Reflecting the fast growing nature of Wood & Grieve Engineers (WGE), our Sydney office recently underwent an expansion fitout by adding an additional floor to allow for more space.
Close to 600 people now work for WGE across our six locations in Australia, with Sydney one of the fastest growing offices with 135 staff.
National Acoustics Coordinator Olivier Gaussen is amongst them, and worked closely on the fitout project.
“The biggest highlight is definitely the introduction of the staircase connecting the two floors,” Olivier said.
“The idea behind it was showcasing WGE’s ability to provide integrated design by maintaining the close connectivity our people have with one another. Rather than being forced to use lifts to move between the floors, the staircase opens up the space.
“It also connects the two main staff break-out areas we have, so by nature of its location there’s a lot of interaction between our people.”
Located on Sydney’s lower north shore in St Leonards, the Sydney office now measures around 1,700 square metres. However, Olivier admits the luxury of space meant forward thinking was required.
“The planning of space was also really integral to the design. With the introduction of a new floor, it obviously gave us more square metres to branch out to,” he said.
“We took a very measured approach to where things like desks and meeting rooms would be placed. We also took the opportunity to introduce what we call ‘The Library’ – a small quiet room with seven work stations where staff can work without being disturbed during those busy times. It’s also a place that’s available for any interstate visitors to come and work from when they’re visiting the office.”
Other features include a dedicated window-less REVIT room that has a large screen so people can work collaboratively with the software, improvement of overall audio visual equipment and connectivity in meeting rooms, as well as the introduction of touch screens.
Another example of the considered nature of the design was the improvement of amenities to optimise staff comfort. As a north-facing building, temperature control was a big consideration – particularly with windows located at nearby staff desks.
“The way the building is situated we get a significant heat load. So our mechanical and sustainability teams worked closely to find solutions to improve working conditions,” Olivier said.
“Firstly, we implemented a supplementary mechanical system in our open plan area, which has a high density of people on that northern side.
“We also managed to find a reflective film which we applied to the windows. Together with the new blinds we installed, the film helps to create a buffer to reduce the heat load, therefore limiting the consumption of our air conditioning system.
“Overall, it’s resulted in comfortable working conditions for our people.”
With the fitout now complete and the office environment returning to business as usual “after some minor disruptions”, Olivier says staff morale continues to be in a great place.
“It’s not unusual to see people interacting with each other in the breakout rooms, and our new table tennis equipment has been getting a workout – especially on a Friday afternoon,” Olivier said.
“With more space the area feels a little more comfortable. We have been able to spread out a bit. Everyone seems relatively happy with how the fitout turned out.”
WGE’s Sydney team offers a range of engineering services, including acoustics, civil, electrical, fire engineering, fire protection, hydraulics, infrastructure, mechanical, property asset management, structural, sustainability, underground power design and vertical transportation.
They have worked with clients on some of New South Wales and Australia’s largest projects across a variety of markets.
Get in touch with the team today to see how they can help with your next project: sydney@wge.com.au
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