Completed in 2006, Farming House was redeveloped to meet strict building code regulations and earthquake safety standards. It is a major commercial hub, providing international-class office accommodation for local and national companies, predominantly from within the rural sector but also from broader, mainstream businesses including IT, finance, recruitment and investment.
Tenant businesses in Farming House include Crowe Horwath, Rabobank, Heartland Bank, NZ Police, Firstlight Foods, Ministry of Justice, MYOB, Beef and Lamb NZ, QBE Insurance, Brownrigg Agriculture, S Foods NZ, Fonterra, Farm IQ, Challenge Consultancy, Finance NZ, Star Board Group and Aotea Security.
The 2-storey Farming House complex borders Market Street South and Lyndon Road, beside the Hastings city CBD, and was designed by highly regarded NZ architects Warren and Mahoney. Built to sustainable building standards, including energy efficiency, it is constructed of natural and enduring materials including basalt stone and slate, zinc, tinted low-emissivity glass and pre-cast concrete. High-end interior finishes, designed by Martin Hughes Architecture Interiors, complement the commercial areas and feature artworks by prominent local and national artists.
Taking its name from the former Federated Farmers’ site on which Farming House now stands, the distinctive building is considered to be one of Hawke’s Bay’s premier commercial buildings, winning both a national architectural award and a Hastings Landmark Award, for its major contribution to civic design.