Aon – Head Office

Aon New Zealand as client, engaged Matz Architects to design and oversee the refurbishment of the interior of their Head Office in Auckland. As the key space for Aon’s New Zealand operations, the client wished to provide public lobby, reception and boardroom spaces that successfully represented the Aon brand within the market place while providing a staff environment that is open, collaborative and fun. Matz Architects proposed space for 98 staff predominantly in open plan, with meeting and breakout spaces located at regular intervals to aid the move from the traditional office based model that staff were accustomed to. Upon entering the floor, the public is greeted with a material palette of contrasting natural & man made materials and smart use of lighting to highlight key elements. Splashes of colour are used more liberally in the open plan office space to provide relief from the formal areas, and provide that sense of fun noted in the brief. Faceted corian walls are contrasted with warm cedar boards in the public area. Large format stone tiles are used throughout the public realm to create an interior street linking key spaces. The boardroom is elevated in importance through the use of glass and black stained cedar louvers and wall panels. The sense of light from the entry area through the boardroom and out over Auckland Harbour was a key driver to achieving a sense of spaciousness upon arrival. Cedar boards wrap around the core into the open plan office area. Bright red and orange hexagon carpet tiles are used alongside a yellow hexagon glazing motif as a metaphor for the collaboration between individual staff and teams.

Photographs: Isaac Matz