Darlinghurst Workplace is a radical adaptation of a 1920’s brick warehouse into a contemporary workplace in Sydney. BVN was tasked with re-housing a 300+ workforce to this former car garage and so an additional floor was added and built from mass timber. A large, central void was introduced, encouraging circulation across all levels. The main break-out spaces hug the void and are flooded with natural light from a new skylight above. On the middle level, the façade has been pulled back to introduce a generous outdoor terrace, overlooking the city skyline and replicated on the new level above.
The client, being owner and tenant, encouraged long-term thinking and a call for materials to be timeless and robust. The industrial character of the space is imbedded within the existing warehouse materials on level 1. Applied finishes are limited by engaging with materials that behave as both structure and finish such as the existing concrete floors, soffits and masonry walls. This methodology has been applied to the new building level with mass timber providing both structure and finish. The material palette softens towards the top, invoking a tree-house atmosphere with rich timber columns and pine batten ceilings. Level 2 is where old meets new and is reflected when standing in the void.
Radical adaptation has breathed new life into Darlinghurst Workplace, securing its longevity and cultural contribution to the neighbourhood. Utilising mass timber construction over more traditional forms, reflects BVN’s longstanding commitment to innovative and pre-emptive thinking in regenerative design and emerging construction capabilities. This building model presents a more sustainable alternative for a commercial workplace shell, offering minimal application of applied materials and spatially arranged to support future change without rework, curbing waste. The result is a reimagined workplace with culture as the driver and fun at its core.
Darlinghurst Workplace
BVN

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Designer
Client
ITSM
Floor area
2805 ㎡
Completion
2022
Finishes
Finishes
Finishes
Finishes
Finishes
Finishes
Finishes
Finishes
Fittings and Fixtures
Fittings and Fixtures
Furniture
Furniture
Furniture
Furniture
Furniture
Lighting
Lighting
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