Arup Workplace, Perth/Boorloo

Arup’s new workplace, located on Whadjuk Noongar Country, is an eloquent expression of the global consultancy’s core purpose: Sustainable development is everything. To spatially articulate its commitment to people and the environment, Arup partnered with Hames Sharley and Peter Farmer Designs to codesign a workplace that fosters meaningful connections between people and Country.

Housed within WS2, Perth’s first hybrid-timber office tower, the workplace spans three levels, with a central void cut from the CLT slabs (the removed panels have been used in raised platforms throughout the workspace, creating three additional sub-levels, ready to be reinstated in the future as needed).

The visual connection between levels intentionally places Arup ‘on show’ through a sense of permeability. From the lower social break-out space, kitchen and winter garden, through to the top level’s innovative ‘Excellence Nest’, makerspace and acoustics lab, the curated sequence of spaces displays the activity and mechanics of Arup’s expertise, while ensuring that a range of working styles are provided.

The central three-storey staircase is an evocative representation of Arup’s technical expertise. An engineering feat drawing on tensegrity principles of compression and tension, the CLT staircase is supported by two steel columns that appear to float in space. Visually and scientifically elegant, the tensegrity column vastly reduces the amount of steel needed for the staircase.

From early in the project, Hames Sharley collaborated with Noongar artist Peter Farmer, cultural adviser Miranda Farmer and their family from Peter Farmer Designs to develop a conceptual narrative that would inform the spatial planning and stack arrangement, creating a workplace that honours the local context and sparks ongoing cultural discussions and education.

The Farmer family generously shared and translated stories of place into installations woven throughout the design. Upon entry, a welcome sculpture sits amongst charred jarrah wall panelling, reflecting the cultural practice of burning and its significance in regenerating growth. Traditional lines denoting the river’s creation are engraved into the staff lockers and wall panelling, and seed pods placed throughout the workplace reference the creator spirits passing through temporal realms.

Sustainability was key to the project, with Arup undertaking the Living Building Challenge (LBC), as well as achieving the WELL Building Standards. Regenerative and sustainable principles have been embedded throughout the project’s design and delivery with rigour and care, creating a fit-out that prioritises people and the environment.

Material decisions were made with rigorous consideration and creativity by the design team, working closely with Arup’s sustainability consultants and construction partner Built. A committed local approach pervades the project, with wall linings, cupboard carcasses and locally sourced/fabricated furniture made from recycled timbers – some from storm-felled trees or a defunct sawmill. Second-life refurbished furniture, pieces with high-recycled content and salvaged building materials were also utilised.

The result is a dynamic workplace, reflective of Arup’s values, unique culture and sustainability commitment. It is deeply imbued with an authentic connection to – and reverence for – Country, cultivating space to acknowledge the stories of its place and past, and to nurture those yet to be shared in its future.