Interiors and architecture studio Rezen has designed a sleek, modern office in Western Australia for the American company. Colour, light and versatile spaces come together to create a contemporary working environment.
November 28th, 2022
On the fringe of Perth’s city centre in Subiaco, Newmont has just become the first tenant in a newly renovated old building after moving from premises nearby. A desire for a lighter space was the driver of this move and it is a feature that Rezen has successfully placed at the heart of the design.
Three sides of the workspace are enclosed by floor-to-ceiling glass on a floorspace that already boasts a generous ceiling height. A large balcony also wraps around half of the space, bringing light in and providing generous city views.
The natural light is further complemented by a tonal colour palette used throughout. Sporadic fixtures of dark blue are offset beautifully by soft timber finishes, while touches of red are found in some furnishings.
“We’ve used colour to punctuate and warm the space. It’s very much about making it comfortable for the staff so that people want to come there and can interact easily,” explains Zenifa Bowring, director at Rezen.
In the spirit of creating a contemporary workplace with a diversity of spaces and varying levels of privacy and formality, Rezen has made a point of heightening the sense of comfort in spaces such as the breakout area. Here, soft furnishings add to a generally relaxed atmosphere – part of the client’s emphasis on creating a hybrid environment with remote work at the core.
Bowring notes how important it was to understand the client’s needs in a time of rapidly evolving workplace design: “we went through an extensive workshopping process in which we talked to all stakeholders and staff to understand how they were actually using the space and how it would often become more of a social interaction.”
Related: Rezen design for a Perth clinic
This led to an emphasis on versatility and a significant reduction in workstation setting, instead giving more priority to social and meeting spaces. “We ended up with a strategy that was more of a work-club concept, with less formal working areas,” says Bowring.
The floorplan design has cleverly created a series of varying, porous spaces. In a refined and fun juxtaposition, vertical blue dividers partially break up the room while playful ceiling patterns form continuous horizontal links across those spaces. This planning allows for subtle functional separations at the same time as maintaining a connection across the office’s social settings.
Combining these diverse work and social spaces with a sensitive treatment of colour and light has transitioned this workplace from a conservative setting to a contemporary one. “It’s just about creating that cohesive, calm palette with natural materials wherever possible,” explains Bowring.
The treatment is carried all the way through to details such as the gold finishes on some of the table edges.
Overall, the design employs a language of understatement to create a warm, pleasing and sociable environment. Based around a philosophy of the flexible and remote workplace, Newmont has a new Perth work-club fit for the times.
Rezen Studio
rezen.com.au
Stylist
Amy Collins-Walker
Photography
Jack Lovel
We think you might also like this article on placemaking in Perth.
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!
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.
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.
In the pursuit of an uplifting synergy between the inner world and the surrounding environment, internationally acclaimed Interior Architect and Designer Lorena Gaxiola transform the vibration of the auspicious number ‘8’ into mesmerising artistry alongside the Feltex design team, brought to you by GH Commercial.
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
From housing affordability to questions of density, multi-residential design and the future of cities, here are eight varied stories from our archives.
A school in India, designed by Vijay Gupta Architects, showcases the importance of the natural world by engaging and educating the young.