In the heart of Perth's premium retail precinct, Milieu Creative has reimagined Bankwest Place, creating a design that pays homage to Western Australia’s distinctive natural landforms.

This project, led by Davina Bester, Founder and Managing Director of Milieu Creative and Statuo Group, combines aesthetic sophistication with functionality, revitalising a previously underutilised lobby into a vibrant, human-centric space.

Bester sits down with Architecture & Design’s Clémence Carayol to share insights into the vision, challenges, and innovative techniques behind this transformation.

Davina Bester / Supplied

Architecture & Design: Can you describe the initial vision for this project and how it evolved over time?

Davina Bester: Our vision for the Bankwest Lobby transformation was centered around celebrating an iconic West Australian brand with a focus on honouring the tones and textures of the region’s distinct natural landforms.

With this vision at the project’s heart, our architectural design placed emphasis on the concept of formation, using layers, shapes and angles to create an intricate yet all-encompassing space that responds to the site’s unique location in the centre of a premium CBD retail district.

The project evolved as new opportunities presented themselves and inadvertently the redesign and development of the building became a key driver on inspiring tenants and their teams to return to the office after the pandemic, with the purpose-built amenity and facilities acting as an anchor to bringing people together.

Harmonising aesthetic design with user utility, we revitalised the lobby from a walk-through underutilised space into an environment that naturally encouraged people to dwell longer, collaborate with their peers and enjoy being within the space itself.

What were the biggest challenges you faced during the design and construction phases, and how did you overcome them?

A key challenge from a design standpoint was to reposition the new façade with a welcoming entry that would comfortably sit within the context of its environment, which has become renowned as Perth’s high-end premium retail precinct.

The exterior façade of Bankwest Place therefore underwent a significant redesign, replacing the previous angular glass with a layered façade featuring a covered double-height portico clad in natural stone. The soft texture and tones of the natural stone was juxtaposed by a custom-designed steel and glass element, which wraps around the lower level and extends over the mezzanine.

The contemporary design of the façade connects the building’s exterior to its surrounding environment, with the strategic use of natural light creating an inviting light-filled winter garden that invites users into the space, which allowed us to balance the two key priorities and achieve the desired outcome for our clients at Charter Hall.

Another key challenge was delivering the extensive transformation of the building in a live trading environment that’s located within a pedestrianised precinct. Throughout construction, the site and building remained fully operational for tenants, which meant staging each phase to minimise any disruption to business-as-usual activity.

Staging each phase inevitably impacted the projected timeframe of the project, however in its entirety it was a really smooth construction process — particularly given the complexities associated with a refurbishment project of this scale.

How did you ensure that the project met the client’s needs and expectations?

Our client, Charter Hall, engaged us to help transform Bankwest Place with a design that honours Whadjuk Noongar Country’s distinctive landscape and rich culture. This meant conducting research to understand the distinct nuances and design elements that could be highlighted in the new space.

Our team went through an extensive briefing and design process to ensure the aspirations of the project were being met, presenting key findings to land on the concept of “formation” as our design inspiration. This was then validated through three-dimensional visuals, which were prepared to accurately describe the design and ensure the client was fully aware of how the finished space would work as one.

Understanding the new emerging trends in workspaces, the aesthetics were enhanced through functional features throughout the lobby that were aligned to tenant wants and needs — both now and in the future.

The mezzanine level was refurbished to include various spaces aimed at fostering shared workplace experiences, including flexible open function areas with booth seating, semi-private workspaces and meeting rooms. Additionally, the existing conference suites were completely refurbished with state-of-the-art technology.

Rounding out the experience of the space was the newly built café, which serves as a key activation element for the lobby, providing a casual setting for meetings and a retreat from the work floors. Together, function and form defined the Bankwest Place project and ensured that the space will endure and thrive amid rising expectations in workplaces.

Were there any unique or innovative techniques or materials used in this project?

Our design team made a conscious effort to select a unique and timeless material palette with a variety of natural stones that would patina over time to ensure longevity in the life of the space and add authentic character to the building.

The double-height lobby design also posed the need for acoustic consideration to ensure the various spaces were comfortable for the occupants choosing to work or collaborate from the informal mezzanine spaces. Our team therefore adopted the use of unique materials and furnishings to help absorb sound and minimise reverberation throughout the space.

The use of natural light was something we always wanted to introduce to the building from the outset, as we know it helps improve human wellbeing and would therefore enhance the tenant experience for our client. Our unique design techniques were focused on capturing the site’s southern orientation to borrow natural sunlight and introduce a light filled winter garden space that creates an inviting and tranquil space for users to enjoy.

How does this project fit into your broader portfolio and design philosophy?

Our portfolio extends across commercial, residential and mixed-use projects; however the space we have created at Bankwest Place is truly unique in the sense that it doesn’t confine to a traditional commercial environment. We introduced the comforts of residential experiences throughout the space to blend function with form and deliver a transformed user experience that pays homage to the site’s heritage.

Ultimately this project showcases our human-centric design philosophy for creating considered spaces that create positive experiences for users. Applying these design principles, we have created an inviting work environment which is designed to feel like a hotel lobby.

What inspired you to pursue a career in architecture, and how has your perspective changed since you began?

From a young age I was exposed to architecture and construction, often living within a construction site whilst our home was being renovated, so it felt like a natural progression to explore and pursue a career in the industry. Initially my interest was interiors and understanding the psychology of space to uncover the way in which the design of spaces can impact occupants. However, inevitably through this process it became clear that architecture plays a key role in the user experience, which is why I progressed into the field.

Almost a decade later, this passion and urge to understand how spaces can better the human experience is what continues to drive me professionally and plays a key role in how we adopt our design process. As a society, we have evolved, which means our needs and wants from a space have evolved too.

Throughout my career my perspective on large scale projects has also shifted, with a newfound love recognised particularly for complex projects where we are able to uncover new opportunities and collaborate with like-minded people and organisations to deliver spaces unlike ever seen before.

Architecture and design is something that can be perceived as quite personal, but what I’ve found through building incredible teams is that having multiple minds with varied expertise across our projects helps ensure we’re able to seamlessly deliver a project without compromise on design or quality in the build-form.

Can you discuss a project or moment in your career that significantly shaped your approach to architecture and design?

In 2022 we were engaged to deliver the redesign of the new Mineral Resources Head Office. The project had a core focus on human health, with our design integrating wellness elements into every aspect of the environment.

From an architecture and design perspective, this project was completely aligned to our commitment to human-centred design. However, the extraordinarily tight timeline of the project is what placed immense pressure and shaped our approach to creating a unique integration with the construction contractor.

The integration of design, development and construction teams on this project helped ensure that there was no-compromise on the built-form finishes, and ultimately became the anchor to the project’s resounding success. Delivered in a 12-month period, the project was underpinned by collaboration and agility with a solution-focused approach that taught me when you have the right team behind you, anything is achievable.

The successful delivery of the Mineral Resources Head Office had a profound impact on our business too, identifying an opportunity for us to expand into development and construction. Not only does this give our clients the option to work with us to deliver the whole project lifecycle seamlessly, but it also creates a number of efficiencies that we identified can only be achieved when design, development and construction is underpinned by one team — and the prospect of this really excites me and our team.

How do you stay current with architectural trends and technologies?

Collaboration is key to being up to date on the latest trends and technologies. In addition to regularly attending industry events and engaging with industry bodies and partners, we work closely with specialist consultants to keep on top of progressive technologies and have a proactive studio who ensures we are constantly considering new materials and approaches. As a team, we adopt a “curious” mindset to everything we do, which means always learning and seeking new opportunities for us and our clients to adopt.

I am a big believer in investing in ideas to enable the full potential of our talented team. Our team is made up of a diverse range of architectural, structural, construction and interior specialists which allows us to explore new realms of innovation and apply them across our minds and skillsets.

What role do you think sustainability plays in modern architecture, and how do you incorporate it into your work?

Sustainability really is a non-negotiable across all of our projects, including our own practice. We believe sustainability is integral to building human-centred spaces that leave a lasting legacy and positively serve the communities in which we operate.

Our approach to sustainability is holistic and considers ecological, social and economic factors; guided by our group sustainability principles. These principles include the need to use thoughtfully sourced materials, create design-led efficiencies, respect contemporary heritage and leverage innovative technologies.

Through incorporating these principles into our day-to-day practices, we are able to make decisions with confidence in our projects and ensure that sustainability is at the forefront of every project.

What advice would you give to young architects just starting their careers?

The biggest mind shift I’ve experienced throughout my career is that a profession in architecture is all-encompassing, and rather than a profession, it’s a way of life. You might be designing a project in the work hours but your mind is forever thinking, redesigning and finding opportunities to unlock in a project. Be inspired and see it as a blessing. If you love what you do, it will never feel like work.

Images: Bankwest Place by Milieu Creative / Dion Robeson

Clémence Carayol

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