Project Overview

T2 moved their team to a modern warehouse space in central Melbourne which was redesigned with bespoke features to seamlessly align with their brand. Featuring custom end-of-trip facilities designed to encourage staff to cycle to work, an eclectic mix of furniture and settings, and artwork throughout commissioned by local artists, it's a space that highlights their local roots and global reach.

Project Commissioner

T2

Project Creator

Unispace

Team

Lauren Wright: Associate, Design, Rachel Roberts: Senior Designer, Stephanie Ambrose: Senior Project Manager, Josh Hurrell: Project Manager, Paul Cogdell: Senior Technical Project Manager, Vivian Cogliandro: Assistant Project Manager, Liam Deane: Site Manager

Project Brief

Facing a rapidly upcoming lease expiry, T2 moved to a modern warehouse
space in central Melbourne. Our team was brought on board to design a space to help improve collaboration among their teams and better enable T2 to showcase and develop their global brand, while still retaining a local feel.

T2 are global tea specialists. But they represent so much more than tea. They challenge the way things are done and have made it their mission to use brews to fuel discussion around diversity, inclusion and sustainability. Sustainability was a crucial part of the design brief, so, as part of the build, many sustainable materials and resources were used.

Project Innovation/Need

The design features an open office layout, with central areas for collaboration, surrounded by closed meeting rooms for group or quiet work. A staircase leads to the upper level that features a bespoke tea workshop, where new blends can be created and tested, and which also doubles as a space for team work.

T2’s reception immediately immerses guests in their brand, showcasing their product as the hero of the space. A large persian rug and combination of antique and new furniture creates a warm, eclectic and homely environment. They wanted their new space to celebrate them as a global brand, but to also celebrate who they are as a local business. A local graffiti artist was commissioned to create bespoke artwork throughout with the aim to add more pieces in the space over time, and in meeting rooms, more local art pieces are proudly displayed.

Design Challenge

The space presented some challenges due to the warehouse’s limited natural light, poor acoustics and high ceilings. To overcome this, a light well was added at the rear of the space, and the back of the building was demolished and rebuilt to make way for end-of-trip facilities. This included bike storage, to encourage staff to get to work in more eco-friendly, and enjoyable ways.

The new space also required a whole new mechanical system for aircon, upgrades to mains power, lots of new and complex joinery, and new plumbing for the end of trip area.

The design and build process also had to be completed in a short 10 week time frame so it was critical that our internal teams, and our relationship with T2 were transparent and collaborative throughout the entire process. This was achieved, with the client commenting “It was a fast-paced design and build for Unispace so, I think, under the pressure they performed really well. It’s a really great space to work in”

Sustainability

Sustainability was a crucial part of the design brief, so, as part of the build, many sustainable materials and resources were used. The carpet featured in the work area was made from recycled bottles, there was a lot of furniture reused in a way that lent an eclectic, warm feel to the space rather than a mismatched one, the bench tops in the kitchen and tea workshop were constructed using recycled glass, and bike racks were implemented as a prominent feature to encourage more sustainable travel to work and an end of trip facility to further accentuate the importance of this.

Interior Design - Corporate & Commercial

This award celebrates innovative and creative building interiors, with consideration given to space creation and planning, furnishings, finishes, aesthetic presentation and functionality. Consideration also given to space allocation, traffic flow, building services, lighting, fixtures, flooring, colours, furnishings and surface finishes.
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