To bring its headquarters into the 21^st century, Sharp Electronics commissioned the services of The Office Builders.

At some point, all offices need to be given a new lease of life. The Australian headquarters of Sharp Corporation of Australia were old and tired; they were also dated, and did not provide an ideal background for displaying the company’s product range.

The Office Builders brief was to refurbish the client service areas and the showrooms at Sharp to meet  very specific guidelines provided by the company’s Japanese head office.

Sharp wanted its refurbished areas to be bright and user-friendly, creating a good background for displaying the company’s products. However, to fit the guidelines, the interior design had to be simple, subtle and not too showy.

The Office Builders incorporated a number of simple feature to create the required atmosphere. Existing ceilings were plastered and together with walls, painted white to create a neutral but bright backdrop. Lighting adds life and interest to the overall space and draws attention to the products on display.

The use of curves on the flooring, patterns and Sharp’s colours highlight display areas. Display shelves were an important part of the brief, as there were many products to showcase. In addition, the main showroom had to double as a function area, so special shelving was built that can easily be folded down and flat packed out of sight against perimeter walls.

It was important to understand our client’s needs and to communicate clearly how the project was to be carried out. Clients need to understand the full impact of renovations on their premises and businesses during construction, and how the new offices will look on completion.

The Office Builders took responsibility for the entire project, ensuring it was finished within agreed timeframes and within cost projections. By working closely with designers and architects we are certain to fully understand the design elements. By managing all relevant trades we ensure the whole project runs smoothly and is problem-free for our clients.

Having totally outgrown their existing premises, this leading prosthetic design and manufacturing company made the decision to move and contacted Forward Thinking Design with a request to refit their new premises accordingly. The Office Builders won the contract to carry out these works.

Interior "Before"

There was plenty of scope for change. The building is well located with good parking and access but unfortunately the interior left a lot to be desired, sporting excessively dark interiors and limited natural light.  Taking employees from one drab office setting to another was not an option.

With a total space of 390 square metres, the new space had to include a boardroom, meeting room, area for open plan work stations, a lunchroom, workshop and storage area.  The bathrooms were also very outdated and needed refurbishing.

To maximize the effect of the little natural light available, the decision was taken to remove a number of walls and make the floor plan more of a flow through.  The existing flooring was replaced by lightly toned timber style vinyl whilst off-whites were predominantly used on walls and ceilings.  The open plan work station area provides a wonderfully spacious and uncluttered feeling, supporting collaboration, communication and flexibility in the work spaces.

The staff’s individual needs were recognized and workstations configured around this with optimal ability to personalize and cater to varied tasks.  Unobtrusive suspended strip lighting continues to encourage the sense of fresh natural light and space.

The heavy, dark doors enclosing the board room were replaced with semi-translucent glass screens and the ability to control light into this room was made entirely customisable.  Decals of life size human figures in the client’s brand yellow, with brand blue prosthetics, were applied to the glass screens to enhance the Company’s identity presentation.

Glass walls also playfully define the ‘Tuckerbox’ lunchroom area. Touches of the client’s brand colours are picked up on the furnishings and feature walls punctuated throughout the various work zones.

For this company, it’s a promising new start with a vibrant and refreshing new atmosphere.

We were very fortunate to commission the team at the Office Builders to undertake the comprehensive fit-out of our new 400 sq. meter building in late 2010 to early 2011. The Office Builders were highly professional, well organised, and completed the work on time and on budget. Communication was simple and clear, and the construction process was efficiently performed and trouble-free. Jason added significant value during the process in recommending minor subtle changes to our initial plans, and this ultimately resulted in a layout that is extremely functional with an edge. "Pragmatic, trustworthy, and efficient" best summarise our experience.

Nine months after settling into our new building, the result has exceeded our expectations from both aesthetic and functional perspectives. We are tremendously pleased with the outcome, and our business has been significantly enhanced as a result. We confidently recommend Jason and the team from the Office Builders, and would happily discuss our experience with those considering commissioning the team.

Harvey Blackney
Regional Director
Ossur Asia-Pacific

The Australian Sports Commission contracted Lodder Architects and The Office Builders to carry out a total refurbishment of the Australian Sailing Team’s locker, workshop, boat and sail storage areas.

Before

After

The end result were large open areas with designated storage lockers, both inside and on the outside deck, with both hinged and roller doors.

The walls were lined with plywood throughout and lockers made to accommodate the equipment needing to be stored securely. The workshop now has a workable space with plenty of wall storage.

A large open plan kitchen was incorporated for those much needed training meetings and meals to meet the hungry team’s appetites.

New glass facades were installed with fire proof screens fitted over the upper louvre windows. The entrance was covered with a new timber slatted awning.

The sailing team were very happy with the end result.

Office Builders were selected as the result of a competitive tender process to refurbish the boatshed and construct an office area for AIS Sailing at the Middle Harbour Yacht Club (MHYC) in early 2011…

[They were] very easy to work with. They negotiated well with staff at MHYC to try and ensure all works were carried out in a timely manner while minimising disruption to the club. They appeared to be well organised and had materials and tradesmen scheduled to ensure the work kept on track.

The project was a success with the Australian Sailing Team now having a home and proper storage for their boats. Both staff from Sailing Australia and MHYC have indicated how happy they are with the result… I am very pleased with the end result and the way in which Office Builders conducted themselves during the project.

I would have no hesitation in using them again for similar projects.

Nicky Foote
Assistant Director (Capital Works)
Facilities Services
Australian Sports Commission

Independent Practitioner Network (IPN) are the largest provider of Medical Centres throughout Australia. When their Harbourtown Medical Centre was being relocated to new premises at Arundel they contracted Kann Finch Architects and The Office Builders to redesign and build their new centre.

The brief was for a total fitout of the premises to provide 13 Consulting rooms, Procedure & Treatment rooms, Sterilisation & Pathology rooms.

Before

During

Administration and staff requirements were also met by the provision of an IT room, Manager’s Offices, Nurses stations, Staff room, Reception areas.

Toilet facilities were also provided to cater for staff and patients.

All finishes and fittings were completed to both IPN and the architect’s specifications, creating uniformity throughout all IPN Medical Centres.

“It was a pleasure for Kann Finch Architects to work together with the Office Builders on the Arundel Medical Centre fitout. Their team were highly responsive, professional and helpful wherever possible to achieve an outcome that resulted in a smooth and quick build without time delay. The quality of workmanship and attention to detail was high, achieving a successful result for the end users”.

Deirdre Gaffney
Architect
KANNFINCH

When Sims took over their new Botany premises, all that was there was a large open space behind double glass entry doors.

They required a large boardroom, reception area, executive offices, staff breakout room, open workstation areas and storage rooms to house their employees.

The Office Builders were contracted to Design and Construct the entire premises.

The reception desk was minimalistic and strategically placed in front of a ‘rust’ look Axolotl feature wall that reflected SIM’s  recycle-related origins.

The boardroom also has a ‘rust’ look feature wall and large double sliding doors as well as a dropped feature panel on the ceiling.

Walls and flooring throughout the premises where kept neutral with some bold red and green feature walls. The use of stark white tables and chairs in the breakout area is contrasted by a timber slatted panel fronting a bold red wall.

The use of full height glass walls in the executive offices allows light to flood in and create a sense of openness with the adjoining open space.

Separate areas were designated for open workstations with relaxing parkland outlook.