Kuroki
Inspired by Japanese design, Studio Allan Marshall cleverly utilises Laminex products to transform a Sydney CBD office into a tranquil, airy workplace.
A light-filled top-floor office above Sydney’s CBD, Kuroki takes its name from the Japanese word for ebony, drawing on the richness of dark timber while creating an atmosphere of calm and tranquility.
From the beginning of the design process, Studio Allan Marshall (SAM) aimed to challenge office design conventions by prioritising wellbeing, connection and inspiration. “What we really push at SAM is narrative-led design,” says founder Allan Marshall. “We like to put a lot of thought into every touchpoint within our design.” For Kuroki, this began with Japanese design principles and a desire to create a space where people genuinely want to spend time. “This should be an environment that’s welcoming and calm, allows for ideas to flow and is somewhere your team can come together.”
A defining feature of the office is the sequence of beams and pillars that allows light and shadow to pass through while creating moments of transition between zones. “We do want this to be a journey as you come into the space,” he says. The experience begins with a premium reception that opens into a communal breakout room and kitchen, before transitioning through an archway into quieter work areas.
Materiality plays a central role in shaping the character and mood of the interior. “The highlight feature is the dividing beams, which segment all of the different walkways and zones within this office,” Marshall says. To achieve this, SAM specified Laminex Victorian Ash TrueScale for its “beautiful, light wood finish” across the beams, custom joinery, seating, tabletops and desktops.
Balancing these lighter tones is Laminex AbsoluteGrain in black, chosen for its high-quality dark timber appearance, which brought in significant depth and texture. “We’re always looking for a black wooden product and the Laminex Black AbsoluteGrain was perfect for that because it has a natural wood finish rather than it being a flat black surface.”
Rich in timber textures and with an air of serenity and calm, Kuroki stands as one of SAM’s most resolved workplace projects. The quality and diversity of Laminex products allowed Marshall to successfully execute a clear design vision from beginning to end. “We really feel that the quality and the range that we get with Laminex is really suited to what our needs are.”
