Texture and Light – Kaleida by One Design Office

Kaleida’s new Melbourne headquarters by One Design Office (ODO) reflects the very dynamism the company is built on. With a property development arm as well as a more recent venture into private equity and digital currencies, Kaleida’s offering is varied, and ODO’s architectural response to the company’s recently completed workplace neatly reflects this.

Occupying a desirable north-east corner of Goldfields House, de-signed by COX Architecture, the space enjoys sweeping views of the city, Mount Macedon and the Dandenong Ranges. ODO has embraced these views as an element of the design, directing the internal layout to-wards the vistas beyond. Private workspaces on the perimeter enjoy the openness of floor-to-ceiling glass, while the central communal spaces emit a certain fluidity, benefitting greatly from sightlines to the surrounds.

Rather than explore colour in an overt way, ODO has specified materials emblematic of the vibrant Kaleida brand, resulting in a muted yet texturally interesting space.

Rather than explore colour in an overt way, ODO has specified materials emblematic of the vibrant Kaleida brand, resulting in a muted yet texturally interesting space. There are tessellated and reflective surfaces throughout as well as fluted glass in square-faceted shapes, which not only helps to delineate private and shared spaces but also refracts the light in interesting ways.

Given Kaleida’s varied business pursuits, creating definition between workspaces was important and, alongside the faceted glass, the de-signers have employed various tactics that feel authentic to the intent. For instance, the reverberated steel cladding on the ceiling shapes the wayfinding experience and, as ODO Founding Director Samson Tiew says, is “reminiscent of soundwaves moving through water.” He adds that a “playful use of light at entry portals creates a sense of multi-directional passageways.”

Intuitive and functional, this architectural response befits ODO’s commitment to delivering a space that is not only aesthetically aligned to its client but also supportive of their daily endeavours.