The client brief for their new head office building, incorporating a combination of open plan & activity based workspace, was driven by a desire to create a collaborative space for the growth of the company & a focus on staff development & wellness. The site consists of an existing park space, with mature trees to the perimeter & a subtle natural level change along the length of the site. The single storey building is sited with the BoH core parallel to the level change, allowing level entry into the building for staff & services / deliveries, with the main visitor entry orientated towards the north-east. The building platform is raised above required flood levels, with the existing park landscape modified to offset with lower ‘wetland’ retention wrapping around to the north-west of the building platform. Courtyards to the FoH area & the north-west facing Café allow the internal spaces to connect to the site & provide external covered amenity to staff.

The building consists of four main areas defining programmatic functions. These areas include the FoH volume which provides a connection spine between the workspace, executive offices, boardroom wing & the BoH core. The main building entry to the east is connected through this volume with high level glazing to the south & FoH courtyard to the north, through to the café space & covered external café courtyard. Within the FoH volume hardwood lined internal pods house reception, meeting spaces & staff breakout areas. The main workspace to the north is generally open plan, fully glazed to the three external sides providing visual connection to the site, with an internal courtyard providing natural daylight to the depth of the workspace plan. The team workspaces are partially separated by internal office / colab / coffee station areas. The executive offices to the east of the workspace open onto the FoH Courtyard with visual connection across to the boardroom / meeting wing adjacent to the entry & reception.

The single storey building comprises of two main elements, the BoH core, and the large wedge, a singular roof plane tilted up to the south which encompasses the workspace, and creates the FoH / entry volume, wrapping around to the boardroom wing. The large roof plane cantilevers to protect the workspace from thermal gain & provides shelter to the courtyard spaces. The structural system comprises of precast shear walls & engineered glulam rafters are expressed in the FoH volume, above the timber lined internal pods.

The entry / public space comprises of polished concrete floor to the main circulation volume, acid etched exposed concrete panels, hardwood lined interior pods & perforated acoustic ceiling panels between the exposed glulam structure, providing an inviting warmth & natural materiality to the space. In contrast the workspace is more pragmatic with structure concealed by a grid ceiling, with the open plan workspace zones separated by partitions & integrated joinery elements.