Bennett & Philp Lawyers new workplace reflects their market position as a legal firm who understand the real world. The tenancy is designed to provide a contemporary, welcoming, yet understated workplace that focuses on staff wellbeing, promotes teamwork, and reinforces the firm’s strong culture.

Following a traditional legal accommodation model with a focus on optimising natural light, Bennett & Philp’s new home offers an abundance of relaxed and inviting client facing facilities as well as flexible open work areas for support staff.  The warm and subdued finishes palette has been applied using natural and earthy tones and is complemented by a collection of client selected artwork on display throughout the tenancy. The Bennett & Philp relocation project in Brisbane is a great example of how early engagement can foster stronger relationships and encourage comfortable collaboration, ensuring smooth delivery and a superb final product.

A truly collaborative project.  A big thank you to Nicole Jacobs, Lance Pollard, and Andrew Lambros from Bennett & Philp for entrusting us with your project; Mark McGowan and John Healy at IA Design for your inspirational design; Finbar McLaughlin and Craig Kavanagh at Evolved Engineering for your constant support right from the start, Brett Warner and James Court from Optima Glazing for your amazing product knowledge, Lee Wood and Ruben Penilo at Spoke Joinery for your unwavering standards of finish, and of course Aldion Cirongu, Matt Grant, and Tim Volkman the stellar Quadric project team the made it all happen.  When we pulled this team together, we didn’t even have a space to build, just deadline.  Multiple spaceplans on multiple sites,  services considerations at each site,  unlimited revisions of cost plans, furniture and fittings selections, and constant refinement of design to suit site conditions; are all expected deliverables for an ECI contractor these days.  We enjoyed every minute.

The fitout for top-tier legal firm MinterEllison draws on the rich history and context of Melbourne to create an authentic and timeless workplace.  Set within the newly built Collins Arch tower in the heart of Melbourne, the new workplace fitout for law firm MinterEllison is spread across five and half floors, capturing the essence of the practice through a contemporary and highly refined aesthetic.

Quadric Optima collaborated with Carr Design from early on in the project to find a solution to dividing spaces that was functional, adaptive, innovative, and timeless.  Brett Warner (National Business Development) worked with Peter Messina (Project Manager) to deliver a design response by taking Optima’s suite of acoustic and aesthetic partitions to create a bespoke solution befitting the authentic and welcoming workplace it has become.

The client desired, “architectural elements that are functional but statement worthy,” says Associate Molly Shelton. A luminous central stair is where this thinking shines, adding a sense of scale and drama. The final curved form was chosen for its softness and the way it links different views across different aspects on each floor. Viewed as a continuous run without a break, the complete helix form creates a clear and consistent connection across all the floors.

The layout and spatial planning of the work floors uses a hybrid methodology, drawing reference to the famous Hoddle Grid of Melbourne with a functional, neighbourhood-style of planning. Pavilions and corridors break down the built form, while transparency and glazing maintain sight lines out to the views, an important consideration to create a sense of connectivity across the work floor. The design plays between the gridded planning and the curving organic form of the stair.

Optima Quadric dug deep into their ‘box of tricks’ to offer the use of Optima 117 plus in a double glazed format with U Grooved low iron toughened glass, Optima 36 Single Glazed Doors, and Optima D665 Microflush American Walnut Veneered Doors, all with door furniture selected to meet the functionality and appeal of the Optima System.

Several design details offer a sense of consistency and harmonious repetition, even if not overtly obvious. For example, moving through the client floor to the front of house meeting rooms ribbed glass wraps the façade, bringing a strong vertical element that is repeated in the stair detailing and also in the stone. Adding a sense of visual variety, the breakout spaces on each level have a different colour scheme, creating diversity and breaking down the scale of such a large project. A thorough planting scheme has also been integrated, bringing greenery and life throughout the office.

The new MinterEllison office deeply embodies the law firm and its significant history within the city of Melbourne. With thorough briefing, research and collaboration, MinterEllison’s workplace will see them into the future through a timeless, approachable and sophisticated design.  Big thank you to Carr Design and Buildcorp, who have once again put their faith into Quadric Optima to deliver on our promises.

Quadric Optima’s supply chain remains strong and unaffected right throughout the supply challenges that has seen so many manufacturing challenges around the globe.  Optima’s factories in the UK and Malaysia are vertically integrated offering our clients the security of manufacturing under one roof with little reliance on outside operations.  Quadric Optima are here to guide Australian designers and builders through their projects by providing premium solutions in internal glazing.     For more on Quadric Optima, go to: Home | Optima Australia (optimasystems.com.au)

K&L Gates is a fully integrated global law firm with lawyers located across five continents, representing leading global corporations in every major industry, capital markets participants and ambitious middle-market and emerging growth companies.  Their Brisbane office have occupied their tenancy for the last 7 years, and with the re-sign at their existing premises location, they took the opportunity to reconfigure their front of house and boardroom suites to meet the evolved needs of the business.  Working areas were refreshed with upgraded finishes and lighting throughout.

The client facing areas needed remodelling to provide flexible & reconfigurable spaces that enable client entertainment and regular conferences & functions.  The design aesthetic is consistent with their global design standards, a clean and timeless palate that incorporates key art pieces.  The battened ceiling provides a connective element through the foyer and reception space, guiding visitors in. The reception has been opened up to maximise the view of the river and enhance the natural light into the space.

Quadric were engaged on a Construction Management basis with early builder involvement to deliver on time with several long-lead time items such as Audio-Visual and custom operable walls.  This management involved a staged procurement approach involving early works and main works allowing the client to have certainty over budget whilst maintaining program.

Thanks go to K&L Gates, CBRE Project Management, Comuniti Design, BSE Services Engineering, Cosgrove & Associates, 66 Eagle Building Management and our great team of subcontractors.

Over the past 6 months, Quadric have partnered with Economic Development Queensland, Cospaces, Space Cubed Design, and Savills to develop, design, construct, and deliver the Cohort Space.

The next phase of the Gold Coast Health & Knowledge Precinct (GCHKP) is about to commence.  The 200-hectare GCHKP is Asia-Pacific’s emerging health and innovation hub, and is a unique global business location for high-tech industry development, research collaboration and jobs of the future.  One year on from the start of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, the GCHKP has welcomed its first residents to the new Smith Collective community, the first of the retailers have opened their doors, and Griffith University’s Advanced Design and Prototyping Technologies Institute (ADaPT) is ready to break ground later this year.

Quadric was engaged as Construction Manager with early builder involvement (Project Definition) for the Sunwater
workplace fitout in Green Square which involved early contractor involvement, buildability advice, Principal Contractor, design input and project delivery. The works involved the fitout over 2 levels with an interconnecting staircase. The structure of the building was such that innovative methods including epoxy truncations of post tensioned cables and structural carbon strips were required to maintain structural integrity. We worked collaboratively with the design team and Project Manager Incite PM, to value manage the job to a suitable budget whilst maintaining a high level of detail and finish. Fire compartmentation became a complex factor part way the through the design phase and this work around overlapped with construction along with high acoustic requirements. A backup generator installation on the roof was required to power to the 24 hour control centre within the space. The resulting space was a deliberately functional yet inviting atmosphere providing a staff and customer experience in keeping with their values.