fearon hay architects: south loft at the imperial buildings

‘south loft’ by fearon hay architects, auckland, new zealand
image © jackie meiring
all images courtesy of fearon hay

we venture into new zealand practice fearon hay‘s imperial building renovation (featured here) to the ‘south loft’ at the top floor of the building on queen street. the space now houses offices for a group of economists, enclosed by the original brick masonry and heavy timber skeleton – considered the ‘jewel’ of the structure. the open room is subdivided by pockets of blackened steel and glass boxes that create spaces for private meetings and quiet work areas, under the large roof plenum and large wooden trusses. within a limited space, much attention was given to custom detailed connections and fixtures. raw steel, wood, glass, concrete, and brick continue the architectural expression of the larger renovation project, highlighting the smaller scale designs: door handles, glass panel frames, and metal shelves/walls. at either end of the rectangular shaped attic, open plan studio offices enjoy views over the entry street and imperial courtyard bustling with visitors throughout the day.

metal and glass cube in the middle of the office space
image © jackie meiring

side hallway
image © jackie meiring

view towards the studio office
image © jackie meiring

inside the meeting room – curtains provide privacy
image © jackie meiring

a mix of new and old textures converge throughout the space
image © jackie meiring

custom details
image © jackie meiring

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