Dunedin Civic Centre refurbishment

What started as a routine roofing replacement evolved into a comprehensive refurbishment of the Dunedin Civic Centre. A decision was made early in the project to replace the windows in the early-1980’s building, with the works to be undertaken one elevation at a time. The discovery of asbestos required a significant change in methodology, shifting to a floor‑by‑floor approach with entire levels decanted to safely manage Class B asbestos removal.

This created an opportunity for the Council to undertake a broader refurbishment across Levels 1 to 7. Each floor received a simple yet effective refresh, including new carpet tiles, replacement ceiling grids and tiles, repainting, upgraded accessibility provisions, lighting upgrades and modernised toilet and kitchen facilities. Special attention was paid to the executive level, where we completed a high-quality architectural fit-out.

We also delivered a major building services upgrades, including a new sprinkler system. We installed a custom humidity‑controlled air conditioning system in the lower basement archives area to protect the sensitive records.

With no vehicle access to site, we carried everything in and out via a narrow alleyway shared with the public, then through shared lifts and stairwells. The Council was delighted with our waste minimisation efforts given the constraints, with carpet tiles reused where possible, some materials removed for reuse or recycling by our subcontractors and waste partners, and some materials repurposed in the community on shed and garage upgrades.

The project extended over five years, a significant evolution from the original nine‑month scope. The result is a modern, compliant, energy efficient civic facility.