An innovative adaptive re-use design, Woods Bagot has transformed the upper ground level of Paramount House into a tailored shared working environment, creating 22 handcrafted suites for creative and niche business activity. The design celebrates traditional joinery and artisan skills, while honouring the building’s heritage.
A single concept plan set the functional brief, followed by a series of organic conversations between the designer and the maker. The design solution was intrinsically conscious of space and place, original concept, quality of delivery and user experience.
The 1940s heritage architecture set a certain geometry for the interiors. Spatial planning metrics of the office modules was key to fulfilling the brief. Developing the size and composition of each suite was pertinent to the project’s success. Careful consideration of floorplate efficiency and scalability of suites (ranging in capacity from 1-3 people) supports and reflects the growth of the businesses housed within. Circulation in and around the modules promotes collegiality by encouraging serendipitous encounters.
Recognising and celebrating the original curved shell of the building and its internal fabric of timber-clad walls made for a stronger design outcome. A refined scheme, materials were predominantly carved from a single source, while contrasting elements such as tan leather, stone and brass signal a transition between the old heritage fabric and the new.
Contemporary modernist Woods Bagot conceived a thoughtful environment for working and business interactions that compliments the original Art Deco elements of the building. The styling is ‘contemporary modernist’, with handcrafted office suites and celebrated mid-century design pieces from Walter Knoll and Bassam Fellows. Accents of ceramic, leather and burnished brass create a refined and elegant palate. The design, facilities and professional services achieve a cohesive narrative of discreet luxury that is in harmony with the building’s defining architecture and modernist ideals.
Geometry for the interiors A handpicked site, the heritage building set a certain geometry for the interiors. Recognising and celebrating the original fabric of the Paramount building and its reinterpretation made for a stronger design outcome. It was about creating a simultaneously functional and aesthetically beautiful experience in every detail.
