A project as colourful as it is productive

10 Mar 2023

From open spaces to more densely-packed nooks, and in vivid colours as well as calm neutrals, Generator’s new shared workspace is designed for optimal social collaboration, productivity and creativeness.

Interior design firm Warren and Mahoney chose Resene paint colours for each space in this Wellington project based on how the space would be used. Situated on the first two levels of 40 Bowen Street, Generator Bowen Campus is home to 5,000 workers from a mix of leading corporates and government agencies in New Zealand.

Drawing on the diverse culture, parliamentary grounds and natural environment of the local area, the finished project breathes modern design and functionality at its best.

Matt Reid, Associate Interior Designer and project lead from Warren and Mahoney says: “The project’s central idea, ‘the cultivator’, encompasses the social aspirations for the project; a shared workplace that is geared up to entice and facilitate dialogue for New Zealand's next generation of businesses, drawing on the diverse community within the Bowen Campus precinct and beyond.

“The design draws reference to its immediate context of site. The pristine parliamentary grounds, native flora and fauna of the Tinakori Bush and Wellington Botanic Garden are represented in the design by an abundance of rich texture and planting, moments of intense colour and relief, and density and openness.”

On the first floor, a generous circulation and hospitality area welcomes Generator members and other building tenants into a vibrant members’ lounge, bar and suite of event spaces. With a strong connection to nature, the journey through the circulation space is dark and highly textured with Resene Holly, a deep winter green, used throughout.

“Resene Holly has become an instant favourite, not just for me personally, but for many others involved,” Matt says. “The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive from many industry partners and collaborators who have experienced the space. With the extent of the colour used throughout the workspace it was an important one to execute right.”

To prep the surface in the members’ lounge and ground floor, Resene SIPDS 4 was followed for the steel and metal surfaces, helping to prevent corrosion. A coat of Resene Galvo-Prime, a waterborne galvanised steel primer was then used, followed by two coats of Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen in Resene Holly.

Resene SIPDS 1 was used for the ceilings throughout and first floor office and meeting spaces, followed by Resene Broadwall, a waterborne wallboard sealer and topcoats in Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen tinted to Resene Holly, and Resene Black White for the first floor.

While the dark green of Resene Holly, paired with Resene Resitex Black finishes, provide a dark backdrop for the lush planting, reflective surfaces and pulsating colours like Resene Geronimo have been used to reflect the vibrant culture of the people working within.

Resene Resitex is an elastomeric textured acrylic, providing a tough finish, great for beautifying and protecting concrete structures. Tinted to Resene Black, as in the Generator building, this Environmental Choice approved product weatherproofs the surface, and can disguise minor blemishes without changing the basic architectural concept.

Connecting the ground and first floor, is a dressed-up base build fire staircase, coated in the bright, sociable, reddish pink Resene Geronimo, paired with pink neon finishes and lighting. These vibrant shades leading to the Generator workspace floors extend outwards on each level to guide users between the two floors.

“The arrival into the Generator space encapsulates so many successful elements of the project,” Matt says. “The garden pathway leading you to the vibrant members’ lounge and bar area to the right, and the light bright event spaces screened by textured glazing and lush planting to the left.” 

Different-sized meeting and event spaces wrap around a central core with shared workspace amenity anchored in the south-east corner of the floor plate. In contrast to the ground floor, the event, meeting and offices spaces are light and bright using warm timber with Resene Black White painted on the walls and ceilings.

Generator Bowen Campus is a new and exciting flexible workspace in Wellington’s buzzing Parliamentary Precinct. The finished project is described by the team at Warren and Mahoney as a “place to rouse the senses and spur the mind”.

See more of the project here: https://warrenandmahoney.com/portfolio/generator-bowen-street

client: Generator https://generatornz.com/

interior designer Warren and Mahoney https://warrenandmahoney.com/

images Thomas Seear-Budd https://thomasseearbudd.com/

Lush greenery and planting pops against Resene Black décor and Resene Holly walls as well as the organic stone tile patterning which creates an intentional pathway, allowing for easy flow. 

Dense nooks with plush seating can be found around the Generator Bowen Campus, created with the dark shades of Resene Black and Resene Holly on the walls and décor.

The eye-catching and sociable colour of Resene Geronimo was used on the staircase between the two levels, along with pink neon lights and finishes.

The neon lights and pink shades of Resene Geronimo extend out on each level to create a guide for the staircase leading between the floors. The vibrant shades are a welcome and inviting sight.

The first floor Generator workspace is light and open, with the benefits of both natural and artificial lighting. Resene Holly stretches out between both floors on the steel beams creating unity between the levels and is the perfect contrast to the light furniture and central seating. The walls are painted in Resene Black White. 

Resene Holly, which lines the steel beams and surfaces, has become an instant favourite with those involved in the project. Resene Resitex tinted to Resene Black has been used on some of the unique décor designed for a minimal and functional purpose. 

The stone tiled flooring and planters, and purposefully placed Resene Holly beams lead the way into meeting and conference rooms that are private but still open and sunlit.

Published: 10 Mar 2023