Zespri’s new head office in Mount Maunganui reflects the company’s status as the world’s largest marketer of kiwifruit. 

Due for completion in 2020, the site includes 5000 square metres of agile office space. The building will bring to life Zespri’s initial design principles of sustainability, functionality and community, says Zespri’s acting chief people officer, Dave Courtney. 

‘Sustainability is one of our major priorities at Zespri and it was important our new building reflected this. We’ve made sure that the range of timbers our contractors have used have the Environment Choice NZ tick or are FSC certified, and that the carpets are Environment Choice NZ or Cradle to Cradle certified.’

To create a subtle background palette in the main office areas, the architects selected Voxflor Rondo carpet tiles from Advance in two tones of grey. Against this, furnishings pop with fruit colours to celebrate the industry. One great advantage of these tiles is ease of maintenance, as they’re simple to swap out should they get stained or damaged. Rondo uses DuPont’s Sorona fabric: not only is Sorona durable and crush-resistant, it is also made with sustainably produced plant fibres such as maize, combining real sustainability with superior performance benefits.

The main entrance is fitted with the Orbit matting system designed and made by Advance, which features carpet strip inserts embedded in aluminium. The strips, available in a range of colour options, reduce dirt ingress effectively to maintain indoor air quality, while also minimising trip hazards; and the aluminium is 100 per cent recyclable.

CREDITS
Project: Zespri, Mount Maunganui
Architects: Warren and Mahoney
Writer: Folio
Photographer: Mark Scowen