The Penthouse Workspace is an executive office on the top floor of the new Parc Pavilion located in the coastal suburb of Cronulla, South Sydney.
The project is part of a larger building development designed by Innovate Architects and as the sixth floor Penthouse it is distinct from the commercial floors below. Appointed by our client Modus, we developed and executed the interior design concept for the suite of directors’ offices, boardroom, open meeting spaces, kitchen, bathrooms and external terrace. Our works included spatial planning, fit out and FFE to craft a tactile residential language within a working environment for our design-conscious clients.
The client’s brief centred around creating an executive penthouse to serve as Modus’ headquarters for current business and future ventures, a place for both their own clients and staff to gather. Brand pillars including “handcrafted quality, durability and timeless disruption” established early in the design process informed the space’s visual language to reflect the client’s design affinity and long-term vision, whilst feeling ‘of place’ within the coastal Cronulla context.
Having experienced our HQ, Alexander House, our client was inspired by a working space that felt like a lived-in residence but also with the amenities needed for commercial use. The design response includes a curated and custom selection of furniture, tactile materiality and a functional layout that capitalises on the ribboned windows and natural light, arranging spaces so key areas frame vistas and water views.
The space consists of a lift entrance hallway, lobby, directors offices, shared lounge, open meeting room, boardroom with a wet bar, kitchen, workstation area and two bathrooms. An outdoor terrace with assorted seating is accessible from the kitchen and entrance hallway, serving as a social space for hospitality and entertaining.
Stretching the length of the western edge are the directors’ offices, divided by a shared lounge space and open American Walnut custom joinery that provides visual privacy while maintaining a collaborative and communicative environment. A centrally located boardroom serves as the common ground for meetings, acoustically separated yet easily accessible from all areas.
Coastal Euro-inspired materiality focused on high-quality, durable finishes like Travertine and concrete in multiple treatments including skirting, threshold and reveal details. The site constraint of only being accessible by lift influenced the modular construction details; the kitchen island consists of three pre-cast pieces and the modularity design language is carried in the concrete reveals.
The kitchen, facing the open meeting room, features oversized Scarpa tiles, bespoke soft pink custom concrete island by Concrete Bespoke inlaid with charred zinc and an Arabella Quartzite splashback. The travertine and quartzite are carried into the main bathroom, where they are contrasted by the rich seafoam of the Venetian plaster finish and concrete mirror surround and basin.
Furniture and FF&E selection reinforced the residential atmosphere, avoiding overtly commercial elements. A variety of timber finishes, solid teak desks with a dark stain finish and custom-made pieces were considered to craft an established feeling much like a home’s evolution filled with collected items. The bespoke boardroom table and consoles feature unique leg detailing, evoking oversized modern chess pieces. Rooms are layered with graphic rugs rich in colour and a custom brass lighting story is found throughout.
Team:
A&CO. Team: Matthew Grand, Alice Noguès, Jeremy Bull, Kristin Koslowski
Architecture: Innovate Architects
Fit Out: Modus Projects
Photographer: Alicia Taylor
Editorial Stylist: Claire Delmar
