Working with the industrial shell
The entry — warm and raw — intimately welcomes works and clients.
Natural light from the ceilings fills the open central workspace that is incased by the basalt walls.
Where the ceilings are lowered and light reflects the basalt’s rich textures.
Natural accents interact with refined raw materials throughout the project.
A moody space made warm through material and colour choice. The couch was sourced by PH Digital CEO, Christine Kearney.
Galvinised steel with mineral coating seen on the doors and table in the entry way.
Soft and tough materials showcased.
Raw edge wool panels.
Grounded, earthy materials keep the space from feeling sterile.
Set within the robust shell of a central-suburb warehouse, Studio 11:11’s fit-out plays with light, scale and texture to create a workplace that is both intimate and bright — an environment designed for people, not just productivity.
Founded in 2017 and now led by CEO Christine Kearney, Powerhouse Digital (PH Digital) specialises in digital marketing and strategy. Following an internal rebrand and operational restructuring, the company sought a new office space that could accommodate its growing team, host clients and reflect the brand.
The chosen site — a steel-framed warehouse in Grey Lynn, Auckland — offered generous volume and abundant natural light but little in the way of warmth or tactility. “There is monumental scale and proportion, but how do you bring that to a more relatable human scale?” was the question Annabel Smart and Nathan Varga of Studio 11:11 set out to answer. The design brief was ambitious: deliver a fully functional and flexible workspace — including 28 workstations, two video call pods, two smaller meeting rooms, a large boardroom, and social spaces — all within a three-month construction timeline and on a tight budget. Plans were completed in just eight days.
The existing structure had strong visual character: tall ceilings, large windows and galvanised steel. Studio 11:11’s response was to break up the uniformity of the space by introducing smaller, enclosed areas that contrast with the openness of the central floor. A low-lit, cave-like entry leads into a light-filled, collaborative zone. Lowered ceilings and poured basalt walls frame window openings, guide movement and direct natural light. The spatial sequencing softens the harshness of the shell and brings the scale down to something more human.
Inspired by Beauty, Neuroscience & Architecture by Donald H. Ruggles and The Emotional Power of Space by Ila Bêka and Louise Lemoine, the designers prioritised sensory variation. Light, texture, and proportion are carefully deployed to support wellbeing and focus — qualities essential in a digitally intensive work environment.
The result is a layout that reflects a company culture focused on productivity without rigidity and professionalism with humanity. Open collaborative areas are counterbalanced with quieter spaces for focused work or meetings. Crafted by Casa Construction, walls coated with basalt sculpt the intimate cave-like entry, meeting rooms and boardrooms surround the open-plan workplace. The cavernous entry features the darkest basalt material, creating a feeling of intimacy within the space and introducing visitors to a digital company that is grounded. In the meeting and boardroom spaces, lighter basalt carries the natural textures of the entry, while opening the space to avoid claustrophobic containment.
Galvanised steel features on cabinetry, tables, wall detailing and frames of the glass doors to the boardrooms. The steel retains the utilitarian spirit of the warehouse while being refined through custom applications. Towards the end of the project, Annabel repurposed scrap steel by sculpting lamps and other art pieces that tie the space together.
To balance the industrial steel, organic materials — blue zinc and the basalt from the walls — were poured on steel tables. This creates a softer finish; cool hues contrast with warmer tones, and the slightly irregular details avoid the sterility often found in corporate interiors. Panels of New Zealand Wisewool further balance the industrial toughness, providing acoustic control while the raw edges of the panels visually soften the harder lines of the interior.
Together, these materials don’t just define the space — they communicate the values of the PH Digital brand; the space functions as a branding tool, showcasing the brand’s groundedness and strength. Tactile variation plays a vital role in making the workplace that is welcoming and nuanced: an environment that responds to human behaviour and sensory need, not just professional function.
Studio 11:11’s design succeeds not by muting the industrial context, but by carefully reframing it — introducing rhythm, softness, and human scale. The result is a grounded, adaptable fit-out that offers a thoughtful model for how raw industrial interiors can be sensitively transformed into places of everyday inhabitation.
PH Digital was a Worplace up to 1000m2 finalist in the 2025 Interior Awards.
See the live presentation from Annabel and Nathan here.
