecture Festival. B:Hive, designed by BVN in association with Jasmax, has been voted the best office in the world.

The Offices Award winner was "unanimously agreed" between judges as an exemplary example of a sustainable and flexible workspace, where the "needs of the users inform the architecture".

The judges praised the way the office is packed with state-of-the-art facilities, amenities and technology, all designed to deliver an environment that empowers and helps to grow regional businesses.

Jasmax project architect Cameron Pollock says the firm is "over the moon to have won the WAF award for B:Hive last night… The co-working hub is an ground-up exemplar of the future of workplaces, and it's a credit to our Smales Farm client's progressive vision and our successful partnership with BVN Architecture that it's been recognised on the world stage. We're thrilled it joins our other WAF winner for this year, City Rail Link, which won the WAFX prize for Cultural Identity. Congratulations to our whole project team."

The Jasmax design summary says the innovative and sustainable design of B:Hive reflects the client's goal for the building – to create a broader co-working hub, "a far cry from a cold business park, which fosters place-making and connection".

The five-level office spreads over 11,000 square metres and is connected by a lofty atrium with a bold sculptural staircase, which is surrounded by lush greenery at its base. The office is designed to provide sightlines both vertically and horizontally. Floors have been designed for complete flexibility with re-locatable walls located around the perimeter – short-term leasing options are available.

Jasmax says the health of occupants was a primary consideration. "B:Hive prioritises not only physical but holistic wellness, with the atrium playing a central role. The connecting stair is located close to the entry, encouraging people to walk through the building and providing opportunities to engage, meet, observe and participate while also introducing a sense of delight."

Already this year, the B:Hive project has won seven New Zealand awards, including the Commercial Office Property Award of Excellence at the Property Council NZ Industry Awards. / 05.12.2019

JOHN GOLLINGS

JOHN GOLLINGS

A summary of The New Zealand Herald article by Anne Gibson —

An eye-catching $80 million Takapuna commercial building with bright orange curving internal stairs has won the world's top 'inside office' award at the World Architecture Festival.

B:Hive off Taharoto Rd at Smales Farm was yesterday announced as the winner of the category. Judges described it as an exemplary case of a sustainable and flexible workplace. The building was designed by Australian architects BVN, working with the local Jasmax.

Paul Gunn, Smales Farm chief executive, said today the award was vindication for the business he heads. "We are delighted that B:HIVE has received the ultimate international recognition," Gunn said. The development is a co-worker block and Gunn said its creation was a key move towards the vision of creating a diverse urban community and an example of what can be achieved by between architects and clients.

The building epitomised core values of community, innovation, sustainability, quality and wellness and it was extremely rewarding to hear the judges identify these elements in their decision, Gunn said. "What's more rewarding is the consistently positive feedback we receive about the unique environment we have created and how we have assisted the growth and success of their businesses," he said.

The same building took a national award at NZ Institute of Architects Award last month. It won the interior award for the stylish B:Hive office block at Smales Farm Takapuna, with its brightly coloured internal stairway "sculptural, at the heart of the building, works well as a focal point and a social fulcrum, twisting its way up through the light-bathed atrium".

BVN said the five-level building is the antithesis of a traditional office block because its genesis was to be a place more for community engagement to attract startups, small companies and individuals. Wellness was a primary consideration in the design so mixed-mode ventilation using facade thermal chimneys draw air through the atrium. A skylight brings in the sunshine and walking the stairs energises workers. 06/12/2019

JOHN GOLLINGS