Sustainability is an integral element in ad agency JWT’s old Rosella factory office presentation space, considered at every stage of the design process.

It is most obvious in the material choices, with products selected for two reasons: to complement a recent fit-out while retaining the industrial feel of the existing warehouse, and to minimise the project’s impact during construction and throughout its life.

An immediate testament to this thoughtful selection is the large curved wall that wraps around the presentation room, meeting with a series of breakout spaces. Coated with more than 18 different types of Dulux paints, the wall is made of 200 recycled mass-made timber battens.

A less obvious type of sustainability also pervades the office, primarily via the new fluid and flexible break-out spaces which were achieved by pulling away the meeting room volume from the existing external wall. These areas offer a sustainable way of working, where employees can take a break amidst their hectic schedules. They also present a space for informal meeting and discussions, people to work on their laptops, and office events and gatherings.

Over 200 Messmate recycled timber battens fixed to steel angles are featured on the curved wall, with the variety of colours featured replicated throughout the office to define spaces. For instance, the green used in the offices of the creative directors have been featured on this main wall, reflecting the larger, overall master plan for the office, and signalling a community of like-minded workers.

The curved wall can be animated and comes to life, with colours ranging from pinks and purples, to blues and greens revealed to the eye as one walks around and past the battens. This is affected by the steel angles, which allow more colour to peek out when walking from a particular direction. Wash and Wear – Low Sheen paints by Dulux include Velvet Rose, Tibetan Silk, Domino, Dandelion Yellow, Blue Antarctic, Red Stop, Spring Onion and Tingle. The Dulux Powdercoat Duralloy is in White Satin and Monument finishes.

The plywood flooring by T&G Ply is stained, and the area is lit up by twist Fixed surface mounted LED downlights from Lighting Partners Australia. These are accompanied by Cage Pendant (Nud), Unfold Pendant (Muuto), and Float Pendant (Benjamin Hubert) lights via Great Dane. The white chair is from Tait.

The rough texture of the bricks, as well as the warehouse shell, have been left untouched, although the walls are coated in Murobond’s Murowash and Bridge paint. This aligns with the design strategy of creating an atmosphere that was not ‘too corporate’. Nikpol timber veneer in Coal Seam and Seasalt were used within the informal spaces, creating desks as well as seating areas for staff spilling out from the meeting room after long pitches and presentations. Tait’s Good One Stools and Good One Bar Stools offer occupants additional areas for rest and discussion.

The intimate spaces also run parallel to the large presentation room, with the rooms bridged by Cascade Niagra Aluminium sliding doors from Criterion Industries. Both spaces have access to natural light through the windows, which include the Capral 400 Narrowline Series Aluminium, Breezway Altair Louvre Aluminium, and Criterion’s Aluminium 120 Platinum Series.

Photography by Peter Bennetts

Melissa Bright, founder of MAKE Architecture, shares why a sustainable ethos is important for the practice here.

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