Contemporary fit-out of warehouse premises for and by Tanner Kibble Denton Architects

Choosing a new office environment requires more than physically accommodating everyone. The space also has to capture the essence of a business and its company culture, while facilitating and inspiring the team's ideal ways of working. An elegantly repurposed warehouse space provides Tanner Kibble Denton Architects (TKD) with open, light-filled interiors that reflect the company's expertise.

TKD's fit-out sought to present a new image for the established Sydney practice that would embody both the traditions of the company and a new management and ownership structure, says TKD's managing director, Alex Kibble.

"The move brought the opportunity to design an aspirational workplace, reflecting the vision of an evolving practice whilst evoking a real sense of belonging for the TKD team," says Kibble.

The former warehouse's original fully glazed light well admits a soft natural light to the core of the interior. This together, with the existing full height windows to the perimeter walls, creates a well-lit space with an open feel a perfect blank canvas.

Practice director Mel Mackenzie says the key challenge was creating an open collaborative studio workplace that worked around the existing core elements, column grids and lift arrival points.

"It was vital that we incorporate a striking front of house, client reception and versatile meeting areas."

In response, the interior design breaks down the traditional visual and acoustic separation of areas so clients get a sense of the greater working office.

The fit-out addressed issues of collaboration and work productivity, too. This was approached by consolidating three separate floors from the architects' previous office environment into one integrated studio on a single large floor.

Overall, the space includes client meeting rooms, a foyer and reception, breakout spaces, the studio, and a large area for team gatherings. The spaces overlap and are adaptable for different uses.

"Aesthetically, TKD's intention was to create a modern environment leveraging the original warehouse fabric of the building," says Mackenzie. "To achieve this, medium height partition walls were installed rather than running floor to ceiling, allowing the original high ceilings to feature throughout.

"We also retained and polished the existing concrete floors and left the new services exposed, setting some in black perforated metal cable runs. The black services and black light fittings lead the eye upwards in the high-ceilinged rooms, optimising the sense of space visually."

The fit-out materials were chosen for their rich look and to complement the existing concrete floors, high ceilings, and the white painted walls.

"The new studio space has delivered on the central idea of collaboration and team cohesion. Coming together in a special space designed by our own team is a very important milestone in the practice's transition and growth; it has and will continue to take us forward," says Kibble.

Story by: Charles Moxham

Photography by: Anthea Williamson