Shore Hire Head Office by H&E Architects

The design of the Shore Hire head office in Sydney is functional, refined and industrial – a natural reflection of the Shore Hire brand. H&E Architects injects warmth and a contemporary style into the space without neglecting the heritage fabric of the original building.

Located in an old warehouse at Condell Park in Sydney’s west, the new head office for the family business, which supplies shoring, propping and traffic equipment, was a collaborative effort. Innerspace, H&E Architects and Evolve Constructions work seamlessly with Shore Hire to create a cohesive space where the furniture, construction and feel of the building work together in harmony.

The original beams, exposed brick and metal elements create a sense of awe, while contemporary additions welcome the building into the 21st century to allow for a functional, light-filled office space for the Shore Hire team.

The furniture for the space was all supplied or custom-designed by Innerspace, a brand that provides designer furniture in Australia. “The brief from Shore Hire was to layer on top of what is a very industrial space and to add warmer elements to the space,” says Jonathan Miles, managing director at Innerspace. The Shore Hire head office is an apt example of what Innerspace does. “Sometimes we are a well-kept secret; this project shows people what we are capable of doing, what we have done here and what we do on a daily basis,” says Miles.

Walking into the building, the first thing one sees is the bones of the existing structure; an old warehouse from the 1960s. The original beams, exposed brick and metal elements create a sense of awe, while contemporary additions welcome the building into the 21st century to allow for a functional, light-filled office space for the Shore Hire team. A large aluminium box made of aluminium panels from Shore Hire sits in the middle of the structure. Surrounding the large box, there are lots of open spaces; cafe-style seating around the kitchen, break-out spaces inside and outside, and open-plan offices both upstairs and downstairs, which are surrounded by more intimate offices.

The Shore Hire head office reveals the power of celebrating what already exists.

The space is dominated by warm timbers and soft upholstery that contrast the industrial materiality of the warehouse. These textures sit alongside various products from the many brands Innerspace represents as well as custom pieces. Combined with the natural light that fills the space, the custom furniture works seamlessly with the industrial nature of the office to create a warm and inviting space.  “We designed a lot of custom tables for the meeting areas using solid timber materials mixed in with steel, which plays off the warehouse that’s already here and speaks to the volume and language of the space,” says Miles. As well as custom workstations, seating and furniture in the collaborative and open areas, the space features two custom staircases, both with an interesting black hue and curved and geometric forms respectively.

The Shore Hire head office reveals the power of celebrating what already exists. Working with the building rather than against it, H&E Architects and Innerspace craft a seamless, harmonious space that provides the perfect backdrop to daily work life.

Architecture by H&E Architects. Build by Evolve Constructions. Furniture by Innerspace.