Tweed Workplace transforms a standard off-the-plan industrial warehouse into a warm, highly crafted workplace and logistics hub made almost entirely from reclaimed and surplus materials. Designed by Dan Wilson Architect and Five Mile Radius, the project received a Queensland Architecture Awards Commendation for Small Project Architecture.
Working with a limited budget and a standard warehouse tenancy, the project focused on doing less, but doing it well. Pine stud seconds, deadstock plywood and factory Ampelite polycarbonate offcuts became new partitions and lighting. Second-hand shelving was reworked into storage and packing tables, while salvaged fire pipe, recycled hardwood and discarded Laminex packing sheets became custom workstations. Existing carpet was removed and sold, with the substrate below becoming the finished floor, while kitchens, bathrooms and stairs were retained and screened with curtains made from 100% Australian cotton supplied by Full Circle Fibres.
The fabrication strategy prioritised future adaptability: every element was designed for disassembly, reuse, or relocation to ensure long-term circularity. The result is a space that is functional, adaptable, and deeply rooted in sustainable design, showcasing how reclaimed materials can be seamlessly integrated into high-performing, beautiful environments.
Almost all new work was made from salvaged and surplus resources, with elements designed for disassembly and future reuse. The result transforms a generic industrial tenancy into a distinctive and highly functional workplace, demonstrating how material reuse and custom fabrication can create character and quality from modest means.
This smart, low-budget warehouse fitout demonstrates how much can be achieved with inventiveness and commitment to a sustainability agenda. By working closely with carpenters and reusing as many elements as possible, the team minimised waste and created a space that feels both efficient and characterful.
Materials were sourced resourcefully, not just to save money but also to support the project’s strong sustainability goals. Everything was chosen with disassembly and reuse in mind. It's a small space with big ideas about how to build better with less.
Team:
Architect: Five Mile Radius, in collaboration with Dan Wilson
Architect Photography: Yaseera Moosa
