Tournament Group | City Works Depot

Set within Auckland’s City Works Depot on Wellesley Street, the Tournament Group tenancy already carried a distinct sense of place. Exposed ducting, dark steel, raw concrete and engineered timber gave the space genuine architectural character, but over time it had begun to feel tired and disconnected. Furniture arrangements lacked cohesion, and even the carpeted mezzanine fell short of the warmth and light the rest of the space called for. Designed by Jenni Crow, the project set out to honour those existing bones while working to brighten and lighten the space, creating somewhere staff genuinely wanted to spend their day.

Rather than working against the building’s industrial identity, the design softened it. Warmer timbers, soft textures and earthy tones were introduced to complement the existing materials, lifting and opening up the space without erasing what made it distinctive. Now with purposeful zones, soft seating and relaxed breakout areas, the space offers staff alternative places to work, whether settling in for focused work or stepping away from their desks for a quieter Teams call. The result is a workplace that supports a more natural rhythm between focused work, collaboration and quieter moments throughout the day.

Interface carpet tiles play a central role in carrying that story across a large floor plate. Wayfinding shaped the carpet specification from the outset, with darker tones defining the main circulation paths and softer, lighter tones drawing people into the workstation and collaboration zones. The Dressed Lines collection, including Simple Does It, Angular Times and Positive Spin, was selected for the way the palettes work seamlessly together. Across such an expansive floorplate, that consistency helps the workplace read as one considered whole. Zera from the Interface FLOR collection has also been used to create a visually striking floating rug, carving out a relaxed, sunlit zone within the open plan. LVT Oak grounds the kitchen, softening its hard finishes and anchoring the transformed kitchen space.

That kitchen has become the heart of the office. Reimagined with bolder colour, lighter ceiling tiles and a new island offering integrated storage, it has shifted from functional afterthought to a genuine social space. The response from staff has been immediate, with people embracing the variety of settings now available to them. The finished project is a study in evolution rather than reinvention, where considered finishes, flooring and furniture come together to create a workplace that feels warmer and more welcoming.