Lorne Street Student Accommodation

The Lorne Street Student Accommodation project represents a pioneering redevelopment that successfully marries the preservation of historic architecture with modern, sustainable living needs. Located in the heart of Auckland’s central business district, this landmark development stands on a constrained, landlocked site yet manages to preserve the iconic 1929 façade while incorporating cutting-edge design principles. The result is a state-of-the-art student accommodation facility offering 758 high-quality apartments, all constructed to meet the rigorous standards of a Greenstar 5-star rating, ensuring both environmental responsibility and the highest standards of comfort for its residents.

Jensen Hughes was engaged to assist in the fire engineering design for this ambitious project, which confronted numerous challenges, including the combination of limited site access, the integration of the heritage-listed façade, and the need for innovative and robust fire safety solutions. To address these complexities, a holistic fire engineering approach was adopted. This approach focused on evaluating the building’s specific needs through a series of alternative solutions that respected the architectural significance of the heritage elements while achieving the fire safety needs of the building’s occupants.

Our passive fire team has also integrated a detailed passive fire design. This allowed for penetrations through fire separations and architectural details were thoroughly planned and coordinated throughout the building. Special attention was given to protecting and separating the 758 student apartments, seamlessly implementing the appropriate fire safety measures.

The fire engineering solutions implemented addressed the unique constraints presented by the site and allowed for an optimal balance between heritage preservation and the safety requirements for many residents. With the collaboration of all our partners, the building is on track for completion in 2025, and we look forward to seeing this unique and innovative building being used for years to come.