The design of a new office for international mining company MMG focused on the amplification of their mission statement and the use of earth tones and colours that reflected the industry itself.
Like many businesses post pandemic, work structures and arrangements have changed. Large offices, multi-level layouts and physical demonstrations of one’s success have been replaced with practical solutions, flexible work arrangements for staff, often with more amenities, but a less overall need for space.
Case in point is MMG’s new office at Freshwater Place in Melbourne. Once taking two floors, the new space is a single floor that has been cleverly designed and planned to suit new work practises and MMG’s mission statement, ‘We Mine for Progress’.
Cachet – an Australian and New Zealand commercial interior and construction group – saw the potential of using colours, textures and materials that reflected the core business of MMG, and from the moment you step foot in the office, it’s a demonstration of purpose. Warm outback colours meet the company’s rasion d’etre with stone, rock, marble and metal providing contrast and purpose to the design. A quiet code was established by using different colours to indicate the different uses or purposes of spaces and rooms. And, a chance to exploit all the tones and materiality of the clients’ industry to create a workplace that would encourage togetherness and team affinity, an office that drives homes the values of the company.
To achieve the unique palette of MMG’s business, Cachet used several colours and products from Laminex. Playing a large role in the kitchen and common meeting space, Laminex Bayleaf, particularly in contrast against Laminex Kalamata which is used on the island, takes on an aptly vibrant, almost copper oxide tone. The island feels rich and earthy, like freshly turned soil, giving it a solid foundation before being lifted and balanced by the pill shaped benchtop in white stone, the timber cabinetry and sepia painted ceiling.
Cleverly, Cachet has allowed for moments that ‘introduce the brand and their industry, through the use of colour… and the striking display of pure minerals and rocks.’ MMG’s new office boasts a diverse array of open work settings, meeting spaces, focus booths, wellness rooms and collaboration zones.
Adding yet another layer is Surround by Laminex. In several meeting/board rooms it has been used as a datum line, breaking up the wall to not only provide visual and textural interest, but along with the acoustic panelling it has been teamed with, helps balance the sound and audio during presentations and meetings.
“We use Laminex quite a bit, and we love using Surround by Laminex,” says Sara Wills, Senior Interior Designer at Cachet. “We use Laminex for the colours, because we can create different environments and accents throughout the space.”
Cachet extended their commitment to their client by operating the site similarly to that of an MMG worksite, with a dedication to site health, safety and delivery. The result is a final product that genuinely feels like a personalised space and extension of the brand. Incorporating Indigenous art from MMG’s collection, the idea is that any new space for the brand should include a cultural depth and sense of heritage, ultimately echoing the core values and MMG’s vision for a sustainable future.
Learn more about the project and explore Cachet Group’s portfolio on their website.
Credits: Design: Cachet Group Photography: Lisbeth Grosmann Project: Plan 1 Project Management
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