JLL Melbourne Office by JLL and Schiavello

Set between Collins Street and Flinders Lane in Melbourne, global commercial real estate company JLL’s reimagined CBD headquarters looks to the future – with a nod to the locale’s history.

When JLL, a global commercial real estate and investment management company, decided to rethink its office at 101 Collins Street in Melbourne’s CBD, the design team looked to the area’s heritage for inspiration. “It’s a dynamic, vibrant part of the city,” says Catherine Wild-Taylor, an associate designer at JLL. “At the outset, we researched the rich history of local manufacturing in the area, particularly the rag trade in Flinders Lane. And we looked at ways we could highlight this to create an interesting dynamic and contrast within the office.” Nods to that fashion legacy make their presence felt across the reimagined floor plan, from the knitted textile used throughout to the meeting rooms, which are named after key fashion buildings.

“It was important for us to create a space that celebrated Melbourne’s diverse local history.”

“It was important for us to create a space that celebrated Melbourne’s diverse local history,” says Jennifer Moore, senior director at JLL Design Services. “Over the 12-month-long decision process, we shaped a narrative with the juxtaposition between refined Collins Street and playful Flinders Lane.”

Beyond context, one of the primary aims of the rejuvenation was to increase connection. “As a business, we were spread over multiple floors and were disconnected and not functioning from a cultural perspective,” says Carey Mudge, state manager for project and development services for Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. “We really looked to consolidate and coordinate in our location to speak not only to our aspiration as a business but the connectivity of our teams, so we could all live and breathe the same JLL ethos. The new space enhances productivity and team integration across the two floors.”

“Because the phone rooms, Focus Booths and workstations all use the same finishes, we were able to have a cohesiveness throughout the different spaces.”

Continuing their long-term working relationship, JLL partnered with Schiavello to create integrated furniture solutions for the office’s two levels, which cover a total area of 3,660 square metres. The acclaimed Australian manufacturer provided a suite of highly functional, sustainable furniture, including Focus Quiet Phone Rooms, Neo workstations, task chairs, a Vecos smart locker system, Focus Booths and Aire tables.

“Because the phone rooms, Focus Booths and workstations all use the same finishes, we were able to have a cohesiveness throughout the different spaces,” says Wild-Taylor. “We were also able to customise a number of elements to suit our needs. For example, the smart lockers have custom joinery, and the booths have a custom-shaped design.”

“It’s great to see such a cohesive design language and how our products have supported bringing that together.”

For Schiavello’s design manager, Nick Tennant, the singular design approach achieved across the two levels reflects the overall success of the project. “It’s great to see such a cohesive design language and how our products have supported bringing that together,” says Tennant. “Consistent, flexible, ergonomic solutions are essential in contemporary workplaces, as they fundamentally support health and wellbeing.

“The Focus Quiet Rooms, for example, have been designed to support active, highly collaborative workplaces like JLL. The high-performance acoustics are ideal for screening out noise when privacy and concentration are required, and, similarly, containing noise when video conferences or calls could potentially impact the rest of the workplace.”

“Our material selections and specifications are guided by emission minimisation and ethical choices and are third-party certified.”

Leading-edge sustainability practices have been incorporated across the workplace, supported by Schiavello’s furniture. “Sustainability has been a foundation of our design philosophy for decades,” says Tennant. “Our material selections and specifications are guided by emission minimisation and ethical choices and are third-party certified.”

Kate Pilgrim, JLL’s Victorian managing director, says the new space “showcases exceptional design while reflecting the urban fabric of Melbourne. The design fosters an environment that inspires our people to excel while offering stunning views of the city that inspired it.”

Interior design and build by JLL. Furniture solutions by Schiavello. Engineering by GHD.