Australia Post’s new home

AT A GLANCE

Sustainability: 90% of materials from base build fit-out reused or recycled, showcasing lean and efficient design.

Reinforces community connection: emphasises links to customers via new suburban location. Embeds company values into the physical space.

Hybrid houses: Distinct zones represent the evolution of Australian home design, subtly reminding of Australia Post’s history.

Within its humble exterior, Australia Post’s new home unfolds as a welcoming space, encouraging deeper connections among its employees, customers, and the wider community.

Moving from its traditional corporate tower in the city to a warehouse-inspired workplace in the suburbs, Australia Post’s ambitious new Support Centre represents a fundamental rethinking of how the national postal service operates and interacts with the Australian public. And with 90 per cent of materials in the renewed workplace reused or recycled from the base build fit-out, it’s an exemplar of a lean, efficient and sustainable design.

Our co-designed workplace strategy and interior design process, developed in partnership with Australia Post and created with neurodiverse needs in mind, deeply embeds the organisation’s values and culture into the physical space. Our strategists, interior designers and landscape architects based the design concept upon the following three key principles:

the power of the Australia Post network and how it connects with everybody everywhere
the element of surprise and delight often associated with receiving mail
the strong association between Australia Post and the concept of home and community

Inspired by the evolution of Australian home design over the past century, the Support Centre consists of distinct zones — or ‘hybrid houses’ — each representing a specific period in Australian domestic history. These serve as more than just visually appealing spaces; they act as subtle yet powerful reminders of Australia Post’s enduring presence in the lives of everyday Australians.

Located in the vibrant Burnley district of Melbourne, the sprawling nine-floor fit-out, complete with 1,000 sqm of ground-floor retail, is now home to over 3,000 staff members. By consolidating the workforce into a dynamic new environment, the aim is to foster collaboration and embrace progressive hybrid working methods, ultimately driving a significant cultural transformation within the organisation.

客户

Australia Post

地点

Wurundjeri Country
Melbourne, Australia

现状

Completed

时间

2024

可持续评级

6-Star Green Star, 5 Star NABERS Office Energy Commitment Agreement

规模

2,600 sqm

设计团队

Dan Cox, Maurizio Toniolo, Jeff Chang, Emily Hon, Bree Hill, Evodia Alaterou, Rob Backhouse, Philip Harper, Jerad Tinnin, Ben Horne, Andrew Low, Bronwyn Pratt, Stephanie Tame

PHOTOGRAPHY

Nicole England

“This is a warm, open and inviting workplace, and attendance rates tell us it’s a place where people want to be. Great technology and great design are integral to that success.”

Michael McNamara, Executive General Manager, Enterprise Services, Australia Post

90% of materials from base build fit-out
were recycled and re-used

4.5k furniture items were repurposed,
refurbished or recycled

30 t. of material saved from landfill

Our design team prioritised maximising material reuse, such as ceiling and carpet tiles, and strategically sourced sustainable, locally procured materials with environmental certifications.

Highlights include:

Over 90% of materials from the base build fit-out were recycled or repurposed.
Approximately $2.6 million and nearly 30,000kg of landfill were saved by repurposing over 1,800 existing office chairs.
Over 4,500 furniture items, ceiling tiles, workstations, and furniture bases were repurposed, refurbished, or recycled.
Sixty per cent of new furniture was locally manufactured.
Utilised wall cladding made from recycled post-consumer plastic.
Incorporated acoustic wall panels composed of 60% recycled post-consumer plastic.
Sourced handmade ceramic wall tiles from a local shop within 100 metres of the project site.
Strategic reuse of base building materials, such as recycled timber and existing carpet tiles.
Carefully removed, stored, and reinstated ceiling tiles.
Refurbished existing furniture bases with new tops.
Working with Indigenous suppliers such as SKS Indigenous Technologies, Winya, and Zenith Interiors, the project achieved a significant Indigenous procurement rate, representing 13.5% of the project value.

Grounded in the local community, Australia Post’s Support Centre blends the functional aesthetic of a warehouse — visually connecting staff to frontline operations through its industrial, delivery centre-inspired look with features like meeting booths that playfully mimic parcels on a conveyor belt — with the home-like comfort desired by employees, such as indoor greenery and outdoor terraces (as highlighted in our Workplace Futures Survey).

This deliberate integration of industrial heritage, employee comfort, and community context aims to promote lean efficiency and a strong sense of belonging.

WE ARE THE NETWORK
The concept of Australia Post’s extensive network, which connects people everywhere, is reflected in the open-plan office design, which promotes inclusivity, with the CEO working alongside staff. Additionally, strategically placed communal areas on the lower levels encourage collaboration and interconnectedness among employees, connecting Australia Post together as one organisation: from the front-line workers at the parcel facilities to retail shop staff.

A PARCEL OF DELIGHTS
Moving beyond a traditional focus on logistics to emphasise the human connection inherent in every delivery, the concept of a ‘parcel of delights’ is expressed in various collaborative settings with playful exterior panels on meeting areas mimicking the texture of cardboard boxes. Stepping inside these spaces is akin to unwrapping a gift; each features a distinct, brightly coloured lining, creating a joyful atmosphere. This aims to evoke the simple pleasure of receiving a package, transforming collaborative work areas into unexpected, engaging environments that foster connection and bring people together.

The workplace strategy defines the role of the office and how it supports new ways of working post-pandemic. Data analysis and deep engagement with Australia Post’s people helped us understand the types of activities best suited to different environments: physical, digital and hybrid. The office itself enables the human side of work — it’s a place for learning, creating, connecting and developing relationships between individuals, teams and across the enterprise.

The zoning of functions across the building further enabled the strategy. At the ground floor, the expression of the Australia Post network is maximised. The lower levels invite employees to experience the social heart of the organisation. Physical and visual connectivity are amplified across these floors. The upper work floors are clustered into connected pairs, each accommodating a range of settings for individual and team activities.

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