CanopyApprenticeship Employment Network
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WHAT WE DID
Office Fitouts
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BUDGET
$300,000 -
DURATION
10 weeks
At Canopy Fitouts, we understand that an office should serve more than the staff that work there. We hope for office fitouts to be intelligent, versatile and most of all, inspiring. For our client, Apprenticeship Employment Network (AEN), we wanted to design an office fitout that felt communal – to create a space that served its clients just as much as it did its staff. Read on to see how we transformed a 280sqm shell into a bespoke yet affordable office space.
First Impressions
The intended use of the space was to train apprentices, so first impressions were key. Therefore, the front-of-house would need to set the tone for the rest of the design. Natural light was abundant throughout this space. And so, our office fitout offering sought to create balance with a bold reception counter – boasting curved edges, brass accents and black matte finishes. We wanted to incorporate texture to elevate the reception area further and went for a rendered finish along the back wall.
Building Visual Interest
Since we were working with an empty slate, our design direction heavily focused on building visual interest and weight in our office fitout. We used a variety of spherical pendant lights to soften and create depth in the space. The entrance lighting was also placed to frame the reception counter and guide visitors as they entered the space. In a similar manner, we incorporated warmer light timber to contrast some of the darker elements used across the joinery and ceiling tiles.
Purposeful Ceiling Design
In the same way that lighting can be used to orient visitors in an office fitout, ceiling tiles can too. Playing off the dark colour palette and textured surfaces, we used a combination of black and perforated timber ceiling tiles. Arranging these in a pattern that expanded outwardly from the reception area served aesthetically as a feature. At the same time, these directed the visitor's gaze into the main office space and training area.
I was privileged enough to be given creative licence for the front of house and ceiling feature. The timber accents combined with neutral elements worked effectively throughout the space. I loved seeing the solid black hues complementing the brass shadow lines in the reception desk come together. My favourite part of the space is the ceiling - how it crawls effectively from the front of house and connects into the main space of the room. It brings a sense of synergy and fluidity into all areas. Overall, it was a really fun project, our team and client were so amazing to work with
Rachelle Di Cecco
Interior designer, Canopy Fitouts
