This building was to replace a large heritage building in central Nelson. An overriding objective was to bring some extra life into Nelson’s main street, particularly at first floor level with a sense of form, transparency, human scale and richness. Attracting business and customers to first floor level is a challenge in Nelson so rich sculptural core-ten features were an important part of this concept to catch peoples eye and draw them to the central vertical access. Being able to see up through the veranda was also important to this end.

The concept allows differing tenant arrangements, each able to have an identifiable part of the building, without compromising the concept as a whole.

The sculptural features are either structural, shading, generating electricity, or a combination. They create a visual balance between solid and void, transparency and enclosure and of course complimenting colours.  The roof over the outdoor area made use of dual glass photo-voltaic panels which could generate the building’s power.