A brand-new showroom in Brisbane sees Zenith set to take the city by storm with a beautiful, light-filled and purpose-built space that will delight clients and staff alike. As a supplier of exemplar furniture brands for architects and designers, Zenith now provides the perfect setting to inspire its customers, who can touch and see just what makes the Zenith products shine!

To help conceive the new showroom, Zenith commissioned Base Architecture to design and realise the project and together they have succeeded in creating a place that encapsulates the ideas and ideals that Zenith represents as ‘curators of the modern workspace’. Natalie Godwin, Senior Interior Designer at Base Architecture and her team, worked closely with Chadd Burdon, Queensland State Manager and Matt Vescovo, Brand Director, Zenith and it shows. The space has been curated with an artful hand and the showroom is a divine backdrop to the stars, the brands and collections of products on offer. 

The Zenith Brisbane showroom is located on the second level of a new building and accessed by lift and stair. The floorplate of some 700 square metres is long and rectangular and loosely sectioned into three areas: the hospitality and meeting space with bar and kitchen, a centrally placed lightwell with greenery and the staff working area at the rear. However, there is nothing simple about the execution of the concept that becomes a voyage of discovery of product, design and inspiration.

Upon entry, the foyer is defined by black matte floor tiles and a curtain has been positioned to the left and cleverly conceals services. A soft colour palette visually expands the interior with the ceiling painted out in cream with a hint of rose (Dulux Baltic Sand), light grey polished concrete is underfoot and Oak timber laminate clads joinery and shelving. A full-length wall along one side of the space has been painted in a textured muted beige finish and this also adds warmth to the area.

What initially draws the eye in this very residentially styled interior is the entertainment hub directly in front. An island bench with navy blue coloured plinth and cream counter sits proud from the kitchen working area and supports the serving of drinks and food. It is the place to gather have a coffee or glass of wine and to meet and chat. Whether a single client or a large group this space can accommodate everyone and is the place to both work and play.

To the right is a display area and groupings of products and tables and chairs populate the area. To the left, and in the middle of the space, is an enclosed glazed lightwell with lush plantings. The lightwell vertically truncates the entire building and the light easily penetrates the interior and this becomes the visual focal point of the interior.

Godwin says,” The idea was that the lightwell would section off the space at front of house, where staff welcome guests. So, we have these different sections that allow the space to be flexible, but would also work in a traditional way.”

Behind the enclosed garden is the chair gallery where a range of chairs have been positioned on plinths of varying heights. The fittings are fixed with castors on the bottom and can easily be moved and re-configured to enlarge the space, accommodate people or merely change the display. There is no actual ‘wall’ of chairs as is the norm, and this display is both innovative and creative.

On the other side of the garden is the Virtual Reality area that can host one person or a crowd. The space can be encircled by a curtain for privacy and is a most popular addition for clients to virtually see product and try before they purchase.

At the rear of the floorplate is the open plan staff area and this adjoins an outside space. Zenith’s people are highly prized as the back bone of the organisation and so the design of this work space is as polished as front of house – custom-designed and comfortable. There is ample light from the glazed sliding doors to the balcony, room to move within and superior amenities for everyone – whether that is a sit or stand workstation, collaboration desk or an area for installers to assemble product.

Vescovo adds, “The approach to the Brisbane showroom was similar to what we wanted for the Melbourne space; a strong focus on the client areas ‘entertainment hub and presentation space’. The spacious staff zone was located towards the back end of the showroom, which has a balcony and gives the team opportunity to be outside throughout the day for calls and casual meetings.”

Lighting is appropriate, discreet but also decorative with a beautiful sculptural wall light that becomes an art piece situated near the front showroom area. Acoustics have been incorporated into the rear area with a timber slatted ceiling that also hides services. Curtaining, while functional, adds softness and transparency so that there is connectivity throughout the entire showroom.

The building, a shell when work commenced, presented Godwin with the perfect setting to design the custom interior and allowed the opportunity to create spaces and places for people, storage, form and flow. With a curated residential aesthetic, the showroom reflects the transitions that are occurring in workplace design and also provides a beautiful space for working and visiting.

Burdon explains, “Our showroom provides staff and clients with the experiential. Visiting becomes a relaxed journey that you can travel through, see groupings of furniture and furnishings, and then we can change everything around. If you’re having a product launch, there’s lots of flexibility in this design and we love it.”

Zenith’s new Brisbane showroom has achieved all that was required but so much more. It is a light and welcoming space and a wonderful new home for working that perfectly exemplifies Zenith’s business and ethos.

Base Architecture
basearchitecture.com.au

Article written by Jan Henderson for Indesignlive.com