The jury’s comment:

“Brave, bold and warm, this fitout represents a future-ready appraisal of workplace through the lens of residential design, offering an uplifting and playful work environment in what is, traditionally, a conservative profession. Post-Covid ready, the space has been designed to embrace future growth, learning, collaboration and socialisation: all key ingredients that help an organisation grow, foster, attract and retain employees. It allows for agile work and a working community to come together and enjoy coming into the ‘office’. With this multilayered, stimulating sensory experience, who says tax needs to be taxing?”

PROJECT DETAILS:

Location: Newmarket, Auckland

Client: Tax Traders

Building area (m²): 715m²

Project brief: The clients are big on individualisation and crafting solutions to suit a person’s strengths and desires. Not believing in a one-size-fits-all approach to their work, our brief was that this ethos would be naturally extended into their workplace design. The office space’s requirements were accentuated post-Covid, with the increasing need for flexible work environments with the comforts of home. The brief was almost ahead of its time, with this ‘human element’ being central to the design.

Credits:

• Project principal and creative director – Liv Patience
• Design & Project Lead – Lorraine O’Rourke
• Design team – Toni Brandso
• Design team – Olivia Mcneill
• Design team – Ashley Gu
• Design team – Anna Douglas

“To convey Taxtraders narrative of individualisation we created a textural layered material palette. ‘Glimmerputz’ gold flecked plaster walls, New Zealand wools and  soft sheer drapes soften the space with glowing custom led lighting. The Tax Traders logo is reflected in custom brass ‘X’ pull handles and cabinetry detailing. To the west end, interconnecting colour-blocked boardrooms in rich rust tones open out to an organic open plan workspace which traverses from quiet, to noisy work zones. A semi-circular forum in lilac plaster sits centrally within the open plan setting with the entertainers zone to the east end in blue gloss cabinetry and leathered marbles.”

Watch the finalist presentation here:

With thanks to our Interior Awards 2023 sponsors. Find out more about each of our sponsors here.