Britomart.
The Interview.

Henrietta Harris loved drawing as a kid, and went on to make a career as a painter. Now her delicate portraits sell in New Zealand and the United States, and are blown up big on Britomart’s Te Ara Tahuhu in an exhibition entitled ‘By Its Own Light’. Here, she talks to Jeremy Hansen about the intimacy of portraiture, her recent battle with nerve damage, and how she fights her own perfectionism.

Michael Meredith is one of New Zealand's truly great chefs, a magician who first sets you at ease with the solicitous attention of the staff at his gently beautiful restaurant, then dazzles you with unexpected feats of flavour and texture. Mr Morris, which opened in the former Cafe Hanoi space at Britomart late last year, has already received a perfect score from Jesse Mulligan at Viva, and rave reviews from guests. Britomart's Melinda Williams caught up with Michael about how he creates his dishes, why giving back to the community through charity dinners is so important to him, and the special delivery that arrived in his home after Christmas. Click through for the interview.

With the opening of her flagship store at Britomart, the wunderkind fashion designer Maggie Marilyn sets off on a bold new path.

The co-founder of Huffer talks to Britomart’s Melinda Williams about the brand’s new Huffer House space in The Hotel Britomart block, which comes at the end of a journey that felt like “a lap around the world and coming back home”. 

Artist Steve Carr was on a residency at McCahon House in Titirangi when New Zealand’s first COVID lockdown was announced. Now, as Auckland emerges from its second stint at Alert Level 3, he’s created a significant new sculpture that will occupy Takutai Square for the three months of spring. It refers to the possibilities of a post-COVID future, as well as some of his favourite artistic themes from his past. Here, he talks to Britomart’s Jeremy Hansen about the creation of the work and the themes it addresses.  

The co-founder of Cafe Hanoi reveals exciting menu and design details of the popular restaurant’s bigger, bolder new space on Galway St next to The Hotel Britomart.

One of New Zealand’s favourite fashion designers shares her passion for reviving New Zealand’s garment manufacturing industry to create a more sustainable future for local fashion. 

Warm hāngi lunches, rousing kapa haka performances, live music and community spirit kept the winter chill at bay as photographer Joe Hockley captured the celebrations in Takutai Square.

In February Jane Wrightson stepped into a new role as Retirement Commissioner. A month later, she was in lockdown, watching people panic about their retirement funds. 

As principal sustainability consultant for Jacobs New Zealand, Amanda Bryan has helped guide and evaluate Britomart’s journey towards achieving an impressive initial three Green Star Performance rating.

As the general manager of Generator, John Moffett presides over shared office spaces at two sites in Britomart, and two in Wynyard Quarter. They were operating at capacity before the lockdown. How is COVID-19 going to change the world of shared offices?

Lucien Law is the founder of Savor Group, whose establishments include Ostro, Ebisu, Fukuko, Tommy’s Champagne Parlour and Seven at Britomart. He also owns Ponsonby’s Azabu, Parnell’s Non Solo Pizza, and started up a new food operation at the Auckland Fish Market last year. Here, he speaks to Britomart’s Jeremy Hansen about how his operations are adapting to the COVID-19 outbreak. 

Nick McCaw co-founded Mexico, Better Burger, the basement cocktail saloon Caretaker and the nightspots AV and Saturdays. Previously he was behind some of the foundation spots in Britomart including The Britomart Country Club and 1885. After more than a month of lockdown, he ponders what reopening will be like, and what challenges lie ahead for the hospitality industry. 

Britomart’s Sustainability Director Mark Sinclair has been focused on the measurement of the environmental performance of Britomart’s buildings for the precinct’s first rating under the Green Star Performance Tool. 

Less than a day after the closure of Metro magazine, which he’d edited for a year, Henry Oliver had an idea: to create Essential Services, a zine available free as a PDF download (and in print at Britomart) that’s given him and all its contributors the chance to keep doing what they love for a while longer. Here, he talks to Jeremy Hansen about the shock of Metro’s closure, and about the pleasures of creating something new.  

The Covid-19 crisis is an opportunity that we mustn’t waste, says the founder of the Sustainable Business Network. "This is our 1-in-100 year opportunity to think about how we redesign the whole blimmin' system," she says. In this interview, she tells Melinda Williams how that might be done. 

Amber Coulter and her partner Andrew Lewis set up Britomart-based TRA (The Research Agency) in 2007 in the midst of the GFC. Their job? To help their clients understand human behaviour so they can better focus their organisations. Here, Amber talks to Britomart’s Jeremy Hansen about how Covid-19 might change us – and why she’s still optimistic.  

With several economic downturns already behind her, Karen Walker is preparing to take her fashion label through the biggest challenge it’s ever faced.

The founder of fashion PR agency Showroom 22 – which represents a number of Britomart-based fashion brands - talks about the impact of Covid-19 on the industry. 

Krishna Botica and her partner Tony McGeorge opened Britomart’s Cafe Hanoi just a year-and-a-half after the 2008 Global Financial Crisis. Now with Covid-19, they’re facing a crisis of a whole different magnitude. 

Effervescent, energetic and outspoken, Dame Trelise Cooper has a love for the fun side of fashion that’s contagious.