A broad range of fit-out materials from Criterion Industries was used to design the new headquarters of Breville in Alexandria NSW.

An iconic Australian company founded in 1932 and now listed on the Australian Stock Exchange, Breville develops and distributes small kitchen appliances not only within Australia but also across the globe, selling its products in over 50 countries.

Having outgrown the existing company headquarters in Botany, Sydney, Breville decided to relocate to Alexandria, which, as explained by the company’s general manager Mark O’Kelly, “allowed the business to group teams for more effective communication and workflow, as well as providing space for growth”.

Designed by Arnold Lane, a Sydney-based boutique interior design office, and executed by FDC Construction & Fitout using fit-out materials supplied by Criterion Industries, the new office project involved the remodelling of two floors of an existing building measuring 4,300sqm. Since Breville designs, develops and prototypes their products within Australia, space was required to house not just office workers, but also showrooms, test kitchens, and engineering and R&D divisions together under the same roof.

Breville’s brief sought to embody their corporate values of simplicity, excellence, creativity, insight and a ‘food thinking’ ethos in the design. A clean, modern colour palette of black, white and silver-grey is used throughout the fit-out, not only providing a sense of order and hygienic simplicity, but also reflecting Breville products themselves, which are prominently displayed on shelves throughout the building.

‘Food thinking’ is promoted throughout the building with the distribution of open, communal food preparation areas close to key client and staff areas. This ensures that the making and presentation of food permeates the operations of the company. In addition, showrooms are made to resemble a home environment so appliances can be used and demonstrated in their natural setting. A further design innovation is shown in the flexibility of the space itself with showrooms and food prep areas designed with mobility in mind, allowing them to be quickly converted into seminar and function spaces.

Also, test kitchens, engineering areas and office spaces are gathered together into brand categories and connected by ‘cat walks’, allowing for a range of different specialists including designers, engineers and food technicians to work together during product development.

Modern, clean, functional and strongly expressive of the company’s brand identity, Breville’s new headquarters have more than met their design brief. Criterion contributed to the final design outcome, supplying Linium 90 aluminium partition systems; Tanaro cavity units; Artesian cavity units; Aurora aluminium doors; and flat aluminium skirting.

Criterion’s fit-out systems played a major role in producing the overall sleek, modern look with their slim, flat design and powder-coated finish.

Despite the ambitious scale, the project was completed in 16 weeks.

Image: At the new Breville headquarters featuring Criterion fit-out systems

Architecture & Design Team

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Criterion Industries

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