Hush Interiors wins Australasian award for ANZ Centre

Leading Canterbury ceiling installation and interior fit-out specialist Hush Interiors has won a prestigious trans-Tasman award for an innovative installation in the ANZ Centre in Christchurch.

The company was presented the 2017 AWCI ANZ Award of Excellence in the over $500,000 Commercial category at the Australasian Association of Wall and Ceilings Industries (AWCI) conference in Hamilton Island on 11 October. The award was for the company’s ceiling installation in the atrium of the ANZ Centre in the Christchurch CBD and was jointly received with Seddon’s of Dunedin.

Hush Interiors was nominated for the award following their recent win at the 2017 New Zealand AWCI Awards of Excellence in two categories: ‘Commercial over $500,000’ and ‘The People’s Choice’.

Hush Interiors General Manager Kevin Edser says industry recognition of their work is a “great stepping stone” for the company. “This award shows that a small Christchurch based specialist ceiling contractor can hold its own against other similar and larger ceiling contractors, not only in Canterbury, but also in New Zealand and Australia.

“We are proud of the work we have carried out over the last ten years and the strong reputation we have built in our industry. This award is a great stepping stone to launch the company towards its next growth stage. It demonstrates that we have qualified and skilled employees that can create some very intricate and delicate work, which can be seen and admired by the general public.”

The ANZ Centre is a landmark building in the centre of the Christchurch CBD, providing upper floors of open plan office accommodation and a large ground floor area with public space for café and retail units, which are all fully occupied. Hush Interiors was invited to tender for the ceiling works and secured the work from main contractor Leighs Construction. The company also co-ordinated the operation closely with fibrous plaster installer Seddon’s of Dunedin.

The challenge of the installation was to combine function with a high level of detail that required a flawless finish, says Mr Edser.

“The atrium works were particularly detailed and had to be seismically designed to withstand
potential future seismic activity. A construction concept was devised to support the framework from an independent ply layer, suspended below the main buildings first-floor structure, feeding services through from above to the actual ceiling level.
 
“Detailed CAD drawings were provided by the architect of the entire ceiling area, which were broken down into workable segments. To ensure seamless construction lines and levels flowing through from the timber carcass to the finished fibrous plaster finish, Hush had laser- plotted profiles manufactured, with the plaster casts constructed off-site.”

Mr Edser says ceiling installations have become a highly competitive design area in New Zealand. “Commercial trends are pointing towards more acoustic and thermal tiles, but with a difference. Coloured tiles and grids are becoming more popular, with architects and specifiers attempting to ‘outdo’ their rivals. Flat ceilings are becoming a thing of the past; raking ceilings with steps that feature upgraded lighting solutions and acoustic baffles are now, much more in demand.”

Hush Interiors has previously won the AWCI Heritage Category in 2014 for works at The Isaac Theatre. The company also won People’s Choice award in 2011 for its work at the Air New Zealand Regional Lounge at Christchurch Airport.

Images available on request, (see more images here).

For more information, please contact:
Kevin Edser
Hush Interiors General Manager
027 444 1870