Voxell was engaged by both the Landlord, IWC Investments, and the Tenant, New Zealand Police, to be the architectural lead for the Base Build and Fit out works for the Porirua Police Station.

The project brief was for a 2000m2 fit-for-purpose police station with several a specialist facility. We were charged with the responsibility of designing a modern office environment whilst balancing the strict requirements for a functional Police Station.

The project consisted of a redevelopment of an existing office and factory space into a fit for purpose police station and office building. The building required significant upgrades and additions to meet the project brief and building code criteria. Most notably we added an additional floor to the full extent of the building, along with a new column grid and external bracing. The building also required significant mechanical, electrical and hydraulic upgrades to service the change in use.

Due to the constraints of the project we had to thoroughly investigate an array of spatial layouts to find an optimal solution that suited the operational activity of the end user. This meant ongoing design meetings and consultation with the Police user group. Throughout the course of this project BIM has been the central tool for communicating design intent, developing construction documentation, coordinating building elements, resolving clashes, and scheduling quantities.