Alto Office Building

Archimedia referenced the company’s culture and its principal packaging products in developing the design. The office building was envisioned as a precision-made “floating” package, grounded by a precast concrete service core, in an archetypical served/servant plan relationship. One of the company’s principal products is plastic food containers and the associated ideas of containment, display and masking (of the product inside) are explored within the design. In the exterior and interior treatment of the building, there are screens, louvres and translucent panels which suggest the activity behind while masking the full view. The bar code is a consistent theme in the building, chosen to symbolise the synthesis of the digital processes being carried out within the building (accounts and IT) and the retail commodities that packaging is associated with. A giant relief barcode is featured on the front precast wall, broadcasting the company name via barcode language and similar smaller versions of barcode language populate the interior. The main ground floor office space features giant highly lacquered “pods” which reference the cross section of a plastic milk bottle or food container and variations on this form are used to create ceiling panels, wall fragments and windows for the reception, break out spaces and staff room wall. Hamilton:  2012 Project Team Steve King Linda Crawford Photography:  Archimedia Press & Awards NZIA Local Award for Architecture 2012 NZIA Colour Award 2012