Careful project and cost management, a staged construction programme, and creative solutions from the whole Beca team resulted in a secure and sleek facility.
In early 2005 the New Zealand Lotteries Commission (NZLC) relocated some key functions and its data centre from Wellington to Auckland. An existing three-storey office building was purchased, and required complete refurbishment to house the Network Operations Centre (NOC), national training centre, 24-hour call centre, marketing, sales, retail and IT and other support functions.
Beca was engaged to supply project management, architectural services, structural design, building services, fire engineering and cost management to the project – known by the NZLC as Project Big Rig.
The NOC needed to be up and running as soon as possible to allow installation, testing and commissioning of the new computer systems. To achieve this Beca adopted a staged approach, with the NOC and first floor office space completed in Stage 1.
Beca Architects worked closely with Beca's services engineers during Stage 2. Although predominantly fitout works for the base building, a higher specification was required than for the building’s original design, partly to accommodate high security and backup facilities for the computer systems, and partly the challenge of turning a modest late 80s office block into a modern and stylish facility. Corporate specialists architectural firm Wingate and Farquhar joined forces with Beca to complete the interior fitout.
Additional challenges included the need for multiple building consents, strict financial control and a tight timeframe. However, through careful project and cost management, a staged construction programme, and creative solutions from the whole Beca team, the client was rewarded with a secure and sleek facility, on time and under budget.