Employee preferences for WFH means workplaces need to utilise office spaces as a tool to connect with staff. In Better Workplaces, AdNews looks at how agencies use office design to entice staff to come in and create a company culture worth staying for.
Despite creative agency M&C Saatchi being a relatively young agency at 28, its Sydney office depicts a heritage business with a grand art-deco design while its Melbourne office shows the business' modern and colourful side.
M&C Saatchi has planted itself within Sydney's historical precinct at the heritage-listed 1936 Transport House on Macquarie Street. Designed by architecture firm Woods Bagot, each aspect of the building's renovation had to be finely orchestrated with heritage consultants.
The agency's 280 staff is spread across three levels. The first level features an eight-metre-high ceiling with a large void so the next level overlooks the entry.
Overview of bottom level.
Newly added stairs between entry and first level.
Period details were retained as much as possible - from the fine steel case windows, marble columns, bespoke floor titlings, wooden terrazzo floors, ceiling embellishments and dark wood walls.
Cam Blackley, CCO of M&C Saatchi Group AUNZ said the agency took the historic building's classic bones and reimagined its potential with originality.
"Bringing our diverse creative brains together like never before [in this renovation] is amazing and incredibly important for the work," Blackley said.
"We're also excited to be returning to all the new bars and pubs in the area. We'll collaborate in those spaces too, from time to time.”
Even the newly designed areas pay homage to the building's heritage. The staff casual sitting area uses this midnight blue colour scheme and soft seating.
Staff casual seating area.
The main staff seating area has new lighting installations and updated tech for a much-needed modern twist. Complete with large whiteboard for colleagues to brainstorm ideas.
Staff desks.
Justin Graham, CEO of M&C Saatchi Group AUNZ said the business has created a space that allows staff to better connect to the ambitions of the agency.
"In Sydney, we sit on Gadigal land at the intersection of culture and creativity. We wanted to create a ‘boiler room’ of energy around our clients, each other and creativity,” Graham said.
“Our redesigned Sydney headquarters does exactly this, allowing us to inspire, create and collaborate in a cutting edge environment. It is a critical step forward as the business evolves."
Meeting room overlooks ground level.
Meeting room.
Casual meeting room. Entirely white, allowing creatives not to be distracted by detail.
In Melbourne, M&C Saatchi took a less grand and more open approach to its 50-staff office and again perfectly reflects the office's location with a bright, light and hip design on Church St in Richmond.
Overview of entrance.
Designed by architecture firm Made For, the office design incorporates a minimal built form with glass meeting rooms and open plan staff desks. However, the design goes big on colours and texture with bold toned upholstery, harsh joinery and colourful di-chromatic window film on the meeting rooms.
Meeting room.
Di-chromatic glass details.
Raw construction materials were also incorporated for a refined and tech-like feel.
Overview of staff kitchen and casual eating area.
Mural artist Mitch Walder painted murals along the walls of the office/ Each artwork was a visual translation of M&C’s core values: walk in other worlds, run towards the fire, roll as one, be excellent to each other, and make uncommon sense.
Melbourne office - photos by Cheyne Toomey from Spacecraft Media
Sydney office - photos by Woodsbagot
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