Designed by Gray Puksand, The Shaw Contract Design Lab is a collaborative space where local design professionals can find inspiration in commercial flooring which is engineered for beauty, durability, and cradle-to-cradle sustainability.

Shaw Contract are committed to continuously providing designers with the best solutions for their projects, and this new space will provide the ideal setting for talented team members & local clients to create, dream, and solve challenges.

The Brief
A challenging brief was given to Dale O’Brien, Associate at Gray Puksand and Project Leader for the Design Lab. This new space needed to accommodate Shaw Contract’s design clients, sales team, customer service, operations and marketing in one cohesive and collaborative space. Gray Puksand accepted the brief to push Shaw Contract out of their comfort zone; delivering an innovative space for both clients and staff which showcases the global brand with local relevance. The project combines a ground floor retail showroom and warehouse and a first floor open plan space for 25 people that includes collaborative and quiet work areas and a multi-function meeting room

The Concept
Central to Gray Puksand’s design philosophy was to create a story around good design using quality materials, classic furniture and an acknowledgment of the importance of good partnerships in design. Gray Puksand and Shaw Contract partnered with well-established global brands featuring bespoke furniture designed by Patricia Urquiola throughout this new space and classic Eames chairs which sit on display pedestals along the shopfront.

Bespoke design solutions were created for the Design Lab by Gray Puksand, such as shop front graphics and internal signage based on the periodic table, as well as a creative carpet yarn installation. The carpet yarn installation adorns structural forms of the showroom space, exploring the evolution of flooring from a traditional art form to a precise science.

Shaw Contract products are installed in more than 80 countries worldwide, with showrooms, sales offices and manufacturing facilities around the globe. Melbourne joins London, Shanghai, Beijing, New York, and other global design hubs where Shaw Contract’s presence is a catalyst for design excellence.

This article is presented by Shaw Contract.