Innovative design makes work-life balance a breeze
Published on 16 July 2024
Imagine, you’re in a rush to get to work. You run a comb through your hair, grab a piece of toast and blat out the door ready for your early morning commute…downstairs. As you switch on the coffee machine in your office you remember you’ve forgotten your phone charging on the bench. No dramas, by time you’ve popped back up to get it your coffee is ready and so are you. The day has begun in the easiest way possible.
Mixed use building is not a new concept and has been done for centuries in cities around the world. Living on the same site as your business or workplace used to be much more common in New Zealand too, until the rise of the personal vehicle meant people could venture further afield to their ‘quarter acre piece of paradise’. As a result, many of our city centres emptied out of residents and urban sprawl spread further and further outward.
As the decades have passed this has become a problem with car-centric design leading to congestion, and increasingly stressful commutes. It also saw many city centres become less vibrant with fewer customers for some central businesses as big ticket stores moved out to the urban fringes. And the carbon emissions from all those cars coming and going from further afield each day has significantly contributed to the problem of climate change.
As city populations continue to grow around the world, and in New Zealand, there’s recognition that planning well for future growth means making better use of our city’s existing spaces and infrastructure. One way to achieve this is through the revival of an old idea – living and working on the same site within the city.
Our city planners and urban designers are keen to work with residents and business owners considering this option. A recent mixed-use new build by Jemma Cheer and Adam Curry provides a great example of what this type of design can achieve for both the city and developers. Their recent development is on Palmy’s Main Steet next to the historic Railway Hotel. It contains not one but two separate businesses, a graphic design studio for Jemma and cycle shop for Adam, with a beautiful apartment on the top floor for that super chill morning commute. We asked Jemma how living and working on the new site has been so far.
Why did you two decide to build?
We rented our respective spaces in central Palmy for 10-plus years, so we knew what we liked. The opportunity to consolidate our business leases and residential rent, to design it from the ground up, and to own it was a long-term goal of ours.
What decisions and methods did you use to make this development more sustainable?
By consolidating the businesses into one build project, we're able to share some of the financial and environmental loads. For example, we only needed to build one shared staffroom. Finding architects and construction partners with aligned views on sustainability, working and living from shared spaces, and the mindset to be flexible and work with our council without judgment was key. No assumptions!
How does this type of build allow you to live and work with a smaller carbon footprint?
Our three primary spaces – Central Bicycle Studio, JCDC, and private residence – are on one site. All sorts of efficiencies come from this setup, including no commute time (though we'd probably be riding a bike for that anyway) and shared resources, so there is less duplication of things. Proximity to essentials like the supermarket means we're always on foot or on a bike.
Why did you choose this site?
It was available, affordable, zoned correctly for our businesses, and had a history. We like that it's one of the oldest spots in town, with character surrounding it. Folks have been living and working here long before us. The Railway Land across from us is a huge bonus and enriches our quality of life massively being inner-city.
How was the process of building this mixed-use development?
It was a very positive experience. The journey we went on with the team we built around us taught us a lot, and we're grateful to everyone for giving us a shot.
How did you find working with the council?
Our direct involvement with the council was minimal compared to other team members, but we found it super positive and always heard good feedback. The opportunity to meet with the council before committing to purchasing the land, to share our goals and get some verbal enthusiasm right from the start was huge. We've felt supported and confident during the process because of that foundation.
How have you found living and working on the same premises?
It's been an easy adjustment since our previous setups were similar, but what we're gaining from the responsibility of ownership is invaluable. Having the split level, with living up top, means you can feel enough distance from business and personal pursuits if you want to.
What are the pros and cons you’ve found of a mixed-use development on your lifestyle?
Thus far, it's all pros. We're saving some time not moving between different buildings around the city, and both feel an element of living out childhood dreams. Living in the city has unique sights and sounds, which we love. Although it's not the norm in Palmy, it is something we admire whenever we travel to larger cities and are stoked to live like this at home.
Would you recommend this to other developers and tenants?
Absolutely. We're always up for a yarn to promote this approach to living in Palmy. More is more!
Would you like to see more of this type of build in Palmy?
Yes, for sure. The more folks doing this, the better it gets for everyone involved.
What will you do with the rest of the site? Have you had any interest from prospective buyers or tenants on any further developments?
We intend to develop the second half of our site with the same design principles and values as the first. We've had verbal interest from a few folks for residential and commercial opportunities created by us doing this second half, so we're optimistic about making that next step once it's viable.