Image Credit : Shannon McGrath
Project Overview
Qualitas, a prominent alternative real estate investment management firm in Australia, was relocating to a new office at 101 Collins Street. The 1,130m² space on Level 41 required a complete fit-out. Qualitas engaged Axiom Workplaces to deliver a comprehensive workplace transformation, spanning strategy, interior design, and construction. The objective was to create a workspace that embodies Qualitas’ identity as high-performance investment managers, enabling agility, collaboration, and employee wellbeing.
At the heart of the transformation was Intelligent Innovation—a strategic design philosophy reflecting the organisation’s forward-looking culture and commitment to excellence. The new workplace was envisioned to:
Energise people through dynamic, wellbeing-focused environments
Strengthen proximity by enhancing team connection and spatial flow
Support the ongoing pursuit of new opportunities with adaptable, future-ready spaces
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
Cassandra Kirk - Strategy & Design Lead
Lucinda Evennett - Strategist
Jessica Jones - Associate Interior Designer
Ailish Burbidge - Interior Designer
Shwetha Prem - Interior Designer
Project Brief
The engagement began with a deep dive into strategic workplace planning through executive leadership interviews and cross-functional employee workshops. These sessions revealed five critical themes that became the project brief essential to future success:
Support for focused, individual work
Incorporation of natural light and biophilic elements
Environments conducive to private conversations
Spaces for structured and spontaneous collaboration
Enhanced support for remote and hybrid team integration
This insight guided the formation of three foundational workplace pillars:
People, Proximity, and Pursuit, which in turn shaped the vision of Intelligent Innovation: Energised in the Pursuit of Excellence.
Design Features
Axiom’s design team translated the workplace strategy findings into a spatial experience using three immersive themes.:
Energising Fluid Space
The layout supports dynamic movement and functional flexibility. Zones for deep focus are interwoven with areas for high-energy collaboration.
Hospitable Community
A warm and welcoming aesthetic fosters a sense of belonging and supports Qualitas' client-facing professionalism.
Natural Connection
Abundant natural light, tactile materials, and integrated greenery promote wellbeing while drawing inspiration from the Australian landscape.
Material selections emphasised sustainability, with a preference for locally sourced furniture and finishes from Australian manufacturers. Colour palettes were curated to reflect calmness in individual work areas, contrasted by vibrant hues in social and collaborative zones.
Project Innovation/Need
The new Qualitas workplace is a true physical expression of its brand values. Designed to support high-performance ways of working, the environment also offers the flexibility to evolve alongside the business and its people.
High-Performance Enablement: Purpose-built spaces empower teams to work efficiently, communicate effectively, and adapt as the organisation grows.
Brand Alignment: Every element of the design reflects Qualitas’ identity as a forward-thinking investment manager.
Future-Ready Environment: The workspace balances agility and longevity, allowing it to respond to changing needs over time. As part of a future-ready approach to design, Qualitas identified education and innovation as core values. The new workplace reflects this by integrating flexible learning and development spaces that seamlessly blend into front-of-house zones when not in use. This approach not only maximises space efficiency but also showcases a culture of knowledge sharing, visible and accessible to both clients and employees.
Design Challenge
A key design challenge was achieving an efficient use of space in such a premium building, striking the right balance between public-facing FOH areas and spaces dedicated to all. The design celebrated importance on client experience and the everyday needs of the people who bring the business to life. To support this, zones for innovation, collaboration, and focused work were prioritised and intelligently integrated within all public and private. Many spaces had dual purpose, designed to be multi-functional, which not only enhanced spatial efficiency but also fostered a more connected, dynamic workplace environment.
Sustainability
Sustainability was a foundational principle in the design approach, with a strong focus on reducing environmental impact through considered materiality and intelligent spatial planning.
Locally sourced Australian products were prioritised to support regional industries and minimise transport emissions, while materials with lower embodied carbon were selected to reduce the project’s overall footprint.
Wherever possible, existing elements were reused or repurposed, extending the life of resources and reducing waste. The building’s orientation was leveraged to maximise natural light and reduce reliance on artificial heating and cooling, supporting energy efficiency and long-term environmental performance.
Interior Design - Corporate
This award celebrates innovative and creative building interiors, with consideration given to space creation and planning, furnishings, finishes, aesthetic presentation and functionality. Consideration also given to space allocation, traffic flow, building services, lighting, fixtures, flooring, colours, furnishings and surface finishes.
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