Prime Real Estate
It’s the attention to detail that is immediately apparent in the new Harcourts Holmwood Ilam premises. The building on Clyde Road is not simply a functional office. It is a place which, because of the thought and care that has been dedicated to its design, will be an exciting and motivating environment to work in and a warm and inviting space for clients to visit.
The building replaces our current office we’ve been in for nearly 25 years,” Branch Manager Simon Hollander says. “We had rather outgrown the space, so when the Clyde Road site became available, it looked like we might have a real shot at getting the work space we had dreamed of.”
The new building is a work of team collaboration – Aaron Jewell, architectural draughtsperson, builder Hamish Neave and Davinia Sutton of Detail, spatial designers – with more than a little input from Simon himself. “Aaron, Hamish and Davinia had worked with me on previous residential projects and I was sure they would be perfect for this commercial build,” Hollander says.
The 235sq metre building has a central hallway filled with natural light from overhead windows. Glass fronted offices spill off both sides of the central thoroughfare, giving good connection between everyone working there. “You can’t miss seeing your colleagues and bumping into them as you walk along the hallway,” Hollander says.
“We wanted separate spaces where our agents could be private, but we also required linkages for networking which is so vital to a real estate company.” It was also important for the new office still to be firmly anchored in the community where it has been for so many years. “We love this location and know all the businesses and many of the residents,” Hollander says.
“To pay homage to the locale we have named the individual offices after local streets – Penhelig Place, Gleneagles Terrace, Chateau Drive and Chepstow Avenue for example. We are also still close to the Harcourts Holmwood HQ on Ilam Road for our auctions.”
Harcourts Holmwood CEO, Tony Jenkins, is understandably proud of the finished product. “Those involved have well and truly brought to life the vision that we sought for this build,” he says.
“It is purpose-built for real estate and is state of the art in terms of design and functionality.”
Safety was at the top of the list when it came to plans for the new Harcourts Holmwood Ilam premises. Externally, the building on Clyde Road is predominantly clad with an aerated autoclaved concrete panel on cavity baton supplied by CLAD X NZ, Harcourts Holmwood Branch Manager Simon Hollander says. “These AAC panels have proved themselves safe and durable in all extremes, even through the Canterbury earthquakes, so we can rest easy in our new premises.”
Giving a stylish finish to the exterior are vertical cedar weather boards lovingly painted in Resene Uluru by Hollander’s three daughters for pocket money. The natural timber theme is carried into the interior with blond American oak slats giving a Scandinavian crisp minimalist appearance to the décor. Alabaster white walls and push-to-open concealed storage cupboards add to that concept. “We do of course have splashes of our Harcourts blue throughout the building as well,” Hollander says.
Every up to date construction innovation is incorporated into the offices – from solar panels and LED strip lighting, to high spec insulation and acoustic sound proofing. “We have achieved a sustainable and future-proofed building. We are all super excited about our future here.”
Hamish Neave, managing director of bespoke building company Neave Build, says it was an enjoyable project and the final result speaks for itself. “It was great working with Simon and Davinia, helping to bring their vision to life, which was designed more like a ‘home’ than a stock-standard office.”
Established in 2013 and specialising in new-builds, the qualified tradesmen at Neave Build pride themselves on exceptional workmanship, attention to detail and their ability to provide innovative solutions.
The purposefully small team ensures Hamish can remain hands-on.
You’ll find him on site each day with a hammer in hand, liaising with the various sub trades, meaning anything unexpected can be sorted quickly. “We keep our crew in-house and being a smaller-sized company, it offers more of a personal touch and also means better quality control. Being on the tools myself helps keep my finger on the pulse of every project.”
Communication is also integral, he says, and the team are not only professional and knowledgeable, but friendly and approachable. Attention to detail is key to their success, he says. “We’re really pleased with how the building turned out, particularly the finer details of the project.
“It looks great and I’m sure both Harcourts staff and clients will enjoy it too.”
