About the building
The project was a combination of two design strategies.
The first involved the transformation of the existing commercial building, respecting the industrial sheds material and spatial qualities to improve its performance and sustainability.
The second is a new approach, utilising renewable materials
and sustainable systems such as renewable energy, water harvesting and digital fabrication.
Reuse of the existing building envelope was a key aspect of the overall design, which minimises the carbon footprint of the building.
Kai Tahi’s services were designed from the initial concept to be driven by sustainable design principles, which resulted in the building having sensor-monitored actuator passive cooling and ventilation systems, retro-fitted insulation together with thermal mass within the arcade, and water harvesting to tanks fixed like saddle bags to the existing concrete boundary wall. The system provides grey water to toilets and roof gardens.
With the quality of water in the harbour being Porirua’s most pressing environmental concern, the flow of stormwater into the harbour has been attenuated by storage tanks and any concrete removed (to allow the installation of new ground beams) was cut out in clean slabs and repurposed for use on the harbour-restoration project being undertaken by Porirua City Council.
The large spans of the repurposed market hall provide an expansive space, uninterrupted by structure, that lends itself to a very flexible, multi-tenant environment with few spatial constraints. A clerestory and lanterns bring more sunlight and fresh air to the interior, while the service lane, with a 60m mural by local artist Michel Tuffery, has been transformed into a vibrant, light-filled arcade.
About the owner
Leasing enquiries: natasha@thewoolstore.co.nz
Kai Tahi has been designed and developed by The Woolstore Management Limited.
The Woolstore Management Limited team has a strong track record in property investment and have a range of unique and heritage properties which are professionally managed by a small but responsive team of experts.
They have made significant investment in sustainability improvements across their portfolio and are focussed on creating considered, well designed environments – and supporting communities of like-minded tenants.
The Woolstore hope to conserve and celebrate the cultural heritage embedded in the ‘place’ – between the city and the sea – to connect the arts and the people, re-invigorate the use of local produce, and open a link between Porirua city and the foreshore to the public.
About the Three Eels
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