Inside Schiavello’s refreshed Southbank showroom

For all that digital tools have transformed the specification process, nothing replicates experiencing a piece of design in person, from its texture to its proportions and the way it occupies a room. Schiavello’s Southbank showroom in Melbourne, which was originally designed by Hecker Guthrie to make the most of that experience, has recently been reimagined to give specifiers a detailed look at the way technology is being integrated across the brand’s collections to create flexible office ecosystems.

In the original fitout, Hecker Guthrie subdivided the volume of the tall, contemporary building into a series of distinct zones, with layered screens and translucent fabrics that allow light and sightlines to pass between these areas. The refresh simply builds on those foundations, introducing the latest Schiavello innovations without moving away from the showroom’s underlying logic.

At the heart of the refreshed showroom is the next generation of Schiavello’s Focus Quiet Room collection of pods designed for uninterrupted private work. The collection now has six room types, including the new Phone Room Plus, which won Best of NeoCon Gold in 2025, and the Gather Room Plus, which is purpose-built for accessibility, providing space for a wheelchair 180-degree turning circle. Improvements across the entire range include a number of design and technology features, enhancing both the user experience, including access, control and comfort, alongside installation efficiencies. The FQR NX WiFi-enabled booking tablet, integrated with the Nura Space workplace management platform, gives users the ability to book and check-in to meetings via the panel directly, as well as view upcoming room bookings.

This kind of technical integration is an area in which Schiavello is leading the way, bridging the gap between furniture and the systems that manage it, particularly in hybrid workplaces. Throughout the showroom, various settings showcase the potential of Schiavello’s Nura Vision – a 5.5-inch touchscreen mounted at the workpoint that connects to the Nura Space platform to show real-time desk availability, handle bookings and recall individual ergonomic presets. The Power Control Module works alongside it, sensing desk activity and reducing energy consumption when a workstation sits idle.

The Totem Table collection anchors another zone of the showroom, and introduces the benefits of biophilic design to the workplace. The collection is defined by bold drumbase legs in single, dual and tri-leg formats and a range of sculptural shapes, with the option for integrated or freestanding planters. The combination of workplace functionality, organic forms, and lush greenery makes it an ideal solution for spaces that blend commercial and hospitality settings.

Elevate, Schiavello’s new height-adjustable desk, is yet another highlight. The slender frame conceals the control unit entirely, and adjustment switches are integrated into both the worktop surface and the desk’s front edge. A magnetic cable gate hides a docking tray for clean power and data management, while an optional waterfall edge softens the profile.

As the workplace continues to rapidly evolve, having a space where designers and specifiers can evaluate new solutions in realistic settings becomes increasingly valuable – and it’s this opportunity to experience the products and the technology that powers them that makes Schiavello’s Southbank showroom so special.

To experience Schiavello’s refreshed showroom and explore the latest innovations on display, make an appointment at https://schiavellofurniture.com/contact

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