CBRE’s new workplace on Level 37 of ANZ Centre in Auckland is a high performing agile space for a high performing team. The contemporary workplace is open and relaxed, with various spaces to suit different working styles, enabling seamless collaboration with anyone across the business. Thoughtful design details balance form, function, beauty and elements of fun, creating a clever interior that mirrors the company’s culture and business focus.
A new workplace strategy, developed internally by CBRE, incorporated a desk sharing model, allowing CBRE to condense to a single floor within the same building. This consolidation included a shift to a fully agile way of working through unassigned desks, blended neighbourhoods, and a variety of individual and collaborative settings.
An important part of the design process was interpreting, challenging and collaborating to develop and explore the workplace strategy. A key design consideration was that the workplace strategy required a lot from the single floorplate – including a balance between an open and transparent workplace with enclosed high-performance spaces for CBRE’s people.
All social and large collaborative spaces exist in an integrated front of house ‘community space’ for staff and visitors to share. The location of the community space was determined by the decision to utilise the spectacular harbour views for the back-of-house workspace and CBRE’s team - with the community space positioned to provide a view of Auckland’s CBD, making CBRE’s assets (buildings in the CBD) visible for clients and staff.
Materiality considerations in the community space include long and linear hard flooring to replicate the Auckland streetscape below. Light interior timber was used in the lift lobby, extending out and transitioning to dark materials near the perimeter windows (such as the kitchen), making the inner spaces feel lighter. Transparency across the floorplate was enhanced with the feature curved window, influenced by CBRE’s logo, allowing light to penetrate the lift lobby from east to west.
Form, shape and planting were used to create intimate, inviting and tactile spaces within the large community space. Hiding light where appropriate and celebrating it in key spaces was the core methodology followed throughout the workspace – evident in the skylight-like custom designed recessed ceiling lights and the softly lit booths at the entrance.
The community space also includes a kitchen and meeting rooms that can be transformed into one large seminar space as well as semi-private booths and soft seating. The multi-functional nature of the different spaces provides a timeless and contemporary design that can evolve in an ever-changing post-COVID industry.
