What would entice you back into the office? For the Cotton On campus in Geelong, Greg Natale solves the dilemma with a set of luxe and soulful facilities. Work never looked so good!
March 2nd, 2022
Key to Greg Natale’s design for this project is the long-term design relationship with Cotton On owner Nigel Austin.
Having designed several homes for Austin, Natale was acutely aware of what was to be achieved and the extent of Austin’s drive.
“He wanted this amazing campus that would reflect the passion he feels for Geelong and attract the best of the best. He wanted the whole place to be a great place to be, not just a great place to work,” says Natale.
Moreover, respect for the cotton was integral to the fabric of the headquarters’ design.
To this end, beautiful graphics created by the Cotton On design team are used throughout the project. Under Natale’s hand these graphics are contextualised and scaled to balance colour and form appropriate to each room.
That said, the designs are bold, graphic and exceedingly good. Working in collaboration with the project architects PTID, and signalling the headquarters as mercantile, the façade has a high border of brickwork with visual links to cross stitching.
Plantings of Eucalypts and grasses by Myles Baldwin similarly add rhythmic textures that will become pronounced with growth.
Red brick has been purposefully used to reference the heritage of Geelong and in particular the Ford factory central to Geelong’s character.
Scale is managed perfectly overall with a sense of arrival, without a sense of monumentality. The foyer and entrance are deliberately straight out of the high-end luxury hotel camp: high ceilings, bespoke lighting, dark timbers and mid-century furniture by Milo Baughman (Thayer Cogan).
The furniture is in fact exceptional with butter-soft anodised leather in tan and olive, teamed with rich burgundy and dusty pink velvets. Phoebe Stacked table lamps (Visual Comfort) on custom tables create a visual rhythm and reinforce the luxury hotel feel.
To create defined zones and humanise the scale, Natale has added two enfilades of pillars.
“The space was just so big, I wanted people to feel comfortable and relaxed and Nigel wanted people who work there to use the area the way you use a hotel foyer. So, yes, there is the wow factor for visitors but there is also a sense of pride and ownership,” says Natale.
Panelling and moulded detailing of the ceiling are delivered within a contemporary, slightly Ralph Lauren milieu.
Decorative rugs (Designer Rugs and Greg Natale) are used to delineate areas while adding the warmth of pattern that shifts between muted and jewel-like tones.
The dining room is very much a New York brasserie style. Custom Milo Baughman furniture is used extensively, as are simple marble topped tables (JRF and Thonet) with Caprera chairs (KE-ZU).
Acoustic panelling in dark olive (Dulux) is used throughout the ceiling for both practical and aesthetic considerations.
The highlight however, is the extraordinary floor of tiny black and white mosaics.
At once it is New York, Paris and Melbourne and very clever for being so very cosmopolitan and local in one hit. Brass, fluted timber and deep emerald tiles compound the effect, as does the extensive use of marble.
Paramount to the design outcomes was the client’s desire for incredible staff facilities. But, what he didn’t want was a gym that looked like a gym or a blonde Scandinavian spa.
To this end, Natale has reconsidered the whole wellness mode as a resort experience of rich timber, elegant tones and very beautiful moments. Incredibly detailed cabinetry uses a simple geometric form to deliver a dimensional screen between the corridor and gym.
This detailing is then extrapolated into flat cabinetry where the pattern is emphasised through slight variations in timber hue. Paired with layers of curved malachite tiles (Bottega nove plumage, Byzantine), the overall effect is the calm only precise detailing can deliver.
Beautifully detailed brick walls, fluted glass and glass brick are the primary materials in the studio work areas. These expansive areas have been designed for optimal light and work flow as expressed by the Cotton On designers. Here, walls are largely opaque to afford privacy and separation from the more public areas.
Dotted throughout the project are accessories from Greg Natale’s design range. Vases, bowls, objects and planters.
For most, this would not work, but herein lies the rub, Natale knows what works and when a design of his doesn’t work he will place a piece by the likes of Kelly Wearstler, Vanessa Mitranie or Georg Jensen instead.
Similarly, he places his own rugs only where appropriate to the design. The outcome is a continuous language that flows throughout while each of the areas is distinctly its own. It has also delivered an exceptional work place that will only get better with time. Bravo!
Greg Natale
gregnatale.com
PTID
ptid.com.au
Photography
Anson Smart
This article originally appeared in Indesign Magazine #85. Order your copy today.
We think you might like reading about this new workplace by Techne.
A searchable and comprehensive guide for specifying leading products and their suppliers
Keep up to date with the latest and greatest from our industry BFF's!
Channelling the enchanting ambience of the Caffè Greco in Rome, Budapest’s historic Gerbeaud, and Grossi Florentino in Melbourne, Ross Didier’s new collection evokes the designer’s affinity for café experience, while delivering refined seating for contemporary hospitality interiors.
The Sub-Zero Wolf showrooms in Sydney and Melbourne provide a creative experience unlike any other. Now showcasing all-new product ranges, the showrooms present a unique perspective on the future of kitchens, homes and lifestyles.
‘The Elevation of Gravity’ installation was an immersive showcase of innovation that heralded the debut of Gaggenau’s groundbreaking Essential Induction cooktop.
Marylou Cafaro’s first trendjournal sparked a powerful, decades-long movement in joinery designs and finishes which eventually saw Australian design develop its independence and characteristic style. Now, polytec offers all-new insights into the future of Australian design.
Meet a group of product designers who are making their presence felt not only at home but across the globe.
Adventist Medical Centre – CWB is a pilot project in which a curated medical interior enriches user experience while addressing operational imperatives with precision.
The internet never sleeps! Here's the stuff you might have missed
When iconic brands wield their influence, the ripples extend far beyond aesthetics. And so when the MillerKnoll collective formed, the very concept of design shifted, supercharging the industry’s aspiration to create a better world into an unwavering sense of responsibility to do so.
A hospitality venue in the heart of Osaka comprising four dining options – a place where nostalgic pastimes meet high-end dining.