Precinct One Willis

LEASING NOW

Premium office space | three floors of over 1,000sqm each | exceptional quality for the money | Choose the address that will put you and your team right at the pivot point of Wellington life.

Download the information pack

Find out more from
sam.seddon@precinct.co.nz | 021 662 571

A SYMBOL OF ENDEAVOUR

It was 1968 and the powers that be at the Bank Of New Zealand wanted a symbol of endeavour that would make a statement on what, then, was a very different Wellington skyline. No.1 Willis was designed by Australian firm, Stephenson & Turner, architects of the lucky country's first nuclear reactor and proponents of International Modernism. Architect and client took a study tour around the world and agreed that both the rigour of the design and the quality of the materials was to equal the fine buildings they visited, such as Mies van der Rohe's Seagram Tower in New York.

On completion, No. 1 Willis was the tallest building in the country until the Majestic Tower stole the title seven years later.

The sleek black Brazilian granite and glass facade was not to everyone's taste at the time. Sir Ian Athfield, whose own work during the period was closer in style to a Greek village than a modernist box, famously called the building, 'Darth Vader's pencil case'. Thanks, Ath. The phrase has stuck and is now applied affectionately to a city icon. Pushing the envelope turned out to be a good strategy. Quality stands the test of time.

01

Your address at No. 1 Willis

A SYMBOL OF ENDEAVOUR

It was the 1968 and the powers that be at the Bank Of New Zealand wanted a symbol of endeavour that would make a statement on what, then, was a very different Wellington skyline. No.1 Willis was designed by Australian firm, Stephenson & Turner, architects of the lucky country's first nuclear reactor and proponents of International Modernism. Architect and client took a study tour around the world and agreed that both the rigour of the design and the quality of the materials was to equal the fine buildings they visited, such as Mies van der Rohe's Seagram Tower in New York.

On completion, No. 1 Willis was the tallest building in the country until the Majestic Tower stole the title seven years later.

The sleek black Brazilian granite and glass facade was not to everyone's taste at the time. Sir Ian Athfield, whose own work during the period was closer in style to a Greek village than a modernist box, famously called the building, 'Darth Vader's pencil case'. Thanks, Ath. The phrase has stuck and is now applied affectionately to a city icon. Pushing the envelope turned out to be a good strategy. Quality stands the test of time.

02

80s landmark still sets the standard

QUALITY NEVER GROWS OLD

It's the stuff of most people's nightmares, but standing 103m above Wellington, out on a 20cm wide beam, was an everyday part of the job for the riggers who worked on the construction of No. 1 Willis. All up, a total of 18.8km of steel was used to create the tower's framework, while the sleek, black facade is comprised of 960 panels which are each 3.6m square. The stone was quarried in Tijuca, near Sao Paulo, Brazil.

If you're wondering about the gap in the facade, this was included in the design for both aesthetic and pragmatic reasons. Levels 13 and 14 are plant rooms which house the air conditioning units and the granite panels were left off for air-flow. And the aesthetic reason? The psychology of skyscraper design says that such voids provide visual relief and allow the viewer at street level to imagine themselves in the building.

Precinct Properties got the opportunity to buy the tower in 2004 and jumped at it. No. 1 Willis perfectly dovetails with the company's strategy of investing for the long-term in high quality, high amenity, centrally located office space. Precinct has recently refurbished the lobby and upgraded the concierge facilities to ensure this 80s landmark continues to set the standard.

I CAN SEE FOR MILES

Wellington, geologically speaking, is built like a grandstand, so good views aren't hard to find. But the best prospect ever (since 1984) must belong to the lucky people that work on the mid to upper levels of No.1 Willis. Not only do they get a panoramic view of the harbour but they can see a full 360 degrees, including highlights such as Mt Vic and a bird’s-eye perspective looking straight down the barrel of Lambton Quay.

Imagine the view for the steelworkers who erected the building's skeleton in the 1970s when No.1 was the tallest building in what was, then, a much lower-rise city centre. Now imagine being out on that steel in a Wellington breeze!

For the first time in over two decades, Level 24 at the top of the tower is available for lease. This double height space of over 1000sqm allows for a mezzanine comprising an extra 800sqm to be added. Levels 23 and 20 are also leasing now.

About the photo: Our thanks to Keith Stewart for the historical image. Keith was on the construction team in the 70s and says the riggers worked unsecured. The steel beams are 20cm wide. You can see more of his images at the BNZ Build Facebook Page.

03

The best views in the city, since 1984

I CAN SEE FOR MILES

Wellington, geologically speaking, is built like a grandstand, so good views aren't hard to find. But the best prospect ever (since 1984) must belong to the lucky people that work on the mid to upper levels of No.1 Willis. Not only do they get a panoramic view of the harbour but they can see a full 360 degrees, including highlights such as Mt Vic and a bird’s-eye perspective looking straight down the barrel of Lambton Quay.

Imagine the view for the steelworkers who erected the building's skeleton in the 1970s when No.1 was the tallest building in what was, then, a much lower-rise city centre. Now imagine being out on that steel in a Wellington breeze!

For the first time in over two decades, Level 24 at the top of the tower is available for lease. This double height space of over 1000sqm allows for a mezzanine comprising an extra 800sqm to be added. Levels 23 and 20 are also leasing now.

About the photo: Our thanks to Keith Stewart for the historical image. Keith was on the construction team in the 70s and says the riggers worked unsecured. The steel beams are 20cm wide. You can see more of his images at the BNZ Build Facebook Page.

04

At the pivot point of Wellington life

LAMBTON QUAY'S SENTINEL

One of the things that Wellington has over Auckland is that it's a compact city. Called "the coolest little capital in the world" by Lonely Planet, its densely built urban heart contributes to the city's energy and sense of community, inspiring intense loyalty from locals.

But even within a highly walkable city, there are few addresses as pivotal as No. 1 Willis. For those who work in this building, stepping outside of the lobby puts them right in the heart of the CBD and only a 3-4 minute walk from Frank Kitts Park and the waterfront. Lambton Quay's shopping, including the ritzy Old Bank Arcade, and Featherston Street's bars and restaurants are steps away and the cool vibe of the Cuba area is just a 10-minute amble.

No. 1 Willis has stood sentinel over Lambton Quay for three decades and seen the city change dramatically. As the times have changed, the tower has kept pace. Owner, Precinct Properties, has recently added new 'end of trip' facilities such as bike storage, showers and lockers so that cycling or running to work or getting out for some exercise at lunchtime is easy.

STRONG BONES, OPEN HEART

These days there's a real drive to create flexible office space that suits modern ways of working. Wellington's first skyscraper was so ahead of its time when it was built back in 1984 that it delivers the kind of space considered best practice today – completely open plan floor plates that are unhindered by structural elements. Its steel skeleton provides perimeter bracing that frees up the interior of supporting columns and make the tower both seismically strong and yet able to flex in a shake.

Steel bones also make the building resilient under the fairly regular onslaught of a Wellington breeze. Like the rest of the CBD, No.1 Willis was tested in the 2016 Kaikoura earthquake (magnitude 7.8). The building came through unscathed. Perhaps the building's original owners should've stayed put. Quality never grows old.

About the photo: Our thanks to Keith Stewart for the historical image. Keith was on the construction team in the 70s and says the riggers worked unsecured. You can see more of his images at the BNZ Build Facebook Page.

05

Flexible structure and plan stand the test of time

STRONG BONES, OPEN HEART

These days there's a real drive to create flexible office space that suits modern ways of working. Wellington's first skyscraper was so ahead of its time when it was built back in 1984 that it delivers the kind of space considered best practice today – completely open plan floor plates that are unhindered by structural elements. Its steel skeleton provides perimeter bracing that frees up the interior of supporting columns and make the tower both seismically strong and yet able to flex in a shake.

Steel bones also make the building resilient under the fairly regular onslaught of a Wellington breeze. Like the rest of the CBD, No.1 Willis was tested in the 2016 Kaikoura earthquake (magnitude 7.8). The building came through unscathed. Perhaps the building's original owners should've stayed put. Quality never grows old.

About the photo: Our thanks to Keith Stewart for the historical image. Keith was on the construction team in the 70s and says the riggers worked unsecured. You can see more of his images at the BNZ Build Facebook Page.

06

Ironic effect of Con's legacy

A CHEQUERED BACKSTORY

So riven with drama was the construction of No. 1 Willis during the 1970s that it killed an entire industry. That industry employed the very workers whom industrial action was meant to protect.

The two key protagonists in the story were the leader of the militant boilermakers union, Con Devitt, who claimed the exclusive right of his members to weld the structural steel, and the equally bullish Robert Muldoon, 31st Prime Minister of New Zealand. Frequent and ongoing strikes over a range of issues - sometimes as diminutive as the quality of the standard issue work boots - turned what should have been a two year build into an 11 year slog. The government eventually put the boot in and ended the impasse by deregistering the union.

So traumatising was the whole affair that architects stopped designing steel buildings and local steelworking skills were lost. That was the end of steel buildings in New Zealand, despite the fact that structural perimeter bracing of the sort that supports No. 1 Willis is suited to earthquake-prone Wellington, outperforming concrete buildings because of its ability to flex.

Postscript: The first tower to be built in structural steel in New Zealand since No. 1 Willis is under construction now, some 33 years later. Auckland's Commercial Bay at No. 1 Queen St is also a Precinct property.

Picture credit: Keith Stewart

FIRST AND BEST... AND TOP

For the first time in over two decades the top floor of an 80s landmark in Wellington's CBD is available for lease. Ahead of its time for New Zealand, the building was constructed from steel allowing large open floorplates of over 1000m2 with no supporting columns to marr the space or the 360-degree views of the harbour and city.

Building owner, Precinct Properties has offered to partially split the double height space with a mezzanine, adding an additional 800sqm to Level 24, should that be desirable to the new lessee. Level 23, directly below, and level 20 are also available, bringing the total amount of space on offer to over 4000sqm, including the proposed mezzanine.

When No.1 Willis (the State Insurance building) was completed in 1984 it was the tallest building in the country. Since then the city has grown up around it putting it right at the heart of Wellington's best amenity, including shopping, transport links, parks, gyms and the waterfront. No.1 Willis is located a 14 minute walk from the government precinct and a 9 minute walk from the creative and hospitality hub that is the Cuba area.

07

Top floor available after two decades

FIRST AND BEST... AND TOP

For the first time in over two decades the top floor of an 80s landmark in Wellington's CBD is available for lease. Ahead of its time for New Zealand, the building was constructed from steel allowing large open floorplates of over 1000m2 with no supporting columns to marr the space or the 360-degree views of the harbour and city.

Building owner, Precinct Properties has offered to partially split the double height space with a mezzanine, adding an additional 800sqm to Level 24, should that be desirable to the new lessee. Level 23, directly below, and level 20 are also available, bringing the total amount of space on offer to over 4000sqm, including the proposed mezzanine.

When No.1 Willis (the State Insurance building) was completed in 1984 it was the tallest building in the country. Since then the city has grown up around it putting it right at the heart of Wellington's best amenity, including shopping, transport links, parks, gyms and the waterfront. No.1 Willis is located a 14 minute walk from the government precinct and a 9 minute walk from the creative and hospitality hub that is the Cuba area.

08

Workplaces can make you fitter

MOVING OFFICE

Want to stay alive, and be happier and more creative at work? The World Health Organisation says the place we most need to change in order to combat the lifestyle diseases that are the chief killer of people in the West is the workplace.

While spending some of your day working at a standing desk is a step in the right direction, the real health benefits come from introducing regular movement. Activity Based Working – creating flexible workspaces suited to certain tasks – is the new frontier. Activity Based design organises the workplace in a way that encourages staff to move to locations within the office that best suit the task at hand, rather than reside at a single desk all day long. Businesses that have adopted the approach show a dramatic increase in movement, alongside improved performance, wellbeing and creativity, as well as more efficient use of space.

Kevin Pugh, Wellington Portfolio Manager for Precinct Properties, says that the company is regularly looking at international best practice, and has, for example, recently upgraded the 'end of trip' facilities in No. 1 Willis.

No.1 Willis' open, flexible floor plates of over 1,000sqm per level make it ideal for Activity Based Working. The building's location also encourages activity. It's right in the heart of Wellington's best shopping and just a short amble from Frank Kitts Park and the waterfront. Precinct has recently installed more bike storage and upgraded and increased the number of showers and lockers.

"Since opening the new facilities we have been impressed with the uptake by our clients. We've seen a big increase in the number of people cycling and running to and from work, as well as getting out to exercise at lunchtime.”

Pugh says that Precinct aims to provide space to thrive, and that means ensuring their buildings facilitate people to become more rather than less healthy because they've spent a day at the office.

LEASING NOW

Premium office space | three floors of over 1,000sqm each | exceptional quality for the money | Choose the address that will put you and your team right at the pivot point of Wellington life.

Download the information pack

Find out more from
sam.seddon@precinct.co.nz | 021 662 571