Behind the Design at Mirvac's New Melbourne Office
For many, the workplace is one of high importance, much like home, it’s s space where we find inspiration, a sense of well-being and tap into ways to thrive and connect with others.
Mirvac Design has established its’ reputation on innovative, thoughtful design outcomes, and have recently flexed their creative muscles to re-design Mirvac’s Melbourne office in Southbank. Head of interiors, Matthew Sheargold, and Mirvac Design’s interior design team were inspired by the opportunity to create a workplace that motivated employees to return to the office in a post pandemic landscape.
Working with two connected floorplates of office space across 1400sqm, and with the backdrop of breathtaking views of the Yarra River and Melbourne’s CBD, the working team had a great canvas to start with.
An important element in the design was the re-imagining of how employees were now choosing to work, and their needs around privacy, as well as collaboration. Working closely with Mirvac’s own Future of Office and Procurement teams, the design team were able to take learnings from research and work recently completed in Mirvac’s Sydney HQ which focused on the evolution of the workplace and how an agile and adaptable workplace can support employees to work more effectively.
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Spaces created included traditional workstations, sit-stand desks, working pods and ‘phone booths’ for more private conversations.
“After years of breaking down barriers in the workplace to create more open spaces, our team were now challenged with delivering an office environment that was flexible - allowing for privacy, and the acoustic demands of many Teams meetings happening in close proximity to each other, while also embracing the vital nature of collaborative working” Says Sheargold.
The interior aesthetic gave a nod to Mirvac’s residential projects, showcasing the high quality and detail that Mirvac has become known for, such a porcelain tiles in breakout areas, cosy banquette seats, hard wearing timber veneer and bronze metallic detailing throughout./p>
A cornerstone of the design was the delivery of the unique “Town Hall”. A flexible events and entertainment hub featuring a kitchen, bar and breakout area, with the capacity to host small groups, large gatherings or accommodate individual working sessions.
“The inspiration for the Town Hall was around creating a “moment” – a moment to connect with colleagues, guests or a moment of focus, working solo in an inspiring environment. Ease of accessibility to this area was important, with a striking timber staircase connecting the floor below with the floor above. “
With the capacity to accommodate up to 70 employees and the ability to host up to 120 people at one time, it’s clear that Mathew and the Mirvac Design team have considered every detail – and delivered on brief to create a comfortable, efficient and collaborative working environment.