Weaving public circulation through a city block

Set flush into bluestone paving, CoralTread entry matting is part of a seamless transition from Christchurch’s Cathedral Square into the Spark building atrium.

The new five-storey building in central Christchurch brings the Spark team into one integrated, purpose-built workplace. Replacing four earthquake-damaged buildings, the new office block features an open and permeable ground floor to invite public thoroughfare from Cathedral Square to Hereford Street and Cashel Street.

‘In such a key location, the building needed to connect the precinct,’ says project director Jasper van der Lingen. ‘The public atrium weaves pedestrian circulation through the site, drawing people inside and past ground floor retail and hospitality tenancies. These public edges and internal laneways make Spark part of the city. Their team of 500 will use the atrium in their daily routines and create energy and activity on the upper floors, and a future rooftop restaurant and bar will animate the building into the evenings.’

The Spark building uses architectural cues to invite people inside and through the building. These include the public forecourt, large glazed entryways, mixed-use tenancies, soaring full-height atrium, and bluestone paving that continues inside and through the public walkways.

At the door threshold, Advance Flooring’s CoralTread aluminium entrance matting is specified in charcoal grey, to blend as seamlessly as possible with the bluestone tiles. The flush, colour-matched finish provides a safe, non-slip entry transition, and the neutral colours of the flooring as a whole set off the sculptural atrium inside. A floating timber staircase, white ribbon balustrades, and exquisite granite and gold lift details activate the interior like works of art to enhance the ground floor experience.

Bluestone and CoralTread are both highly durable finishes that keep interiors looking sharp and pristine for years to come. With its neat, crisp edge and beautifully rounded corners, CoralTread blends effortlessly with the stone. The high-performance mat means superior trapping of dirt to keep spaces clean and reduce wear and tear on internal flooring surfaces.

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PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

The Global Green Tag Certified CoralTread is a stylish, low-profile architectural entrance matting system designed to remove as much dirt and moisture as possible before people enter a building. Read CoralTread specifications.

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CREDITS

Project: Spark Building, Christchurch

Architect: Sheppard & Rout Architects

Product: CoralTread

Photographer: Dennis Radermacher

Writer: Folio