Leighs Construction

Leighs Construction is one of New Zealand's leading construction companies, based in Christchurch. They deliver construction projects across a number of sectors including commercial, primary industry, agriculture, retail, health, education, and government throughout New Zealand and overseas. When Leighs were looking set up their head office and relocate to a new building in the centre of Christchurch, Creative Spaces worked collaboratively both with Leighs and the Building Architect Sheppard & Rout. The Canterbury earthquakes in 2010/2011 irrevocably damaged the High Street precinct, with Victorian and Edwardian streetscapes and lively laneways changed forever, and most of the heritage buildings demolished. 219 High Street, formerly the Strange's and Glendenning Hill Buildings, at the corner of High, Lichfield and Manchester Streets was in April the first to open in the core CBD. A proud employer, the interior fitout for Leighs is about recognising that every worker needs time that is uninterrupted to concentrate and attend to specific tasks such as thinking and ‘head down' work. Collaborative working with one or more people is encouraged with soft seating and a large breakout space on the ground floor. Structural reliability and integrity is important to staff, and having the structure visible creates trust with the Leighs staff and visitors. The interior palette of warm timber, black and corporate yellow complements the industrial setting of the architecture with exposed concrete walls and exposed steel structure.