Charter Customs Building

PROMINENTLY LOCATED ON THE CORNER OF CUSTOMS STREET EAST AND BRITOMART PLACE, THIS NEW DEVELOPMENT INCORPORATES THE FULLY RESTORED HISTORIC CHARTER HOUSE.

The Charter Customs Building was the first of the new buildings to be finished at Britomart. It was completed and handed over to Westpac, its principal tenant, in December 2008.

It was built as the first component of Westpac New Zealand’s new head office complex, Westpac on Takutai Square. Three airbridges above Galway Street link the Charter Customs Building to the second component to the north.

The Charter Customs Building was designed by Australian architects Johnson Pilton Walker in association with Auckland-based firm Peddle Thorp. It was designed to integrate sympathetically with the historic character of Customs Street, echoing the form, mass and facade ordering of the neighbouring heritage buildings.

On completion it was awarded a ‘4 Green Star - Office Built’ rating by the New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC), the very first ‘Green Star - Built’ rating to be awarded by the NZGBC.

Charter House integration

As part of the Charter Customs development, near-derelict heritage building Charter House was substantially rebuilt and integrated into the new building.

One of its most striking internal features today is the Westpac staff cafe and break-out area on Level 3. It sits within the roof space of the rebuilt Charter House and features the old building’s exposed original beams, sarking and brickwork.

At ground level, fronting tree-lined Roukai Lane, are tapas bar Agents & Merchants and bar and live music venue Racket. Roukai Lane is a private laneway between the Charter Customs Building and the neighbouring Nathan Building. On the Customs Street East side of the building is modern bistro District Dining.

The building’s upper floors house Westpac’s contact centre and other administration departments.