Bruce Henderson Architects

Three buildings, one landmark

A NEW STANDARD OF WORKPLACE DESIGN

ARC is a commercial development which significantly raises the bar for contemporary workplace design in the Essendon Fields precinct.

The development features three separate buildings set around a central landscaped courtyard. This is a warm and relaxing atmosphere for office staff, comprising built-in seating, water ponds and a café.

The irregular shape of the ARC site presented a design challenge for floor plate configurations, notably at the Larkin and Vaughan street corner. This led to curvilinear- shaped office buildings, which can be staged, and which will be ultimately be joined by a single horizontal roof form. This final form will then be expressed as a single complex, with elevated bridges connecting the buildings at various levels.

An elegant façade

Glazed curtain walls screened by undulating vertical fins emphasise the dramatic effect of the built form, while the ground floor is clad with a combination of stone and glazing to provide a solid and recessed base. Stepping inside, the double-height entrance foyer creates an impressive arrival experience.

This simple yet elegant approach continues the design quality principles of the Essendon Fields precinct, including the Hyatt Place Hotel and The Australian Event Centre which were also created by BHA.

Office design with sustainability and amenity

With its efficient design practices and abundant natural light, ARC aims to achieve high sustainability benchmarks including a 5 Star Green Star rating and a 4.5 Star NABERS rating.

As well as its long-term environmental footprint, the office design of ARC considers daily use by tenants and individual staff. Offices feature expansive views to the CBD and the ability to introduce inter-connecting stairs between floors, while the amenity includes generous parking and modern end-of-trip facilities.