This office design by March Studio shows how simple and relatively cost-effective materials, such as laminated veneer lumber (LVL), can transform a space.

The City Tiler in South Melbourne became a landmark during the late 1990s, both as an architectural edifice and a mecca for tiles. While these tiles can still be found at the City Tiler’s new premises in Albert Place South Melbourne, its former premises remained idle for a number of years. However, what was once a drawcard to architects and designers is now home for a boutique financial services company, Chessell Group (previously Capital Creation).

Endowed with five-metre-high ceilings and great structural bones, including concrete floors, the Chessell Street office has been cleverly reworked by March Studio. Unlike many sleek contemporary offices, with built-in storage, this design places the grey lever arch files on show. “It’s about celebrating the mechanisms of the office and the way the business operates, requiring three hard copies of every document,” says architect Rodney Eggleston, director of March Studio. Pivotal to the design are hundreds of chunky beams, made from laminated veneer lumber (LVL). And to contrast these sturdy beams are a series of finely crafted workstations that appear to ‘float’ in the space.

Read the full story in Issue 63 of Indesign, on sale December 12.