The Autex Acoustics team worked in collaboration with architects Warren and Mahoney to create custom acoustic feature walls as well as provide high performance acoustic treatment for the studios at the new Mediaworks facility in Auckland.
A feat of innovative design and out-of-the-box thinking, the Mediaworks building tells the story of radio—a medium rich in history and soul—through a brave, game-changing fitout.
Seeking a space to consolidate their radio brands, revive company culture, and inspire the future of radio, Mediaworks settled at 17 Hargreaves Street—a 1970s warehouse serving just the right amount of esoteric, non-corporate charm. To transform the warehouse into a workplace, Mediaworks commissioned Warren and Mahoney with a simple brief: create a space that unifies, inspires, and tells the story of a unique, audacious, ground-breaking media company—economically.
Armed with this vision, Autex was engaged by Warren and Mahoney as collaborators—forming a creative partnership around a shared passion for brave, wild ideas.
The floorplan is laid out like a cityscape, with each brand forming their own unique neighbourhood. The broadcast studios double as boundary lines between boroughs, characterised by feature walls representing dramatic physical manifestations of sound. Designing the space to function like a village encourages each radio brand to put their own stamp on their borough, instilling a sense of personal pride and belonging.
Taking cues from the retro, rebellious soul of radio, Warren and Mahoney chose warm, earthy colour palettes, mid-century modern furnishings, and whimsical, sleek forms—a contrast to the rough, industrialist elements of the warehouse. The space features three bespoke sculpture walls designed in collaboration with Autex.
Inspired by sound, each wall embodies a sonic abstraction; anechoic (mustard), noise (crimson), and beats (khaki). Autex’s high-performance Cube acoustic panels were cut and constructed to create origami-esque geometric shapes, minimising waste while maximising acoustic performance through surface area. The 50mm Quietspace and 12mm Cube panels are also specified throughout the studios, carefully applied to achieve maximum performance.
Realising a wildly creative and ground-breaking project on a tight budget is no mean feat. Hard work and collaboration were essential to the success of the space—the power of cohesive design partnerships truly shining through the finished product.
