Meredith Connell - MC Centre | Project

Meredith Connell (MC) is New Zealand’s largest litigation firm, with around 160 litigators and 90 support staff. Their new MC Centre is renowned as the best training ground for the Crown Solicitors, QCs, judges and corporate litigators of the future.

For lead architects, MC chose Jasmax, one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s leading multi-disciplinary design practices. Click-on Battens were fortunate enough to make a feature on the walls and ceilings of the stunning terrariums within their office space…take a look!

Product
Click-on Battens

Materials
Blackbutt

Applications
Feature Walls
Feature Ceilings
Facades

Sector
Workplace

Architect
Jasmax

Builder
Impact Interiors and Construction

Location
Auckland, New Zealand

Completion Date
2021

Photographer
Devin Tootill

The most incredible workplace

Despite only moving into their previous Auckland office in 2016, strong growth meant MC was outgrowing its space. By 2019, they had to choose whether to cap numbers, lease additional office space or move to a new site. The partners opted to move to a new site to contain continued growth and aim to have a team of 300 by the beginning of 2023.

MC’s brief to Jasmax was to celebrate contemporary Aotearoa and to ensure their office would be indistinguishable from any other major New Zealand law firm. It also had to support a growing team of 300+ and appeal to the best younger talent aged in their 20’s and 30’s.

Timber batten walls of terrariums

Jasmax answered MC’s brief to celebrate contemporary Aotearoa through the idea of terrariums, celebrating New Zealand’s natural environment. Staff also mentioned they valued the abundance of plants and foliage MC’s former Graham Street office and Jasmax suggested taking that idea to the next level by centralising them into the terrariums to create a true native bush feel, evoking the Waitakere Ranges to the west of Auckland.

Click-on Timber Battens were crafted from Blackbutt into dome profiles, bringing a strong biophilic element to the areas, alongside the abundance of plants. The timber sourced was PEFC certified, ensuring that it was sustainably sourced. The team at Impact Interiors and Construction were responsible for installing and did a superb job on this project.

The spaces are places of work and business, and also sometimes online courtrooms in today’s changing world. They offer tranquillity and connection with nature, with many of the MC team using them every day.

Sustainability at the forefront

The MC Centre has a six-star rating under the New Zealand Green Building Council’s Green Star programme. They took a bolder and more holistic approach to wellbeing by seeking to become New Zealand’s first professional services firm to achieve WELL v2 Certification from the International WELL Building Institute.

A vast range of evidence and some improvements were required to meet WELL standards measuring 108 different features covering ten concepts: air, water, nourishment, light, movement, thermal comfort, sound, materials, mind and community. Click-on Timber Battens were applied, crafted from PEFC certified Blackbutt timber, to meet the sustainability requirements.

Biophilic Timber Design