The new Clemenger BBDO Sydney office is like a blank canvas; an ultra-modern, monochromatic space sitting within a heritage precinct. The office is spaced over three levels of Pier 8/9, a repurposed wharf in Sydney’s Walsh Bay Arts Precinct.

The brief

The brief was to create a flexible office space for a marketing company that is boldly modern, contrasting with its heritage surrounds.

Design response

To create this ultra-modern space, the architects imagined rolling a large sheet of white butcher’s paper through the centre of the space. This concept was actualised through a central spine saturated with large-scale white and monochromatic elements.

At the entrance of the office is the ‘bleacher’, a multi-purpose set of open steps. The steps simultaneously serve as a way to conceal the main meeting room, store books and provide access to level two. They also act as a central open forum where staff can come together to discuss ideas.

Importantly, the design helps to eliminate workplace hierarchy through a number of measures; the introduction of the bleacher, a large staff café and shared workspaces in the spine. It also facilitates creative thought through its bold design, flexibility and adaptability.