Private Offices

This newly completed two level office carries strong residential overtures, located in a restored 1950s terrace house in Chippendale, Sydney. Hammond Studio was engaged to lead the restoration and the architectural fit-out, transforming what was originally a classically Victorian residential terrace house into a light-filled office for permanent staff and visiting guests.

The house (originally two levels with three bedrooms) has undergone major core structural updates, from strengthening load bearing walls through to designing a compliant stairway, installing new timber flooring throughout, and replacing the roof. Custom cast iron doorway arches have also been installed as a contemporary nod to the building’s graceful heritage.

At the heart of the office is the staircase which connects all the levels and, thanks to the addition of a skylight, brings much-needed natural light down into the interior.

The ground floor houses a visiting guest office, as well as a meeting room with an original fireplace that speaks directly to the site’s residential origins. What was previously a backyard has been transformed into a garden terrace (Gardenlife) with custom bench seating and outdoor furniture by HAY; this leads back into the house via a well-placed break-out zone.

On the first floor, Hammond has designed three enclosed offices for the business’ permanent staff, sound engineers and visiting guests. On the upper-most floor the team has addressed the issue of street noise by fitting the front balcony with soundproof glazing. The result is a set of guest office spaces that provide the separation and quiet needed for productivity and focus.

Given the strong residential ‘bones’ of the building, Hammond Studio has carefully curated the furniture selections to balance intimate home-like spaces with its contemporary workplace needs. Contemporary classics such as Zanotta desks, Stylecraft workstations, Herman Miller meeting chairs and tables, Unifor and Camerich storage solutions, and Zenith task chairs have been selected for their quality, comfort and functionality. Other stand-out pieces like the Normann Copenhagen guest chairs, Design By Them chairs, and Studioilse bench seating are intermingled with the client’s own furniture and antique pieces. The strategic use of blue links back to the client’s own brand and logo, and can be found threaded throughout the project, from front door through to signature furniture pieces.

Photography by Terence Chin. © Hammond Studio