Norton Rose Fulbright Sydney

Carr

International law firm Norton Rose Fulbright’s new Sydney office, designed by Carr, challenges notions of what a corporate work environment should be, employing softened hues and textures to create a sense of comfort.

Through a lengthy briefing process, Norton Rose Fulbright (NRF) and Carr – who have worked together for more than sixteen years – developed a concept for a warm and inviting environment for a new era of work, taking a more relaxed design approach while still acknowledging the professional atmosphere necessary for a legal practice. This change in approach is something that is being introduced across NRF offices nationwide, with a new Melbourne office – due to be completed mid-2020 – adopting similar qualities.

Ten thousand square metres in size, the Sydney office avoids corporate austerity, instead opting for an earthy palette of materials inspired by the history of its location, in the heart of Martin Place. Research into the site’s heritage uncovered neighbouring sandstone quarries worked by convicts and a former brickworks. The design team has incorporated texture, tone and colour to pay homage to these stories. Clean neutral surfaces on walls, ceilings and balustrades are complemented by spotted gum accents and natural muted tones within the furniture and flooring selections. Floor-to-ceiling curtains provide a soft layer, but also allow for privacy in the breakout and meeting areas and an element of acoustic control.

Key to the project’s success and at the core of its design strategy is The Assembly, an event space that spans an entire floor on the fourth level. Dedicating such a large portion of the net lettable area to a drop-in space “was a risk” says Carr associate Nicole Coutts, but the design team understood the client and their vision for greater cross pollination; they designed a volume that feels like an external cafe space and acts as place to host casual client and team meetings by day and events by night.

The showpiece spiral stair connects The Assembly to the floors above, its dynamic sculptural form and rich ochre colour cutting a path through the five levels of the building. Here, the sounds of collegial chatter travel through the levels and the comforting smell of fresh coffee and croissants permeates from the cafe. Winding through the voids in the floors, the stair has a strong graphic presence that emphasizes its purpose of connection – not just of the spaces, but also of people.

At NRF Sydney, lighting provides atmosphere and ambience. Coutts says a cohesive collaboration process with a specialist lighting designer ensured the lighting scheme enhanced each area and its purpose. Similarly, technology is interwoven through the fitout, providing an extra dimension of flexibility, a characteristic that has proved particularly pertinent through the COVID-19 experience. Staff can engage with clients and each other through remote video conferencing within dedicated meeting rooms or casual breakout spaces. Focused individual work has been accommodated with quiet pods positioned on the surrounding edges of the floor plate, distancing quieter environments from the energy of the building’s core. With a variety of spaces to choose from, staff can move around the office and select a space that suits their task. This assortment of workplace settings offers staff variety in their daily routine, while also futureproofing the fitout for expansion or adaptation.

As we’ve all learnt this year, flexibility and adaptation are paramount. As workplaces and businesses, both small and large, adapt to post-isolation work structures and revised habits, Norton Rose Fulbright Sydney is well equipped to flourish. A

“Winding through the voids in the floors, the stair’s strong graphic presence emphasizes its purpose of connection, not just of the spaces, but also of people.

Right — The repetition of curving shapes is a reference to the traditional forms of historic Sydney.

Above — The stair run and void sizes shift and change through the vertical stack.

Above — The new design allows the staff and clients to interact in a more informal way.

Above — The Assembly appears as an activated social plaza, representing the true ‘civic heart’ of the project.

Above — The curtains bring a softness to the materials palette, which helps to create enveloping and reassuring meeting spaces for clients.

Above — Highly flexible, modular furniture arrangements ensure adaptability to changing business and market needs and future requirements.

Above — A subtly curved joinery piece connects the understated meeting room with the broader visual language of the project.