Engineers Australia

Client

Engineers Australia represents 140,000 engineers nationwide, advocating for high-impact work that shapes modern society. After a successful collaboration on their Canberra office, the organisation re-engaged Spaceful to deliver a Melbourne office fit out that reflects its evolving needs and enduring legacy, and a forward-thinking approach to workplace design for Engineers.

The Challenge

Faced with an upcoming lease expiry, Engineers Australia wanted a smaller, smarter footprint that would reduce leasing costs, strengthen brand identify, enhance workplace culture and support flexible use. Key challenges included:

• Rightsizing the footprint: The previous 2,200sqm, two-floor layout created acoustic issues, disconnected teams and offered no quiet zones for focus.
• Supporting hybrid work: The old workplace did not accommodate hybrid work models, limiting flexibility.
• Strengthening brand and culture: The environment lacked identity and purpose, resulting in low attendance and limited engagement.
• Flexibility for diverse users: As both a workplace and a member hub, the new design required adaptable zones for events, meetings and day-to-day operations.
• Signature event spaces: A key priority was the ability to host high-impact industry events, setting Engineers Australia apart as the industry’s premier hub for member engagement.

Strategy

Spaceful guided Engineers Australia through a targeted property search, prioritising buildings capable of hosting high-capacity events, and suitable for a modern engineering office design. The new location needed to support complex technical requirements, supporting the organisation’s ambition to lead industry conversations and engage members through dynamic programming.

Spaceful conducted rigorous due diligence and building analysis, shortlisting properties based on buildability, location, access to natural light, acoustic performance, and detailed fit-out cost evaluations. Views were also a key consideration, with the final selection, a 1,975 sqm single-floor space, offering the right balance of scale, flexibility, and experience for both staff and members.

Design

The design is anchored by the overarching ‘Engine Yards’ concept developed for Engineers Australia, reflecting the collaborative spirit of the Industrial Revolution. The single-floor space is structured around two key zones:

• Community Commons: A member-focused area featuring reception, members lounge, tea point with café-style furniture, 200-person auditorium, webinar room, library nook, and front of house meeting rooms. A central gallery corridor showcases the organisation’s achievements and purpose.
• Staff Quarters: Designed for collaboration, focused work, and daily operational needs, featuring an open workspace, quiet zones, meeting rooms, wellness room, and a staff breakout kitchen that provides a more private retreat.

The new workplace was designed with flexibility at its core. Multi-sliding doors, custom joinery, and modular furniture allow the space to be reconfigured, ensures the environment remains responsive to evolving needs.

The palette blends burnished copper, bronze, and timber accents with stone-look flooring, creating a warm yet industrial aesthetic. Bold tones of red, green, and deep blue not only echo the organisation’s visual identity but also support intuitive wayfinding throughout the space.

Acoustic performance was a critical consideration. Meeting rooms were strategically placed along the building’s core to minimise sound transfer, and Spaceful worked closely with acoustic engineers to model and optimise sound conditions. This ensured a balanced environment where focused work and social interaction could coexist.

Delivery

Delivered on time, on budget, and within scope in just 12 weeks, the project met NABERS 5-Star requirements through sustainable office design choices including material selection, low-VOC finishes for improved air quality, furniture reuse to minimise waste, and security upgrades including access control and CCTV.

Read more about this project in The Age.