Transurban by Hassell

Infrastructure organization Transurban’s new workplace in the recently completed Collins Square precinct in Docklands, Melbourne is designed as a city to explore. The eight-storey workplace alludes to the organization’s role as a road operator. On arrival, guests are welcomed by a planked, reflective ceiling, bluestone paving and billboard-like floor-to-ceiling electronic screens evocative of an urban plaza. A central stair with blackened steel railings connects floors through dramatically overscaled circular voids. Smaller portholes in the floor also encourage transparency. The fitout challenges our perceptions of what can be achieved in workplace design: Hassell worked closely with the base-building construction team in order to inset tree beds into the floor, mimicking a city footpath. The greenery is complemented by a timber vaulted ceiling and blackened steel joinery to ensure a down-to-earth feel. This decidedly urban workplace reflects the fabric of the modern cities it services. Photography — Tom Blachford Hassell — hassellstudio.com