The brief called for a new 1,000 sqm office space to be constructed within the shell of a 1960s shopping centre. The new office would serve to consolidate all departments of STB within a single space. Planning-wise, IDCA looked at how to address the different requirements of modern office staff; between public, semi-public, and private spaces; between spaces for concentrated work and those for collaboration.

The result is a largely open plan office with casual meeting spaces scattered throughout, to encourage cross-departmental collaboration, while also reserving space for focused work. Special attention was made to create multi-functional spaces such as a library and pantry that could also double as casual meeting spaces. Even the boardroom was designed so as to be able to open up to the main reception area in order to create a large open space for social events and media conferences.

As befits the company’s mission, inspiration was drawn from a wide range of local design motifs, including indigenous basketry, textile motifs, and cultural artefacts, executed in a limited material palette of concrete, oxidised steel, wood and glass. Local design motifs inspired the design of the lighting, flooring, door hardware, and also privacy screens.