Layers of Indigenous design and high performance features honour Country in Lendlease Brisbane’s new workplace.

 

From the outset, the design needed to reflect the local Queensland culture. It also needed to distil Lendlease’s ambitious Reconciliation and Sustainability Action Plans. We teamed with Blaklash, a local Indigenous design consultant, to achieve both aims. We prioritised raw materials that are local and readily available – minimising harm to nature. Blaklash sourced many of them via Brisbane First Nations suppliers, trades and craftspeople.

Key design pieces illustrate these collaborations. They include the layered concrete reception desk, the breakout island and office coffee tables, all by Brisbane-based Five Mile Radius. Larger elements, such as the reception screen, more directly communicate the local First Nations story; its timber represents the Moreton Bay shoreline.

Practically, we focused on materials that support human health, circularity and aren’t greenwashed. They needed to be genuinely credentialed to meet Greenstar and WELL standards. Choosing the correct products, for a design that also prioritises niche suppliers, required diligence and in-depth knowledge of both standards—which we learned on the job, alongside our suppliers. We are proud to have achieved this. We expect to achieve both 6-star Greenstar and WELL Platinum certifications.