A MODERNISED AND ENGAGING WORKPLACE

A NEW SPACE FOR ONE OF THE LARGEST CIVIL CONTRACTORS IN NEW SOUTH WALES TRANSFORMS ITS WAYS OF WORKING THROUGH INTELLIGENT DESIGN, 65 YEARS IN THE MAKING.

Western Earth Moving (WEM) is a civil construction company that had previously worked out of the same office space for 65 years. Having grown significantly over time, it’s safe to say WEM was well overdue a relocation and an office upgrade. Sheldon stepped in as the ideal partner to design and construct their new workplace. In a post-Covid world, the timing was right for WEM to embrace new ways of working that reflect their company and culture. With Sheldon’s design and workplace strategy expertise, WEM had the confidence to adopt a highly collaborative and socially focused workplace that supports its office-based and site-based staff.

Sheldon’s 1260sqm design focused on providing WEM with a contemporary, open plan and importantly hybrid layout. Sheldon’s in-house manufacturing division manufactured and installed a large booth seating unit built from custom joinery for use in the kitchen and break out area. Multiple open and closed meeting spaces were built with the latest in collaborative furniture offerings and audiovisual technology to support teamwork.

Celebrating WEM's Rich History

Whilst WEM was modernising its office space with a future focused design, it was important for their new workplace to reflect their long history of supporting Australian industry. The meeting rooms reflect this history by displaying on site images of WEM’s operations through wall murals, in addition to displaying significant items and awards. Additionally, a visual timeline of WEM’s history is displayed across a wall in the entrance area, an instant acknowledgement of the company’s journey for visitors.

A KEY FEATURE KEPT FROM WEM’S ORIGINAL OFFICE WAS THE BARBER SHOP, AS IT’S A FRIDAY TRADITION AT WEM FOR A BARBER TO COME IN FOR THE DAY AND GIVE HAIRCUTS. SHELDON BUILT A DEDICATED BARBER ROOM COMPLETE WITH A BARBER’S CHAIR AND A TRADITIONAL RED, WHITE AND BLUE BARBER’S POLE.

Promoting Wellness At Work

The design also highlights the importance of promoting mental health and wellbeing by introducing biophilia throughout the space, with plenty of plants built into joinery and furniture selections. A key feature kept from WEM’s original office was the barber shop, as it’s a Friday tradition at WEM for a barber to come in for the day and give haircuts. Sheldon built a dedicated barber room complete with a barber’s chair and a traditional red, white and blue barber’s pole.

Transitioning Towards Sustainability

The design incorporated new business procedures to help minimise WEM’s impact on the environment. This was done through streamlining waste and recycling processes. WEM transitioned from using individual staff bins to communal waste recycling and went fully paperless. Sheldon designed the space with no built form on the perimeter of the floorplate to communalise the internal spaces. All workstations, breakout and collaboration zones on the perimeter maximise natural light and daylight penetrations, encouraging wellbeing and connection to the outdoors. Highly efficient LED lighting is used throughout all spaces to reduce power consumption. All lighting is controlled by PIR sensors to reduce use when the space is unoccupied.

Sheldon’s value-adding approach looks for unique opportunities within each project, through their internal divisions working together to enhance the design and construction process. This design has had a profound impact on the way WEM conducts its day-to-day business, coming all the way from its origins in an older style office structure to a modern and welcoming space. “Our new office has helped improve our workplace culture. We collaborate more, have more team discussions, and have found that since moving into the new office we have a lot more of our site team members visiting, which is really great,” said Alyssa Kupresanin, EA, WEM.

THE DESIGN INCORPORATED NEW BUSINESS PROCEDURES TO HELP MINIMISE WEM’S IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT. THIS WAS DONE THROUGH STREAMLINING WASTE AND RECYCLING PROCESSES. WEM TRANSITIONED FROM USING INDIVIDUAL STAFF BINS TO COMMUNAL WASTE RECYCLING AND WENT FULLY PAPERLESS. SHELDON DESIGNED THE SPACE WITH NO BUILT FORM ON THE PERIMETER OF THE FLOORPLATE TO COMMUNALISE THE INTERNAL SPACES.