Freezing Company Staff Moves Into New Building

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30064, 23 February 1963, Page 13

Freezing Company Staff Moves Into New Building

Yesterday was moving day for the office staff of the New Zealand Refrigerating Company, Ltd., in Christchurch, who began to occupy the new six-storey building in Hereford street. The general manager (Mr W. W. Cleland) said it was hoped to complete the move today. The steel and concrete building is on the site occupied by the company’s former building. Demolition of the old building started in November, 1960. Gargoyle

On the right of the entrance is an area with shrubs bordering a pool into which water splashes from a gargoyle. The main office is on the ground floor. The rooms are divided by partitions of wood and glass, giving light along the floor. The partitions can be replaced by doors. -

This system is carried throughout the building so that the sizes of rooms can be altered as desired or doors put in if necessary. All the offices have plenty of natural light. The first floor, now vacant, is to be' let to tenants. Most of the second floor has al-

ready been taken by tenants. On the east side of the building all the services are carried in ducts so that they are readily available for maintenance. The ceilings of the offices are of acoustic tiles and fluorescent lighting is inset. The windows can be cleaned and glazed from inside the building. The colours are in various pastel shades. Expansion

On the west side of the third floor the company is holding a large area in reserve for its own expansion. The engineering section will occupy portion of the third floor and the draughtsman has been alloted a room at the north end. The directors’ boardroom is oin the third floor. Furnished with a large mahogany table and mahogany chaiirs upholstered in leather, it has a goldoolbured curly pile carpet.

The accounts section will be housed on the fourth floor, the shipping department adjoining. There is a separate room for the auditors. The office of the wholesale meat company is also on this floor.

The executive suite, the offices of the general manager, the assistant manager and the company secretary, is on the fifth floor. The general manager’s office has a “conference” telephone line by which he can discuss matters simultaneously with members of the company’s staff at its various works, for instance. Also on the fifth floor is a large sorting-room and the offices of the livestock manager and export sales. Desks throughout the offices are on metal legs. In every office a telephone point and a power point are available at each end of a desk wherever it is set down. Cafeteria

The staff cafeteria, on the top floor, seats 64. It faces west and north. The tables and chains can be stacked to make room for indoor bowls. From a sun deck views of the city and a large part of Canterbury can be had. A girls’ restroom is between the lounge and the Hereford street sun deck. The. cafeteria has an unusual ceiling of wood fastened with copper nails.

A cycle stand, the oil tankand furnace are in the basement and there will be compartments for records. Each floor is of 5000 sq. ft.

The whole front of the building will be lit at night by diffused light.