Waikato Regional Council is a government body based in Hamilton with over 500 staff that works closely with communities, iwi and
industry to sustainably manage natural resources, enabling a strong economy and a high quality of life for all. Their activities help look
after the region's water, soil, air, geothermal areas and coasts – so these precious resources can be enjoyed for generations to come.
Waikato Regional Council (WRC) has recently relocated from Hamilton East into the central city to their new premises on the corner of
Tristram and Ward Streets, and we were lucky enough to work with them to refresh their furniture for their impressive new space.
The process of working with WRC started in 2018 for Modern Office, and as one of our largest projects to date, we’re extremely proud
to see this come to fruition. Partnering with Brian Squair and Alex Dunnigan from Chow:Hill Architects and Kevin Marsh, Property and Project
Consulting’s Interiors Project Manager, we took on board Chow Hill’s vision for WRC's new agile workspace.
Incorporating bespoke workplace strategic thinking, Chow:Hill collaborated with Modern Office to deliver a unique working environment for
WRC. The Interior colour palette was based on the natural environment within the Waikato Regional Council’s catchment from Land to
Sea. Each level has a different theme including Whenua (land), Awa (river) and Moana (sea), and we provided cost-effective fabrics and
finishes on their furniture to complement the themes and overall colour palette.
As well as providing the new furniture, Modern Office assisted in relocating and installing WRC’s existing furniture as part of the
overall project. Kevin from Property and Project Consulting (PPC) says “a feature of the service provided
by Modern Office was the cooperation and support they provided during the installation phase, their on-site crew were outstanding and
delivery of new furniture and installation of existing furniture was achieved on time, every time.”
By creating prototype workstation settings to trial our desk and storage products, a final list of key furniture items was chosen which
achieved the desired functionality and look, all within the council’s budget. The items were chosen to enable comfort and productivity
amongst WRC’s staff members, and included:
Height adjustable desks which are a must-have in today’s modern office. These offer flexibility and movement while working, leading to increased productivity
and well-being. Tidy cable management ensured the space was free of clutter and organised, and monitor arms were utilised for an ergonomic
desk set-up.
Eon chairs in WRC’s Chamber provided freshness and colour. With it’s back curve, holistic body and
contemporary design, this seating option offers the perfect combination of comfort and style. Easily stackable, the Eon chair is a great
choice for cafes, education establishments or other communal areas.
The Everest flip table with built-in power provides fast and easy versatility that businesses, conferences or educational
workspaces demand, and these were utilised in WRC’s meeting room. Their simple flip mechanism allows them to be stored away for
space-saving and castor wheels allow easy portability.
The Ava chair is an elegant, minimal armchair. The overall contour of the chair reflects the curve of the human body,
providing users with a comfortable seating experience. Ava’s vertical ribs on the surface are inspired by the texture of a shell. It
is suitable for reception or visitor areas, cafes, restaurants and meeting rooms.
Waikato Regional Council’s new premises reflect their values with an understated yet uplifting style, and promises a functional and
future-proofed workplace for the years to come. Kevin from PPC adds, “Modern Office provided a range of height adjustable
desking, storage and meeting room furniture for our WRC project. We found the team to be cooperative and flexible during the final
negotiation and fine-tuning phase, and the risk management they applied during the Covid-19 lockdown meant we were kept informed of
delivery progress.”
Contact
our team
to discuss your next furniture or fit out project, or how Modern Office can help refresh your space.
Modern Office is proud to work with New Zealand based businesses, architects and
designers to create inspiring workspaces. We are specialists in providing high quality
furniture items and end-to-end services from design and scoping to delivery
and installation.
Talk to us today about your next commercial project.
Let's Discuss Your Project