The vision for Arup’s new home in Perth’s Westralia Square 2 (WS2) was to align with their purpose ‘sustainable development is everything’ and create a space where people feel welcome and have a sense of belonging. Arup also wanted to create a strong connection to Country and include authentic First Nations voices in the design.
Arup undertook the Living Building Challenge to create a regenerative and sustainable workplace, which prioritizes people and the natural environment. The space incorporates biophilic design principles, reused and non-toxic materials. They also took a codesign approach with Noongar Artist Peter Farmer and his family from Peter Farmer Designs and interior designers Hames Sharley.
Together, they integrated art, culture and Country into the workplace.
The new workplace in WS2 provides a place where people can connect with clients, partners and the community to share ideas and solve challenges. Through codesign and taking a regenerative design approach Arup have taken the next step in sustainable fit out design and created a place recognizing and celebrating their past, present and future.
“We are especially pleased that both Arup and Built, who were both integral partners in the creation of WS2, have recognized the intelligence and impact of WS2 and have chosen it to be their new Perth headquarters,” stated Stephen Burns, CEO and Managing Director, GDI Property.
Social value and equity
Arup brought together interior design agency, Hames Sharley, Noongar Artist Peter Farmer, Miranda Farmer, a Cultural Advisor and their family from Peter Farmer Designs, and their own designers to codesign the workplace. Together, they explored ideas to integrate art and biophilic design elements into the workplace design and created a design philosophy to communicate a connection between the old and new worlds by telling stories that encompass Arup’s past, present and future journey.
Artwork integrated into the workplace design and the building materials tell these stories. Highlights include the large welcome sculpture at the entry representing ideas and growth, stories of the nearby river carved into the lockers and clay moldings in the kitchen, each with a different meanings and significance. Arup worked with Ingrid Cumming, Custodian and Traditional Owner of Whadjuk Noongar Country, and Dr. Roma Winmar, Elder in Residence at Edith Cowan University to integrate Noongar language in the artwork and workplace wayfinding.
“The office layout is a carefully curated design informed by stories of the past, present and future,” stated Jessica Green, Associate, Hames Sharley.
Sustainable building design
Aligned with the firm-wide net zero by 2030 goal, Arup took a regenerative and sustainable design approach for their workplace. Pursuing the Living Building Challenge (LBC), a globally recognized certification from the International Living Futures Institute for sustainable and regenerative buildings, and to meet the criteria for a living building, Arup made conscious design and construction choices with their construction partner – Built – to positively impact the natural environment and optimize occupant wellbeing.
Biophilic design connects people inside the building to nature with views of street trees, and various plants throughout the office. Other reused materials include salvaged task chairs, comms racks, joinery carcasses and timber for furniture. In line with the Living Building Challenges, new materials avoided a ‘Red List’ of ingredients, representing the worst-in-class materials, chemicals, and elements known to pose serious risks to human health and the greater ecosystem.
“The Living Building Challenge represents the pinnacle of sustainable construction.
Collaborating with partners like Arup will help make it standard,” said Jake Richards, Project Manager, Built.
Structural engineering
In the center of the workplace is a large void, created by removing the building’s cross-laminated timber (CLT) floor panels. This design feature visually connects each workplace level and encourages cross-level people movement.
Arup saw the opportunity to reduce waste and reuse the CLT and removed floor beams for the void to create raised platforms throughout the workplace. The floors can then be reinstated using the retained materials. A ‘storytelling window’ displays the stacked CLT panels and steel beams – a reminder of the firm’s commitment to material reuse.
A staircase twists inside the void connecting each level and is supported by a steel column which was split in two pieces to fit inside the lift. Inspired by tensegrity, which puts structures under compression using tension, each column piece is curved and connected by a thin rod creating a striking office centerpiece. This approach significantly reduced the steel required to support the staircase and enabled a simple CLT prefabricated stair system to span between the steel frames.
“We wanted to remind people who travel through the space of the older world – our connection to the natural environment,” added Miranda Farmer, Cultural Advisor, Peter Farmer Designs
According to Lewis Macdonald, Arup Principal and WA Leader, establishing their WA headquarters at WS2 was a perfect fit for the Global sustainable development consultancy. Not only is WS2 at the forefront of sustainable office building in WA, but it is a good example of how smart engineering has onthe-ground benefits. Arup were the designers behind the WS2 project and Macdonald believes the way they have delivered WS2 brings a step change approach to minimizing embodied carbon in our built environment.
“For Arup’s offices, the timber structure unlocks additional sustainable outcomes. We were able to significantly cut down on waste in the creation of the void at the center of the offices, removing the timber floor slabs in sections and reusing them in the design of the stairs and platforms, meaning less waste sent off site, and reducing the need for new materials in the process. And unlike concrete, the timber can continue to be reused and recirculated in the future. Each choice tells the story of how important we view shaping a better world through sustainable development,” concluded Macdonald.
