KOEDAMDESIGN had worked with our client for over 25 years, designing both their offices around Australia and the UK and numerous residential projects. This included various refurbishments and updates that go hand in hand with a thriving business. Our management included both the initial concepts, architecture and interior documentation, finishes and material specifications, furniture and fitout layouts, tendering and liaising with our client and staff, the fitout companies and trades throughout the construction process. We worked with their in-house CAD team on floor and ceiling plans and services.
Over the years when we first designed their office, the business had grown from the initial 3 people in the first Sydney office to 600 in NSW, VIC, WA, QLD and three offices in the UK. KOEDAMDESIGN has worked in conjunction with the client on all projects, visiting interstate and for the overseas projects via Skype and the internet.
KOEDAM DESIGN latest project for this client was their move to two floors of a Chatswood tower building, close to the railway interchange. After purchasing a civil engineering company with an 80 year history in the industry. Our clients, who are a dynamic infrastructure delivery and management consultancy servicing the telecommunications industry, came to the conclusion it was time to move, due to this growth and therefore locate both companies at one site.
Each company’s individual and separate identity was paramount in the design concept and although each company was on individual floors, they were linked by an internal staircase.
There was a linking design concept and feel to the fitout but each company’s corporate colours were the design difference. Circular coloured ceiling panels were installed to bring in spaces for staff and client discussion areas. Circular coloured features were cut into carpet tiled flooring, linking all areas with a dynamic and fun feature that was reminiscence of our client’s logo. Corporate colours, were bright and featured heavily throughout the scheme against whites and charcoals.
The engineers company’s interior fitout honoured the history and therefore a historic mural was installed on a new privacy screen to the staircase, as well as displaying historic items and architectural models. Coloured glass panels were installed to add a contemporary and fun feel to a traditional and historic company.
The first floor housed our client’s company with open plan offices, staff breakout spaces, management offices, meeting rooms and the main boardroom, hot desks plus the CEO corporate suite. A large circular banquet and recreation breakout space was located central to all, so that the engineering company could use the space and join both company’s staff for their meetings and events.
An open kitchen sat central to the open work space teams. An open high bench and stool space was located close to the kitchen and TV monitor. These spaces were important to incorporate into the work spaces as my client had a very strong ethos of social events and staff events for these companies.
Storage was a very important design consideration. As work areas were open, it was important to incorporate lockable storage around the open office area. Each staff member had storage for their files etc in one of these separate storage spaces.
Due to unforeseen project grown, the office fitout grew again after we had completed the design with hot desks being added to perimeter windows.
“ The corporate signature is as important as the final intended function of the space when finalising the concept design “