Built in 1926 as the Nestle Chocolate factory, the building fell into disrepair after Nestle shifted it's operation to the South Island in 1988. When Samson Corporation took over the building it was littler more than a shell. Prioriting adaptive re-use, to respect the valued architectural features and character, the building was given a new life in 1992.

The design utilised many recycled elements from the original building, including terracotta hexagonal tiles salvaged from the old factory floor. Rumour has it under certain conditions you can still see cocoa seeping from the tiles.

When it comes to the day-to-day operations of Axis however, this is certainly modern! With 140 solar panels installed in 2020 to harness the power of the sun, lessees benefit from reduced operating expenses and greenhouse gas emissions. In 2021 a complete refurbishment of HVAC systems was completed, to remove reliance on gas and to ensure that beautiful historic buildings like Axis can perform sustainably, and to stack up with the new builds in terms of both comfort and environmental performance.