JOURNAL/ Workplace

The jury found the project to be a clever response to its urban context "an urban repair which is a challenge in itself and very well executed indeed."

A jury of three international architects judged the best commercial completed projects in the UK: Earle Arney, Chief Executive of FKA Architecture + Interiors, Jacqueline Beckingham, Director and Design Leader at Benoy and Stephen Pey, Associate Director of EPR Architects.

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This latest project for leading law firm Clayton Utz is located on the top floor of the new 6 Star Green Star Nishi Building in Canberra. Led by Simon Swaney the Bates Smart team have employed a blend of hospitality and workplace functionality to achieve efficient elegance which is well aligned with the Clayton Utz brand.

The integrated fitout has subtle design consistencies with the head office at 1 Bligh St, Sydney but it is the unique aspects of the base building architecture and the location that have strongly led the design. For instance, the reception backdrop references the woven materiality of the external facade of the building through a patchwork of lit cubes and the honest. robust use of materials. 

By rethinking the traditional legal office the team have created an exceptional workplace while minimising operational costs. Flexible features include a single accomodation standard to allow practice groups to reorganise without churn costs. Clients are also encouraged to make use of the new facilities.

Images by Richard Glover

The design challenge was to build on top of an existing building which had columns and a central lift core integrated into its original design restricting floorplate flexibility and reducing connectivity. Our solution was to place a series of steel transfer trusses on top of the existing structure. This allowed the floorplate to cantilever beyond the existing building, increasing the floor area and aligning with the street wall while also providing flexibility with the column grid.

A steel structure was chosen to avoid increasing the load on the existing structure. The lifts were relocated to the exterior of the building and enclosed in a vertical glass volume to express the building’s vertical movement while enlivening the Ultimo Pedestrian Network.

Bates Smart Project Director, Philip Vivian commented on the design form:

"Located diagonally across from the new Frank Gehry UTS building, the design needed a strong presence. The architectural form reinterprets the semi-industrial linear forms of historic Haymarket to create a contemporary building that respects the diverse scale and context of the area.

"The form is articulated into a series of seemingly random, stacked, horizontal volumes of varying heights. Each horizontal layer is expressed by a different solar shading system, creating a layered effect of stacked, linear boxes."

The lobby is a transparent glass volume beneath the building, between the lifts and original structure. A dramatic public artwork by Lucas Grogan on the building wall frames the lobby.

The building has achieved a 5 Star Green Star rating, incorporating passive solar shading, and chilled beam cooling.

Bates Smart was invited to participate in a City of Sydney Design Excellence Alternatives competition for a commercial property at 151 Clarence Street. The site is adjacent to another Bates Smart project, the heritage Red Cross building at 155 Clarence Street.

Bates Smart's approach aimed to optimise the NLA of the new commercial building while maximising the urban, environmental and economic benefits of the development.

Bates Smart Director, Philip Vivian, talks about the team's design concept:

"Our vision employed warm, masonry materials to create a sensitive response to the scale and materiality of the immediate heritage context without resorting to mimicry.

"Within the podium we have inserted an atrium to create an interconnected campus work environment with excellent natural light distribution onto the commercial floorplates. On the upper levels, a glazed tower with panoramic views of Darling Harbour maximises daylight penetration into the atrium while creating a conference, skylobby and entertainment level with expansive outdoor terrace."

The terrace level adopts a dynamic W transfer structure which reconciles the economical structural grids utilised within the podium and tower floors.

At ground level, a new through site link connects Clarence Street to Kent Street via a generous two storey galleria which intersects with the 9 storey high naturally lit podium atrium.

Workplace Strategist Kellie Payne comments:

'We undertook an extensive briefing process with Amadeus which early on showed strong evidence that there was a large appetite for workplace change and that an ABW workplace would suit their teams. The Amadeus workforce is increasingly nomadic both locally and globally, resulting in under-utilisation of space and emerging silos between teams.

A new ‘free range’ workplace will enable team members to embed themselves with their colleagues as required, respond rapidly to any issues or incidents, and share their knowledge to achieve the company’s vision to “shape the future of travel”.

We are excited to have the opportunity to take this project to the next stage with Amadeus and to see the design concepts developed through the briefing stage come to fruition. Our job was made considerably easier as the client was really impressed with the quality of our base building.'

The team are now in design development with the project due for completion in 2015.

Together with its completed companion Convesso, the Concavo Tower will complete the Lend Lease/Bates Smart vision for this key waterfront site in Docklands.

Concavo also defines one urban edge of a waterfront park housing Melbourne’s newest public library and community centre.

The new workplace designed by Bates Smart will offer a more open work environment, designed to nurture the collaborative and focus workstyles of their legal staff. There will be a greater diversity of work settings to suit varied workstyles, with increased mobility supported by an advanced technology infrastructure. Staff will be better connected in the new workplace, working on floorplates double the size of their current floors at 140 William Street and connected by a dramatic spiral stair and generous atrium across the 3 levels.

Clients and staff will enjoy excellent amenity, including a client working lounge and a signature double-height wintergarden.

Watch Bates Smart Director Philip Vivian talk about this AIA award-winning building that gets better with age.

Read more about the NSW Government Service Centre.

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The ‘black carpet’ event was held in the stunning crystalline foyer. Forty tonnes of low iron glass is cantilevered off three of the atrium walls, creating a veil of glass and light which in turn frames the tower, completing the fourth side of the atrium.

To celebrate the opening, the space was adorned with a 9m high chandelier. This installation was created out of silver mylar and inspired by the New York skyline after which it was named. 'The New York' was handmade by Confetti System, a creative collaboration between New York artists Julie Ho and Nicholas Anderson.

The 171 Collins Street journey to completion ended with a fitting celebration that night. To top off the evening, Charter Hall and Cbus Property were thrilled to announce that $78,500 was raised for the project charity, Youth Projects, throughout the course of the development.

Visit Bates Smart to read more about 171 Collins Street

Charter Hall

Cbus Property

The New Legal Workplace is authored by Kellie Payne, Workplace Strategist + Associate Director at Bates Smart.

Download the The New Legal Workplace to read more.

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