The jury’s comment:

“Ārepa is an excellent example of a small-budget fit-out executed well. The designers have clearly recognised the raw beauty of the base building shell and created a calm, light-filled workplace with calibrated spaces and soft, neutral finishes. Thoughtful decisions have been made about the absolute essentials the office needs and every one of these elements has become a beautifully crafted object. Minimalist Donald Judd-like aluminium shelving sits alongside rough-sawn macrocarpa plinths and vintage furniture. The refined, restrained tone of the cabinetry and furniture within the stripped-back building shell makes this simple fit-out rich in its experience while both the architectural and interior elements retain their strong presence.” - Interior awards 2022 jury.

PROJECT DETAILS:

Location: Auckland

Client: Ārepa

Building area (m²): 210m²

Project brief: Co-founders of Ārepa Angus Brown and Zachary Robinson approached Studio 11:11 in 2021 to create a tailored workplace in the newly developed The Chambers Building in Morningside, Auckland for their team of fifteen to work, host visitors and share the Ārepa journey.

Credits:

• Designer: Annabel Smart

“We set out to design a space for the Ārepa whanau that encourages creativity, tranquillity, and contentedness — A space to ‘Be Calm, Think Clear(ly)’ in alignment with their company objective. The intent was to create a space to evoke a positive physiological response in the users, specifically to reduce stress levels and enhance the mental performance of the team. Our strategy was to achieve this by maximising the effect of natural light through the use of light colours, transparency, textured surfaces and shadow. Importance was placed on creating spaciousness by reducing visual noise, and to create a functional space that caters to their needs as a company with no need for clutter.” - Annabel Smart, Designer.

Watch the finalist’s presentation here: 

With thanks to our Interior Awards 2022 sponsors. Find out more about each of our sponsors here.