Arup, CBD, Sydney
Personifying the international engineering firms’ pursuit of technical excellence, the open-plan office interior serves as an interactive platform for staff to experiment collaboratively and exchange design ideas.
With its exceptional wellness and sustainability credentials, this is the first building in Australia to be awarded the WELL Core and Shell Gold Precertification. At the heart of the workplace is a four-storey void connecting all five floors via an internal staircase flooded with natural light. Horizontal and vertical views across and between levels grant open surveillance of Arup’s everyday operations. Reflecting this open layout, lightly shaded Rock Maple was selected as the signature joinery timber. Customised shelving lines outer walls, whilst cabinets closer to the centralised stairs refrain from reaching the ceiling, permitting the atrium’s sunlight to flow between quiet zones and breakout spaces. A custom-made American Walnut table anchors the immersive blue boardroom. Equipped with floor to ceiling shelving, the enclosed space also acts as a reference library. Partitions can be assembled upon the timber surface to consolidate private research.
Team neighbourhoods are rich in flexible custom-designed desk and table options, all unified by their minimalist finishes. Rows of long grooved tables flanked by picnic-style stools can be manipulated to flip over at either side via brass hinges. Ideal for meetings or communal staff meals, they can accommodate closer communication with colleagues sitting opposite or grant extra workspace for individual endeavours when expanded. Others possess A-frame legs and lighter detachable surfaces, allowing them to be dismantled or relocated with ease, whilst adjustable powder-coated steel bases on workstations permit seated and standing options for agile staff.