Designworks takes out coveted Workplace Design award
July 3, 2014: The winners of New Zealand’s prestigious Interior Design Awards were announced last Thursday with
strategic design practice Designworks – part of STW Group – taking top honours to win the coveted Workplace Design
category.
Up against stiff competition from some of the biggest and most prestigious names in the industry, and a record 110
entries from 75 design practices across seven categories, Designworks won Best Workplace Design for the design of its
own Auckland office, located in the historical Gallery Building in the city’s CBD.
“It is truly an honour to win one of the nation’s most prestigious design awards,” says Sven Baker, CEO Designworks
Group. “And it’s even more sweet as we have the pleasure of working in this stunning space every day.”
The Designworks Spatial Team designed the space to the idea of ‘working naturally’. The open plan office concept makes
it easy to work effortlessly and seamlessly, encouraging fresh collaborations and conversations between staff and
clients.
Explaining the design concept in more depth, Clark Pritchard, Group Head of Spatial Design says: “We designed different
spaces to engender different kinds of working. Individual meeting rooms have their own character, quirks and facilitate
different types of discussions. Designated project ‘break-out’ rooms cater to idea exploration, prototyping and design
thinking.
“We wanted to use a strong and simple palette of materials that would provide texture, colour and warmth but stay true
to the architecture, history and heritage of the Gallery building,” says Erini Compton, Senior Spatial Designer.
Materials included American oak, concrete, steel, glass and a variety of leathers and fabrics. These together with
custom designed joinery, furniture and lighting further encourage different types of ‘working’.
“The design is clear acknowledgement of the shift away from a desk-bound culture towards tomorrow’s mobile, agile and
savvy workforce,” adds Jef Wong, Group Head of Design. “The overall look and feel is timeless, professional and
sophisticated, reflecting our position as a design authority in New Zealand.”
Designworks is part of STW, Australasia’s leading marketing content and communications group.
Credits:
Design Directors: Clark Pritchard, Jef Wong, Sven Baker
Design team: Erini Compton, Olivia Owen, Clark Pritchard, Jef Wong
Contributors: Dave Black, Amanda Sommerville
Ends