WPP announces new Auckland creative campus at 1 Nelson Street

WPP has today announced that its Auckland creative campus – home to AKQA, VML, Designworks, Ogilvy and The Brand Agency – has relocated to a new purpose-built space at 1 Nelson Street. The move represents a significant strategic investment in the future of WPP’s New Zealand operations, placing its agencies at the vibrant heart of Auckland and positioning the company for the next decade of innovation, creativity and client impact.

The relocation brings WPP and its agencies closer to the thriving commercial hubs of Commercial Bay and Wynyard Quarter, areas now firmly established as the centre of business innovation and enterprise in Auckland.

According to Dave Bentley, Managing Director of AKQA New Zealand, this isn’t simply an office move, it’s a deliberate step into Auckland’s future: “Being in the heart of the city and closer to our clients makes collaboration and iteration effortless, which is essential for innovation, CX and transformation programs. 1 Nelson Street gives us a space built to supercharge workshopping, experimentation and true partnership.”

The new WPP Auckland campus is designed from the ground up to support a more agile, collaborative and future-ready way of working. For the first time, all agencies have come together in an integrated space, a move that enhances connectivity, sparks creative integration and supports the delivery of world-class, multidisciplinary solutions for clients.

Says Rose Herceg, President of WPP AUNZ: “Our investment in 1 Nelson Street reflects our belief in the future of Auckland and our commitment to driving innovation for clients. This is a campus built for tomorrow – future-ready, collaborative and designed to bring out the very best of WPP’s creativity and expertise.”

The location’s distinctive art deco character has been preserved and elevated through warm, contemporary design elements and a generous layer of greenery, with the aim to create an energising environment for teams and clients. The campus includes additional collaboration spaces, a large communal kitchen and café area, social and breakout zones, an outdoor balcony, and purpose-built areas that support hybrid and flexible work.

Says James Johnston, Managing Partner of VML: “Across the agency brands, there’s deep respect for each other’s craft and capabilities – and complementary skills that can really benefit our clients. They’re also a great bunch of talented people and we’re excited to be working shoulder-to-shoulder with, in the new space at 1 Nelson.”

Says Jef Wong, Executive Creative Director of Designworks: “It’s an exciting time and a new chapter for Designworks, after being at Lorne Street for over a decade. One Nelson Street is designed for connection, creativity and flexibility; an environment that equips us for how we work today and how we’ll continue to evolve.”

The move also marks a symbolic step in WPP’s evolution in New Zealand. After a decade at 36 Lorne Street – a space that served the business well during an important era in Auckland’s creative and commercial landscape – the shift to 1 Nelson Street reflects a confident and future-focused transformation that will situate its creative campus close to the WPP Media campus located at 22 Fanshawe Street, to further enhance collaboration and integration.

The new location will be impossible to miss, with the building prominently showcasing the hero brands of AKQA, VML, Designworks, Ogilvy and The Brand Agency to thousands of people travelling down Fanshawe Street each day.

Adds Herceg: “As Auckland evolves, so must we. Our new campus not only reflects where business is happening today, but where it will happen tomorrow. It signals WPP’s ongoing commitment to New Zealand, to our clients and to delivering exceptional work in an environment that fosters creativity and connection.”

WPP and its agencies have begun operating from the new campus this month.

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