The Cider Building is situated at the Ponsonby Road end of Williamson Avenue in Ponsonby. It is the cornerstone development of the Vinegar Lane Precinct that has been developed by Progressive Enterprises.
The 9-level building consists of a new Countdown supermarket, nine specialty stores, three office floors and five levels of parking. Level 7 features a large private north-facing deck that serves as an outdoor gathering and meeting place for the office’s anchor tenant.
The building exterior boasts a limited palette of natural materials. Zinc, steel, glass and off-shutter concrete give a natural looking patina to the façade, with the sawtooth roof profile a nod to the industrial origins of the site. The roof also allows natural light to penetrate the upper level floor plate, adding to the loft ambience.
The main public lobby area has a distinct aesthetic consisting of shuttered concrete, basalt floor tiles and angular timber panels that reflect the exterior architecture. Historic photographs of old Ponsonby in the lift cars and a street art mural on the 7.5 metre high lobby wall, work in combination with edgy lighting effects to ensure the interior communicates a sense of being in the heart of Ponsonby.
These features extending throughout the exterior and interior ensure the Cider Building makes a striking contribution to an area of Auckland with a colourful past and a bright future.