As part of the discussion, Spaceful’s Design Principal Miriam van der Waal spoke with Peter Doig from Engineers Australia about their recent Melbourne office move, and how the new space is helping the organisation bring people, members and community together. Miriam said the value was in hearing directly from someone who had been through the process.
“Conversations like this are important because they move workplace strategy from theory into real business experience. Hearing Peter speak first-hand about the challenges, decisions and outcomes helped make the impact of the project much more tangible.”
For Engineers Australia, the project was about more than a new office. It was a chance to rethink how the workplace could support a hybrid team, strengthen connection and create a better experience for members and visitors.
Before the move, the Melbourne team was spread across two floors. This created disconnect, weakened day-to-day culture and made it harder for people to collaborate. The office also had acoustic challenges, limited quiet zones and lacked a clear sense of identity.
The move created an opportunity to take a more strategic approach. Engineers Australia needed a smaller, smarter footprint that could reduce operating costs while improving the overall workplace experience. The new office had to support employees through focused work, collaboration and flexible working, while also acting as a member hub for meetings, events and community connection.
By bringing the team onto one floor, the new workplace has helped create a stronger sense of connection and purpose. A more considered mix of spaces now supports different work modes across the day, from quiet focus to informal collaboration and larger gatherings.
The impact has also been measurable. Spaceful’s Impact Index compares workplace performance before and after a move, looking at 20 core drivers across People, Place, Future and Technology. Each driver is rated out of five, creating a total Impact Score out of 100.
For Engineers Australia, the overall score increased from 63/100 before the move to 98/100 after the move, a 35-point uplift.
The strongest uplift was in Technology, which increased from 12.5/25 to 25/25. People, Place and Culture also improved, reflecting stronger workplace satisfaction, better support for productive work and a more connected experience for employees and members.
“This discussion gave guests a practical view of how a well-planned move can deliver both commercial and cultural benefits, from reducing operating costs to creating a stronger reason for people to come together,” said Miriam.
Engineers Australia’s Melbourne office shows what is possible when a move is treated as a strategic opportunity: a more efficient footprint, a stronger sense of purpose and a workplace that supports people, members and community.