Now in its 21st year, AIDA celebrates interior design excellence, showcasing recently completed projects across residential, commercial and public sectors, from established and emerging designers and design practices. This year’s shortlist features a record-breaking 222 projects, with 42 projects shortlisted in the Workplace Design category.

M&C Saatchi headquarters in Sydney’s historic Transport House has been shortlisted for this category alongside Melbourne Woods Bagot-designed workplace Crestone.

For M&C Saatchi’s headquarters, Woods Bagot took the early 20^th-century building, retaining its historic charm while injecting new vitality and contemporary relevance into the space.

M&C Saatchi Group’s AUS/NZ chief executive Justin Graham said the new headquarters reflects the values of the global organisation and provides a workspace that enables the teams to create to their best potential.

“The M&C Saatchi Group is all about realising the big ambitions of our clients, our people and the industry we are a part of. We have created a space that allows us to better connect around those ambitions,” says Graham.

“Our redesigned Sydney headquarters does exactly this, allowing us to inspire, create and collaborate in a cutting-edge environment. It is a critical step forward as the business evolves.”

Woods Bagot’s renewal of Crestone’s Melbourne workplace in 101 Collins Street draws inspiration from the notion of “future classic”, merging the buildings’ neo-classical rigor with a contemporary expression of enduring beauty, mimicking the rectilinear geometry, timeless natural materials, and classic modern furniture, to create a seamless elegance for client and staff experience.

“We shared the client’s appreciation for quality art and design as trusted asset advisors, and this ethos is reflected in the meaningful, timeless selection of finishes and furnishings,” says project leader Sue Fenton.

“The building underwent extensive refurbishments in 2022, and we’ve attempted to restore a connection to place by reviving the neoclassical and modernist inflections that characterised its initial incarnation. In an architectural response to the original base building, the interior design engages with the language and materiality of the ground floor of 101 Collins.” 

The AIDA jury was convened by Geraldine Maher, Director of Maher Design, and comprises Katherine Ashe (Vittino Ashe); Richard Coulson (Cox); David Flack (Flack Studio); Paul Foskett (Design APAC, Populous); Beatrix Rowe (Beatrix Rowe Interior Design); Madeline Sewall (Breathe); Isabelle Toland (Aileen Sage Architects); and Adele Winteridge (Foolscap Studio).

The awards and commendations will be announced at the gala presentation on Friday 14 June at the Sofitel Wentworth in Sydney.

View the Workplace Design shortlist here.

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Isla Sutherland
Content and Communications Specialist (Australia & New Zealand)