Move-in ready offices: How businesses are rethinking workspace

For years, leasing office space followed a familiar pattern: sign a long-term contract, design and build your fitout, and move in months later.

But as businesses demand more agility, New Zealand’s largest listed office developer, Precinct Properties, is responding with fast, flexible workspaces designed to evolve with the needs of modern teams.

“We don’t see ourselves as a landlord,” says Anthony Randell, General Manager for Property at Precinct. “We’re a workspace partner. Our role is to help occupiers – our clients – into spaces where their people can thrive; whether they’re a two-person start-up or a thousand-person organisation.”

Precinct’s model is designed to make moving simple. Businesses can walk into a fully designed, high-quality workspace without the time, capital, or stress of a traditional fitout.

“Ultimately, it’s about saying, ‘You do what you do best, and we’ll take care of the rest,’” Randell says. “We partner with clients to make relocation as seamless as possible.”

That partnership mindset runs through every part of Precinct’s portfolio — from fully serviced coworking at Precinct Flex, to move-in-ready Suites and custom turnkey offices.

“Every business is different,” Randell says. “Their needs change, their size changes. We’ve built an ecosystem that lets them grow within Precinct, without the complexity of managing multiple providers or fitouts.”

One example is infrastructure consultancy Alta, which began in Precinct Flex (formerly Generator) in 2018 with just a handful of desks. As the business grew, it transitioned into its own office in the HSBC Building and now occupies a 248sqm Precinct Suite in the Aon Centre.
“Moving into the suite was an easy option for us – we didn’t need to worry about fit-out, and the space came beautifully designed with a fully equipped boardroom and premium arrival experience to welcome clients,” says Tim Lancaster, Partner at Alta.

The company has since expanded into Precinct Flex’s Bowen Campus in Wellington, giving its team flexible, high-quality workspaces in both cities. Randell says stories like Alta’s highlight the long-term value of flexibility.
“They started in coworking, moved into their own suite, and now operate nationally; all within the Precinct network. That’s exactly what we want: spaces that evolve with our clients.”

It’s an approach that puts people and connection at the centre. Across Commercial Bay alone, more than 10,000 people now work within Precinct’s network of buildings. Regular events, speaker series, and wellness sessions turn the precinct into a true community, rather than just a cluster of offices.

“It’s about activating the real estate, not just leasing it,” says Randell. “When people feel part of something bigger than their own company, that’s when the workplace really adds value.”

For Precinct, “premium” is no longer just about the skyline view or marble lobby — it’s about how well a space connects, supports, and inspires the people within it.

“You can’t just build it and leave it,” Randell says. “It’s about creating a precinct people want to be part of.”