2024 Wellington Architecture Awards Winner
40 & 44 Bowen Street
The project strategically addresses a key site left in disarray since the 2008 Global Financial Crisis. New life is given to the heart of the parliamentary precinct by creating two buildings that are braced against the old bones of Charles Fergusson Tower and Bowen State Building. Landscaped laneways connect to the giant Bowen Campus; it’s warm heart can be seen in the shared atrium of the new buildings. The double-height space, clad in timber and adorned with greenery, gives respite from the busy surroundings. The buildings carefully address all sides of the site, including the challenging Wellington Urban Motorway to the west. The Bowen St façade cleverly addresses the concave curve of the street, while the generous footpath improves the pedestrian experience. Finely detailed ‘fins’ add dynamism to the sawtooth façade, which is also reflected inside. The technological response to earthquake resilience is innovative and materials enhance sustainability, granting the building a 5-star Green Star rating.
- Practice
- Tennent Brown Architects
- Category
- Commercial Architecture
- Location
- Wellington
