Milford Asset Management Offices – Auckland
Wingates designed the Milford Asset Management Offices in Auckland to create an expansive, sustainable workplace that harmonizes natural light, collaborative spaces, and a central garden, reflecting New Zealand’s unique landscape.
Wingates recently completed a 2,030 sqm workplace for Milford Asset Management on the top floor of 50 Albert Street, a new development by Mansons in Auckland’s city centre.
The project brought the Milford team together on a single, expansive floorplate—consolidating operations previously spread across two levels. The brief called for a workplace that could support future growth, while offering a variety of collaborative and focused work settings to cater to different ways of working.
The depth of the floorplate played a significant role in shaping the layout. Maximising natural light to the primary work zones was key, while a central courtyard anchors the plan—providing a calm, green focal point for staff and visitors alike.
Drawing inspiration from Milford Sound, the arrival sequence is carefully choreographed. A low-ceilinged entry compresses the space before opening into a lush central garden, evoking the feeling of emerging from mountain passes into an expansive valley. A bespoke feature ceiling hovers above the courtyard—its underside patterned with a dot-map image of tree canopies, casting a dappled light effect below.
Subtle brand cues are woven through the interior: Milford’s signature orange appears in wayfinding elements, a nod to the Department of Conservation’s Great Walk markers, while the colour palette draws from the iridescent wings of the Kea.
Sustainability was front of mind, with a strong focus on furniture reuse. Existing workstations were retained, meeting tables were resized and adapted, and chairs were reupholstered to extend their life.
This new workplace supports Milford’s evolving needs—offering flexibility, cohesion, and a strong sense of identity within a uniquely New Zealand design narrative.
Design: Wingates
Design Team: Natasha Baumgartner, Sarah Bryant, Xavier Apelinga
Photography: Jono Parker
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