JLL Office Fitout, 101 Collins Street, Melbourne

Reaffirming an existing relationship with 101 Collins, JLL actively sought an opportunity to consolidate its disparate work force into two interconnected floor plates at the iconic Melbourne address. The project brief was to design a best-in-class workplace that was innovative, sustainable, and created a thriving community for JLL staff, clients and visitors. A key objective was to curate a truly Melbourne experience, celebrating the rich local history of the area and leveraging premium views over Melbourne’s art and sport precincts. Key challenges included creating a connected workspace around a central core, a condensed program and completing the design in-house.

The team developed a robust design narrative and understood key objectives centred around community and hospitality. They researched local history including the Hoddle Grid and Flinders Lane ‘rag trade’, understood key adjacencies and spatial requirements (subsequently creating new space typologies) and implemented a unique layout that has been instrumental in the project’s success. The office layout is a celebration of Melbourne’s urban fabric, utilising a grid system on a 45-degree axis and referencing Robert Hoddle’s 1837 planning device. This strategy was highly efficient, creating clear connected pathways, functional pockets of space and focusing built environment towards the core.

JLL’s office features an in-house café, business lounge, integrated phone booths, focus rooms, library zones and a range of wellness spaces, catering to and supporting the diverse needs of JLL’s workforce. The innovative office design sets a new standard, promoting inclusivity, enabling productivity and honouring time and place through its considered design narrative. The outcome is an environment that values and empowers its users and elevates the workplace experience. The project demonstrates environmental and social responsibility, utilising 100% renewable energy, recycling 92% construction waste, featuring 75% locally sourced furniture and tracking to achieve 6 Star Greenstar and Platinum WELL ratings.

The project responds to recent upgrades undertaken in 101 Collins, with JLL’s new office viewed as an extension of the buildings timeless and iconic design. Honouring 101 Collins commitment to creative invigoration, the new office integrates key works by local artisans and supports local manufacturing. The design narrative echoes throughout, from commissioned local and indigenous artworks, to meeting rooms named after ‘rag trade’ era buildings, to a custom ‘folded ribbon’ steel plate staircase and fabrics that feature garment blueprints – JLL Melbourne is a truly unique and contextual workspace. Other key features of the office include: -Work café on arrival with in-house barista -Flexible business lounge space dedicated to hosting client events -Flexible town hall / breakout space with an integrated stage / open presentation area, suitable for hosting a range of events and large gatherings -A design library for JLL’s in-house team, co located to the boardroom to provide a flexible presentation space -Dedicated wellness spaces including multi-faith, oasis, parents and first aid -Semi-private library zones that enable focus tasks and cater to a diverse workforce -State of the art technology, including touch screens, curved monitors, verge sensors & smart lockers