Image Credit : Spaceful
Project Overview
The successful Australian furniture and homewares company, Temple & Webster, engaged alkimi studio and Spaceful to design and deliver a new multifunctional workplace.
Located within the heart of St Peters, the warehouse space was to be designed to incorporate all facets of the expanding business under the one roof. Temple & Webster sought to provide staff with an inclusive environment to thrive and flourish, be supported, and to remain creative, inspired, and productive.
The comprehensive head office design includes a multitude of tailored spaces, including a dynamic and expansive entry, vibrant dining area and meeting areas, collaborative zones, social and training spaces, neighbourhood workspaces, a tranquil wellness refuge, end of trip facilities, stylist and photoshoot studios and a furniture warehouse with testing facilities. Each space simply blends from one to another with a distinct aesthetic which embodies the essence of Temple & Webster’s inviting and homely personality and product aesthetic.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
Courtney Jacob
Amy Lee Moore
Shanice Almeria
Project Brief
As a rapidly expanding business with many satellite offices split amongst the fringes of Sydney, Temple & Webster sought to consolidate the entire company under one roof, in ‘a place to call home’. The St Peters heritage warehouse was found, sparking the beginning of the vision for the new workplace, a space for Temple & Webster to exist, thrive and grow.
Essential to Temple & Wester, the brief involved providing a warm environment inclusive of energy, diversity, nourishment and support, while also communicating their brand story through experience. All elements of the workplace design are conceptually grounded in the concept - ‘Greenhouse Kit’. The greenhouse kit translated into strategically planned neighbourhoods, meeting the individual and collective need of the diverse team. Each neighbourhood responds directly to the client brief, offering both functional workplace essentials and a warm sustainable environment focused on employee wellbeing and productivity. The design is playful, energetic and full of life, clearly reflecting the culture of the business. From the beginning, there had been a clear design direction, established through high level engagement with Temple & Webster, a collectively approachable and passionate team.
Project Innovation/Need
The unique elements of the warehouse building provided opportunities to take advantage of volume and light. A large tree sits prominently within the expansive height of the entry reception and large framed planter boxes have been designed throughout the light-filled workspace for plants to grow and nourish the environment all year round.
Custom artwork, including a full signage and graphic collaboration, showcases the brand’s distinctive personality while also enhancing the experience within the space. Soft pastels and pops of bold bright colours been used to harmoniously accentuate Temple & Webster’s ‘Duck-egg’ blue brand colour.
Temple & Webster uniquely supports activity and the wellbeing of their staff with the provision of a wellness amenity designed within the new workplace.
Design Challenge
Designing a heritage warehouse conversion in an inner suburb of Sydney into a fully functioning workplace for a global e-tailer is a logistically challenging proposition, but which also provided for excitement and opportunity. Many of the heritage elements were carefully considered and celebrated. Large structural and roof supported heritage elements guided planning of function and movement through the space. The location of three large gantries provided a starting point for the overall floorplan, and become pivotal locations for the boardrooms, each with a unique heritage overhead feature.
The project integrated a new building with a warehouse base build initially unfit for the brief and design vision. A complete reimaging of the space was required to provide appropriate opportunities for the future space.
Through the timeframe of the project, alkimi studio navigated the eternal challenges of the global COVID-19 pandemic and unprecedented flooding events which took place simultaneously.
Sustainability
As with all projects, alkimi studio approached procurement from a sustainable vantage point. The new workplace furnishing for Temple & Webster have been specified using locally sourced fabrics and furniture, including the workstations. Temple & Webster also supplied in-house pieces from their trusted and loyal suppliers. The project incorporated low VOC paints and sustainable LED lighting throughout.
Interior Design - Commercial
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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