A global insurance company’s Sydney headquarters: The move to hybrid working

As the largest architecture practice in the world, Gensler has designed workplaces for some of the most influential organisations across the globe. These companies span a range of sectors, from financial to technology, and their office fit-outs are representative of each brand in unique and innovative ways. One of Gensler’s most recent projects is the Sydney headquarters for a global insurance company.

Schiavello’s involvement with this project began the week after lockdown ended in Sydney. “We had a surge of clients into the showroom, all wanting to meet face-to-face, and the insurance company was one of the very first clients we saw,” says Kristian Missen, Schiavello’s NSW State Manager. “There was a lot of nervousness around where the world was at during that time, so we were even more committed to giving them a positive showroom experience that made them feel reassured.”

With its global headquarters located in New York, the company wanted a local furniture supplier that had experience within the Australian market and that they could trust to deliver. Schiavello ticked both boxes and succeeded in securing the project. Client engagement was high from the outset and as a result, the ensuring process was a very collaborative one. But Schiavello wasn’t only interested in surpassing the company’s expectations, it was also about supporting the designer's vision.

Driving the design brief was the company’s transitioning to a digital-first approach. This new direction was no doubt reinforced by the pandemic’s work-from-home orders and subsequent return to the office, which has seen a rise in popularity of the hybrid working model. The comfort of all employees remains a priority too, and offering them a range of different settings is key to supporting diverse work modes. By providing them with the freedom to choose how they work, this better equips them to take control of what they do, generating a greater sense of ownership and personal satisfaction.

The scheme itself offers different zones that support either individual or group activities, with a predominantly blue colour palette that brings a sense of calm to all areas. This is complemented by pops of magenta and a stylish use of blonde timber, which features on the ceiling, planter boxes and select walls. The overall feel is light and modern and it was necessary that the furniture reflect this aesthetic. As Missen explains, “They were interested in sit-stand workstations and a cable management system that was neat, clean and organized. Schiavello worked closely with their IT team to make sure they were satisfied with the Krossi solution we gave them. From there, we were also able to apply these cable management principles to the Aire Meeting Tables and Focus Quiet rooms that we were also delivering into the project.”

Both of these products fit seamlessly with the design and the Aire table, in particular, was appealing to the client and designer for its minimalist contemporary appearance. Aire features in both the meeting rooms and spaces for individual work and was able to be customised to incorporate a lot of technology. Such customisation is one of Schiavello’s strengths and in this instance, product adaptation has worked to make video meetings more seamless, as well as offer better acoustics. At the time, this was the most technology the client had included in their workplace tables in any of their offices across the globe, providing the company with a test case they could learn from.

The Focus Quiet Rooms were especially integral in helping to transition staff back to the Sydney headquarters. “They had never used pods or phone rooms before, so this was a first for them,” says Missen. “Since people have been returning to the office, a lot of our clients are putting them in for the first time. Employers recognise that people have been working from home and they need private spaces to either get away and concentrate or jump on a video conference call without disturbing those around them. In regard to this particular client, they selected our Focus Rooms due to the high level of acoustic performance achieved and the ability of our product aesthetic to be customised to blend seamlessly into the workplace."

Certainly, the Focus Quiet Room is a precision engineered room that features high acoustic performance. It’s powered, ventilated and integrates perfectly with the neatly pared-back scheme, adding to the overall sense of relaxed elegance, which is heightened by the natural light that floods in through full-length windows.

For the client, their Sydney headquarters signifies the first time they have trialed a hybrid way of working. Their New York headquarters and other offices around the US are generous in size and so desk space is not an issue. However, a smaller footprint in the Sydney office means staff have to share desk space, further supporting the hybrid model.

Following the install, Schiavello then provided after sales care that included support in how to use the workstations, ensuring each staff member gets the most out of their office experience. The result is a happy team that enjoys coming to the office and is as productive, comfortable and effective on-site as it is working from home.