New Zealand's Coolest Offices: TRA, Auckland

TRA are a leading edge research and analytics business who are at the forefront of their industry. Their office space, located within a 100 year old heritage building is seriously something special. Situated on the top floor, the space was comprised of two hipped roof forms with a central 7m high loft set between them. All of the timber trusses and structure were exposed and had been uncared for, with some areas showing signs of fire damage.

Award-winning Architectural firm, Jose Gutierrez saw the raw nature and patina of the existing space as an important part of the history and character of the building, and they wanted to accentuate it rather than mask it. 

In order to preserve the character and not dominate the existing space, the new spaces were created by the insertion of pragmatic volumes within the existing framework. 

As part of their rebranding, artist Paul Hartigan was commissioned to create a neon artwork of their abbreviated name TRA. Playing off this, neon was introduced into the heart of the space to represent the continual flow of information/data running through the company, creating an ethereal and energy filled vibe. 

Photo Credit: Jeremy Toth

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