Table of contents for INDESIGN #83 - Workplace in INDESIGN

As we close off this exciting special edition of Indesign which focuses on the workplace, our INDE. Awards 2021 Call For Entries is also coming to a close. Our Jurors are preparing to adjudicate hundreds of gold dot-standard projects, and I cannot wait to see what this year’s shortlist reveals. The INDE. Awards have become our barometer for the region. Our key to how our part of the world is adapting and innovating to progress and change. The INDE. Awards remains the only awards programme that embraces the entire Indo-Pacific, and it is a vital platform for celebrating local design on the regional and global stage. This year the INDEs will welcome the inaugural INDE. Summit, bringing together the best practitioners to discuss architecture and design in all its manifestations.…

Design Notes Combining maximum flexibility with the best lighting technology around, the MAGIQ PRO is a new spot system from the Austrian masters of architectural lighting, Prolicht. In each downlight up to four independent functions can be combined, allowing you the freedom to create the right lighting mood and perfect atmosphere without compromising on design expression. “Every project and every task comes with a unique set of requirements and design intents. Finding a partner that can offer an individual lighting solution tailored to those needs, and delivered in record time, is unique,” says Light Project CEO and founder, Matt Hicks. “Prolicht always goes that extra mile to achieve excellence, making it one of our most valued long-term lighting partners. Together Prolicht and Light Project offer endless possibilities that make a…

Design Notes Screenwood offers acoustically rated, prefabricated linear timber modules with concealed acoustic backings to effectively support the performance of a space without compromising on design. Screenwood has introduced a new product line with Modulo Panel, a high quality, simple and cost-effective linear solution for wall and ceiling applications in new and existing commercial interiors. These unique tongue and groove internal lining boards are finished in Navurban™ premium timber alternative, engineered using Japanese non-PVC Olefin surface technology and 3D-embossed to create varied textures including fine and embossed-textured woodgrains. Available in a range of finishes and profiles, and fully tested to Australia standards. Both Screenwood and Modulo Panels are made in Australia prioritising environmentally sustainable practices.…

“Will we ever get back to the ‘battery hen’ style of working? I think not.” Office design has certainly experienced a massive rethink since COVID-19 arrived. Prior to staff leaving offices in droves to work at home, the typical workplace model often included people sitting cheek by jowl around a trestle-style work bench. While this saved valuable floor space from being used (a considerable saving particularly for city-based offices), it must have been extremely challenging for staff. The question begs, what happens if you can’t stand or, more correctly, sit next to the person only inches away? Let’s face it, the distance separating people could be measured in millimetres. The way these tight set-ups were justified was often couched in the terms of ‘team building’, a ‘strong sense of connection’…

Combining strategy, design and construction acumen under one roof, Unispace’s studio is a masterclass in flexibility, fluidity and collaboration. Located in the vibrant heart of Melbourne’s CBD, the office is a physical expression of their brand ethos: embracing change as the only constant. Designed with agility at its heart, Unispace’s studio has something for everyone - and a space for every style of work. A genuine demonstration of their unique agile methodology, it celebrates the state of flux in form and fit-out. The centre-piece of the open-plan studio is the extended, custom-made workbench that ripples through the space in an organic, fluid rhythm. Encouraging collaboration between the integrated teams, the unassigned seating fosters movement, engagement and spontaneity. At the same time, the variety of neighbouring project rooms and quiet spaces…

Security, visibility, legibility. bamford-architects’ bespoke interior expertly juggles the complex needs of this inner-city police station. As guardians of our safety, with a duty and responsibility to uphold law and order, police have a challenging role in balancing our wellbeing and theirs. To enable the police to prepare and carry out their duties, a well-designed, fully optimised workplace is critical. Through its great experience in the civil and institutional sectors, bamford-architects was perfectly placed to undertake a refit and refurbishment of the Melbourne East Police Station creating a state-of-the-art workspace for the 250-strong officers of this precinct. There are particular aspects of designing a police station that are, understandably, different to other workplaces. Materials are required to be extremely robust and hard wearing; there needs to be a certain amount…

From productivity-boosting stand-up desks and stress-reducing task chairs, to mindfully distributed hydration stations and corporate yoga classes: employee wellbeing has become a requisite of the modern workplace. Once the domain of smaller, independent and often wellness-centred companies, it has found a firm place within the business agendas of larger commercial enterprises. And while ergonomic assessments have become a fixed feature of corporate wellness programmes, there are still some aspects of a healthy work environment that fail to receive as much attention – even if their impact on employee wellbeing has been proven to be far more significant. The unhealthy office soundtrack There is abundant evidence indicating that poor acoustics can negatively affect employee wellbeing. This problem is substantially compounded by the widely popular open-plan office. Born out of the intention…

The pandemic has been instrumental in introducing new ways to think about office design. Screens separating workspaces have taken hold, along with a move to focus on meeting outdoors. Protected outdoor seating areas have become an important part of meeting with colleagues, where once these areas formed a short respite of fresh air during lunch periods. The outdoors is taking on a new life. Cities such as New York felt the brunt of COVID-19. As meeting indoors often wasn’t viable, the attention moved to outdoors, where people could dine and also catch up with colleagues for informal meetings. “The weather in New York can be extreme, but we felt there was a need to address the rise of COVID-19,” says architect Bill Dowzer, principal of BVN, who opened a New…

“Change had to happen, we had no choice. The platform wasn’t just burning, it was infectious,” say architect Kellie Payne, director at Bates Smart. From the bushfires to the pandemic, the past year has truly impacted every aspect of people’s lives. From an understandably bewildered place it looked like the predictions about how COVID-19 will fundamentally change everything were warranted. But this isn’t the time for knee-jerk reactions. It’s a time for strategy and action. Nowhere is that sentiment more prevalent than in our return to workplaces. Payne, who drives workplace strategy at Bates Smart, along with workplace strategist Dr Caroline Burns of Workplace Revolution, lent their insights on the approaches and strategies that will define the workplace for 2021. Inclusivity, transition and adaptability underpin our moment where a sputtering…

Founded by the late Ernesto Gismondi in 1960, Artemide Design is distinguished by its modern, design-driven philosophy of creating light as a companion to people. While Artemide has been in existence for over 60 years, the pursuit for innovation, technological research, commitment to sustainable practice and collaboration with leading designers has determined its position as a globally-renowned illumination brand. Among its many collections are contemporary design icons such as the Tolomeo, Demetra and Tizio collection of lights – some of which have been acquired and exhibited in international museums of modern art and design. The Tolomeo series, designed by Michele De Lucchi and Giancarlo Fassino in 1986, is recognised as a perfect marriage of engineering and design. Having now expanded to include a floor, table and suspension lamp option. Utilising…

Neil Christopher Design Director, Gensler Neil is a versatile design and strategy leader with capabilities across the workplace, retail, education and residential sectors. Having had experience in collaboratively developing design concepts and ensuring alignment with client requirements, his development and translation of workplace and design strategies is greatly valued by clients. Specifically, Neil can communicate design strategies at a board level, ensuring desired outcomes are clearly articulated, understood and adopted at a leadership level. A Matter Of Personal Choice Page 154 Kylie Buhagiar Director, GOLDEN Kylie’s intuition, passion and knowledge of design supports her philosophy that well-executed spaces improve our lives and wellbeing. With a background in the visual arts, her broadened approach weaves into the studio’s dialogue, contributing to a crafted and artisan approach to spatial design. Kylie’s strong…

When you’re launching into a competitive global market, how do you distinguish yourself from the pack? For Orangebox, which was established in the summer of 2002 in South Wales, the answer was ‘powerful innovation’. Through rigorous research and development Orangebox quickly found their compelling point of difference. And the rest, as they say, is history. Thanks to their unquenchable thirst for knowledge, Orangebox remains at the forefront of global workplace developments. Equipped with the insights needed to create products of utmost relevance, Orangebox produces workplace solutions that are uniquely tailored to their clients’ rapidly evolving needs. Underpinning the Orangebox ethos is their philosophy of Smartworking. This is based around the belief that Smartworking spaces help organisations do the one thing they need to do the most: connect people, not furniture.…

Corbett and Carey Lyon are synonymous with the very best in contemporary Australian architecture. As founding directors of Lyons, the brothers are responsible for some of the most outstanding projects throughout the country. And their distinctly bold, unconventional aesthetic is instantly recognisable across the education, commercial, civic and healthcare sectors. Millions of people have experienced their buildings and millions more will continue to do so, as Corbett and Carey’s passion for the discipline they’ve dedicated their professional lives to doesn’t appear to be waning anytime soon. They’re genuinely excited by design and interested in creative ideas, and while it is all about the outcome, they’re also immensely invested in the process. How they got to where they are today is quite possibly down to DNA. Their father and grandfather were…

From its basement bike racks to its rooftop meeting pods, Market Lane fulfils a craving for greener pastures among its health-driven workers. Nothing disrupts the status quo quite like a global pandemic. Melbourne’s particularly stringent, lengthy lockdown during 2020 meant those who could worked from home – resulting in an almost year-long dissolution of the nine-to-five. Time in which to closely examine the mechanics of remote working, human behaviour and public interface. As we gradually return to the office, our expectations of shared space are permanently redefined. Beyond blue-sky notions of wellness, we require demonstrably health-driven environments and rigorous hygiene programs. How might design respond? Though conceived prior to the unfolding health crisis, Market Lane is an exemplar of salutogenic principles at work. Crafted by Elenberg Fraser in partnership with…

In a post-brand age enterprises are re-evaluating their real estate to create a visceral brand presence. The company briefed Hogg and Lamb to create a non-corporate space that showcased their identity as both commercial landlords and builders. If a majority of desk-based work can be done from home, what does that mean for the corporate workplace? Far from being defunct, companies are looking to their formal headquarters with fresh eyes, viewing space as a tool for personal engagement, connecting with people through a very visceral kind of brand presence. Case in point is McConaghy Properties which recently moved in to its new Brisbane headquarters. Taking over the top two floors of The Annexe, a new 12-level office development by Dexus, the company briefed architecture and design practice Hogg and Lamb…

If the topic of wellbeing didn’t feature prominently enough in design discussions pre-2020, it definitely does now. The pandemic has amplified issues of mental and physical health across all sectors and, for designers, the emphasis on creating spaces that support and facilitate wellness has increased dramatically. It’s been interesting to see residential environments transformed into ‘multi-use settings’ as people were forced to work from home, often not venturing out because of tough restrictions. And now as many people head back to the office and public domain, we have a renewed responsibility to ensure they’re comfortable and secure. The very least we can offer these people, whether employees, customers or patrons, are sanitation stations and at GOLDEN, we’ve had many clients request them recently. However, as a practice, we can’t help…

The hybrid work model is not a new phenomenon. We know that the workplace continually changes and evolves, coming at both gradual and rapid speed, depending on the driving factors, with normalised change occurring as part of an evolution. We have already seen this across a multitude of industries, in the move from fixed working to mobile, and from traditional to agile, in both co-working and flexible work environments. For years, we have referred to this type of model as the hybrid workplace. However the COVID-19 phenomenon has been like a magnet for this evolution, pulling it off-course, and impacting changes at a far greater rate. We anticipate that the most common post-COVID-19 workplace will be a new version of the hybrid model, where employees and employers will work together…

Setting a new precedent for seamless and efficient bespoke flooring design, Milliken Couture is a new and simplified design process further elevating Milliken-Ontera’s ability to create unique, tailored commercial carpet solutions with flexibility and at speed. While the Milliken-Ontera product design process always involved the customer, Milliken Couture fosters an even more collaborative partnership with the clients to achieve the desired outputs. From a detailed briefing, to the hands-on design process, the ability to refine the design and swift production: the customer is a crucial contributor across each stage and can look forward to a finalised design concept within four days. The product is then produced within three weeks from date of order. Embodying Milliken-Ontera’s industry-leading print digital dye injection technology, PrintWorks™, the Milliken Couture process streamlines customisation through four…

Speaking to her about her practice, the past year and her collaborations with bathroom specialist LAUFEN, Patricia Urquiola reveals herself as a woman who is very much looking to the future as she explores the ways in which her design prowess can contribute to the changing face of working and living. Understanding that design can lead in the workplace by fostering safety and wellbeing, Urquiola is using her unique talent to pave the way with new and exciting product collections that are both visionary and practical but always inspirational. Indesign: As a busy designer, how do you like to begin your day and what and where is your happy place? Patricia Urquiola: I like waking up pretty early, it gives me time to organise my day and start it with…

At the heart of everything Brodie Neill does is a sense of opportunity. For the Tasmanian-born London-based industrial designer, that opportunity comes with responsibility for each element of the design process. With every decision about what to do with materials, resources and time, Neill’s work combines innovative ways of rethinking the role of the product in a time when environmental urgency is an understatement. Through Neill’s history in furniture design and continued work through his furniture brand, Made in Ratio, his ethos of opportunity and responsibility comes into focus. Neill’s past and current work sits squarely within the kind of respect that comes from understanding what we take for what we make. Neill acknowledges that the trees in Tasmania are impressive and humbling – some taking centuries to reach maturity.…

A nook, a niche, or even just a portion of a kitchen table was once sufficient to work from home. But these temporary spaces no longer feel suitable and, with the family underfoot, the home office has moved up the wish list. “People are looking for a dedicated space in their homes, particularly those who have young children.” This substantial home in Bellevue Hill, Sydney, was completed in December 2019, just a few months short of the pandemic that has changed the way we now work. Designed by Bureau SRH, the 1000-square-metre house, spread over four levels including basement parking, has two home offices for a couple with two children. It also accommodates grandparents, relatives and friends, many from Indonesia, where the couple was raised. “Our client (a businessman) has…

Sculptform’s new showroom in Melbourne is a living example of what architects can do with its products. When Woods Bagot was approached to submit a concept as part of a competition to design the new Sculptform showroom, the team took the opportunity to throw caution to the wind and really get creative in their design response. Led by principal Bruno Mendes, the team of architects and interior designers came together for what he describes as a “series of intensive design workshops”. The fast and furious approach gave rise to an early concept of a curving architectural insertion that leads people through the space in a curated manner. As a bespoke timber wall and ceiling manufacturer, Sculptform has been working alongside the design and architecture industry since its humble beginnings in…

Over the years, workplace designers have fallen into a trap: we’ve been guilty of creating the utopian one-stop shop in the CBD office tower. After all, our corporate clients have wanted to keep their employees at the office for longer hours, to generate more revenue and deliver greater efficiency. But they’ve also needed to keep those employees happy. So, over the past decade, they presented us with CBD office blocks designed in a bygone era with their private offices and cubicles, and 2.7 metre-high ceilings, and into those spaces we crammed all the creature comforts that typically keep people happy in their home in the suburbs. We creatively made the office resemble the home, adding sleep pods, cafés, zen rooms, 24-hour vending machines, kids’ homework clubs, and even running tracks.…

“The palette came naturally as I explored the essence of daylight and its partner, night.” In a vibrant collaboration between Danish furniture design company Fritz Hansen and Italian design curator and gallerist Carla Sozzani, Arne Jacobsen’s classic Series 7™seating gets a make-over that bursts with colour. The new palette is called ‘A Sense of Colour’, and it invigorates the famed plywood silhouette of the stackable seat with 16 colours and seven base options. This unique combination of famous design and thoughtfully conceived colour science was created to inject an air of timeless sophistication into any interior - and expand its potential for true individual expression. Christian Andersen, Head of Design at Fritz Hansen, explains the inception of the collaborative endeavour: ‘We began the colour selection on this project by having…

Given its pivotal role in our daily lives, the workplace has seen micro-revolutions time and time again to become a space of enrichment, productivity and growth. Advances in technology allowed us to reach across time zones, borders and boundaries. Better understanding personal wellbeing and mental health paved the way for flexibility in both the hours and location of our work. Employee satisfaction catalysed a wave of employee benefits, initiatives and a resurgence of focus and productivity. Then came the new normal. As bedrooms merged into meeting rooms and ironing boards adapted into portable sit-to-stand desks, we came to appreciate the quiet and exclusivity of our home spaces. Increased productivity, time saved, money saved: all were natural perks of working from home. Simultaneous to this was the mass adoption of digital…

Market Lane, Melbourne Page 86 Architect and Interior Design Elenberg Fraser Project Manager Hickory Group Construction/Builder Hickory Group Structural Engineer Rincovitch Fire Services Engineer Orbe Fire Engineering Pty. Ltd Mechanical Services Engineer Entire Mechanical Services Hydraulic and Electrical Services Engineer NJM Design Consulting Engineers ESD Consultant NJM Design Consulting Engineers Façade and Joinery Hickory Group Vertical Transport Schindler Lighting Consultant Atmosphere Landscape Architect OpenWork Pty. Ltd. Public Art Installation Elenberg Fraser and Mark Douglass Budget $60+ million Duration 18 months Elenberg Fraser elenbergfraser.com Furniture Simon James for Resident furniture, District Furniture. Keith Melbourne and in-house furniture, Stylecraft. Jorge Pensi, Phillippe Nigro, and Geckeler Michels for Crassevig furniture collections, Own World. Grazia Materia, and Grant and Mary Featherson furniture, grazia&co. By Steelcase, and Patricia Urquiola for Viccarbe furniture, Steelcase. Antoni Pallegà…