Capital landmark built to impress

The Ian Athfield-designed building won an award when completed in 1987. Photo / Supplied

Designed by architect Ian Athfield, a landmark Wellington office building at 186-190 Willis St, Wellington, is offered for sale by deadline private treaty through Colliers International closing November 26.

The 10-level building won the New Zealand Institute of Architects Award for Best Commercial Building when it was completed in 1987.

"The building is generally regarded as one of the best-quality buildings in its location from both a design and tenant perspective," says Colliers broker Sam McIlroy who is marketing the property with colleagues Richard Findlay and Jeremy Langford.

"As a result, it has always had a strong leasing record with a quality mix of tenants."

McIlroy says the sale presents a good opportunity for a buyer looking to own one of the capital's finest office buildings with surplus land to the rear.

Originally built by Mainzeal for owner Hewlett Packard, the property comprises two podium levels with seven tower levels, together with generous onsite car parking.

"The building is of a high quality and is well serviced by three lifts" says Langford. "Thanks to its quality design, the building benefits from great natural light and views from the upper levels. With the tower set back from the lower podium floors and the building built on part of the site, this ensures excellent natural light will be maintained for the life of the building."

Two main access points provide entry to the building, with pedestrian access from Willis St and secondary access to level one from the rear parking area.

Extensive onsite parking is provided by way of 36 secure basement carparks and a further 26 designated onsite carparks.

Standing on 2102sq m of land, the property offers a lettable area of 6048.64sq m and a net income of around $1.383 million, plus GST.

"The range of high-quality tenants include ACC, the National Library, Tyco and Boffa Miskell," Findlay says.

The building occupies a prominent position on the southern fringe of the Wellington CBD, on the western side of Willis St between Dixon and Ghuznee Sts.

"This is an area of predominantly low to medium-rise commercial office and retail buildings," says McIlroy. "However, over recent years there have been a number of residential conversions and new apartment developments completed close by.

"It is a short stroll to the core CBD, a stone's throw from Cuba Mall precinct, and close to the city bypass road which provides easy access to and from the site."

Athfield is widely credited with reshaping Wellington and other parts of New Zealand over the past 40 years through his outstanding designs.

Born in Christchurch in 1940, he graduated from Auckland School of Architecture, setting up Athfield Architects with Ian Dickson and Graeme Boucher in 1968.

In 1965 he started work on his first major project, Athfield House, for his family. Located in Khandallah, Wellington, the distinctive group of structures stands out among neighbouring, conventional suburban houses on the hillside approaches to the city from the SH1 motorway.

Athfield's practice expanded during the 1980s from mainly residential work to community and commercial buildings. As well as continuing to work on small-scale projects, his portfolio has included churches, pubs, council flats, stadiums and commercial high-rise buildings.

His work includes Wellington's Telecom Towers, Civic Square and Public Library, State Building extension (Te Puni Kokiri), Chews Lane urban regeneration and waterfront revitalisation, as well as Christchurch's AMI (Jade) Stadium.

Athfield was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 1996, and has won over 60 national and international architecture and design awards during his career, including 13 NZIA Supreme Awards. In 2004 he won the New Zealand Institute of Architects' highest honour, the Gold Medal. Athfield was also the first New Zealand architect to register as an Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation architect.

Athfield also judges many design competitions and is on a number of advisory panels throughout New Zealand and Australia, including his role as a member of the Auckland Property Enterprise Board.