MEDIA RELEASE - In one of New Zealand’s most significant property developments, Vodafone in partnership with Smales Farm, will create a workplace of the future – a fully enabled smart building at the heart of a world-leading innovative, sustainable and interactive precinct designed to foster business and community growth.
“This is an exciting opportunity to create our vision for the future – an iconic Vodafone community and a working environment that is truly digitally enabled – for our people and our customers,” explains Vodafone CEO Russell Stanners.
“We set the bar in 2005 with the office at the Viaduct. We are poised to move that bar significantly higher with the design and technology behind our new Auckland home at Smales Farm in 2017.”
“Vodafone’s Auckland team of 1,800 people are currently spread across four locations including Smales Farm and the Viaduct. This development enables us to bring our large and diverse workforce together under one roof and create a Vodafone branded innovation precinct that will be the first of its kind in New Zealand.”
Over the next 18 months the existing Vodafone building at Smales Farm will be completely refurbished – inside and out – in order to create a unique, world class workplace, offering employees the most technologically advanced environment to work, collaborate and enjoy.
Within the building, we will have a variety of work environments: open plan, collaboration, libraries and private spaces, dedicated project spaces, and large communal spaces to bring people together. Everything in the building will be enabled by the smartphone, wireless enabled, voice and video aware and also incorporate virtual reality.
Alongside the Vodafone building, Smales Farm is also developing a bustling new hospitality zone with working greenhouses and a leafy laneway of boutique eateries where people can meet and eat. Conceptualised by Cheshire Architects – the group behind Britomart and the City Works Depot – this will be a vibrant hospitality area that will have people, sustainability and wellness at its heart.
“This is about more than just the building,” added Russell Stanners. “It’s about what we can do with our technology and our working practices to lead the rest of New Zealand and show them the future.”
“Smales Farm is excited to be extending our relationship with Vodafone and welcoming them as a cornerstone tenant in this new precinct,” said Smales Farm General Manager Daniel Henderson.
“The move reinforces the strength of our vision to transform Smales Farm into a thriving and diverse urban community – a home for future business in New Zealand. The area has been designed as a highly-socialised space, and will see Smales Farm continue to evolve as a leading destination for working, lifestyle and community events in Auckland.”
The partnership between Vodafone and Smales Farm to lead the innovation precinct is an exciting opportunity to facilitate a world-class business ecosystem for the growth and innovation of New Zealand businesses.
Over one third of the existing Smales Farm footprint will be dedicated to the Vodafone branded innovation precinct – modelled on similar urban communities internationally – which will be a hub for large and small businesses, all powered by Vodafone.
