Australian tea company, T2, has brought its brand to life through a creative reinterpretation of its new Melbourne headquarters, in partnership with Australian workplace design and delivery specialist, Unispace.
Partnering with Unispace, T2 set out to completely redesign and refit its new warehouse premises to accommodate its 90 head office staff on Gipps Street in Collingwood.
Established in 1996 in Melbourne, T2 was eager to incorporate locally designed and made materials and finishes in the fitout, as well as celebrate the locality of their tea. For example, its flooring selections, which include recycled bottles, and reception worktop made out of recycled glass, commissioned from Above Left and Betta Stone respectively. A nod to tea is evidenced in the finish palette and T2 products on display throughout the office space.
T2 head of store design, Kate Iles said the brand had established a reputation for its creative in-store fitouts that truly immerse customers in the T2 story. The aim was to translate this approach to its own headquarters, while championing other Australian makers.
“We were in need of a purpose-built office to better manage our business and technology, as well as create a flexible working space that employees found desirable,” Iles said.
“Due to rapid expansion, our old Wellington Street office space, also in Collingwood, could no longer fulfil our growing needs. The kitchen and breakout spaces were not conducive to people sitting or eating lunch and there was a demand for alternative functional design.”
Unispace was tasked with creating a customised and bespoke design that mirrored the look and feel of the branded retail stores and stayed true to T2’s Australian heritage and sustainability bent.
“We wanted to create an experiential office experience that mirrored the T2 brand, sustainably,” Unispace associate interior designer, Lauren Wright said.
“The workplace transcends the physical journey and contributes largely to the cultural aspects of a business, so we had to get it right.”
The result is a B Corp certified sustainable workplace made from locally sourced materials, with solar panels on the roof, large end-of-trip facilities including bike storage, and liveable spaces. In 2021, T2 will purchase or generate 100% of their energy requirements from renewable source. The reception space has been designed as a community hub and solo pods have been introduced, alongside booking facilities and breakout spaces.
“Our new office has improved collaboration and better enabled us to showcase and develop our brand identity. In the current climate, it’s also allowed us to be agile and seamlessly transition to remote working,” Iles concluded.