Health and wellness are placed literally at the core of this commercial office tower with the design for Nest, a holistic wellness amenity space.
As North Sydney’s first premium grade commercial tower, 1 Denison was designed to set new benchmarks in both experience and design for its signature tenants including Microsoft, SAP and Nine. As a 5 Star Green Star building, targeting 5 Star NABERS Energy and WELL V2 Platinum, the building had wellness and sustainability at its core. A key element of this approach was Nest, a holistic wellness amenity created exclusively for the use of the 1 Denison community.
WHAT WAS THE DESIGN BRIEF?
Siren was engaged to design a community wellness centre, consultation room with the flexibility to offer seminars and classes for the tenants of 1 Denison.
Siren’s concept was to design an immersive space where all human senses were enlightened. A place you could truly escape from the busy office environment and be able to harness that inner peace and mindfulness we all thrive on.
ELEVATING HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Health and wellness spaces are often traditionally placed in the basement of buildings, spaces with no natural light and the worst position in the building. At 1 Denison, health and wellness are literally placed at the core of the building with the wellness centre located in prime position on Level 23 – a symbolic and innovative move by the building owners, Winten Property Group.
Winten realised that the creation of community and the focus on health and wellness would help to engage and invigorate all those who are fortunate enough to have 1 Denison as their workplace. By locating the health and wellness centre on one of the upper levels of the building, on a floor that would traditionally be tenanted, Siren had the opportunity to maximise the wonderful natural light and breathtaking views of North Sydney, Manly Heads and the Blue Mountains beyond. As such, the design for the space was focused on natural light, greenery, views and a more human-centric approach, ensuring the space became a true hub and destination point for the tenant community.
UNEXPECTED DELIGHTS
Feeling well equates to feeling human and feeling grounded. The entry experience of Nest is a long corridor which is an experiential journey that gradually delights as you reach your destination.
The aim is to exude a sense of curiosity, discovery and wonder inspired by the wonder of exploring caves as a child – glimpses of light and darkness, roughness of rocks contrasted with glossy water and unexpected delights.
The design creates unexpected delights through human senses within the space. For example, pockets of light, biophilia, art and touch, raw and earthy materials contrasted with polished smooth finishes. Cold water contrasts with healing hot tea smells, essential oil diffusers and seasonal floral arrangements. This combines with the sound of water, tranquil music and silence.
The slanted base build façade kept the building perimeter clear to heighten the base build architectural feature and fully benefit from the views from level 23. Being placed at such a high level also served as an acoustic barrier and Siren worked closely with an acoustic engineer to achieve that sense of quiet and peace.
Siren also purposely removed the mirror from the vanity area and made an anti-space where shoes are taken off to feel the natural material on bare feet. A space where visitors can truly reflect on their inner self and hone into that energy rather than superficial reflection.
The centre is multi-purpose in use and designed to provide a balanced workday for the modern professional and plays host to services such as circuit training, yoga and dance classes, community and arts workshops whilst also offering personal services such as massage, physiotherapy, personal training, suit tailoring and career coaching.
As humans we need movement and time to reflect. We spend so much of our lives in the work environment, that it is essential be fit and well to be productive and healthy. We also need to engage the senses. Nest is an immersive space where all human senses are enlightened. A place people can truly escape from busy office environment and able to harness that inner peace and mindfulness we all thrive on.
Project: Nest
Location: Australia
Design Studio: Siren Design
Photo Credit: Fretwell Photography
Website: sirendesigngroup.com
