Maddocks Lawyers


Introduction

Maddocks is a highly regarded Top 20 law firm providing premium legal services that add exceptional value to its clients’ businesses. In a collaborative project, Maddocks engaged HASSELL to develop a new design to reinvent their Melbourne office. As an international architectural design practice with an enviable reputation spanning 70 years and over 650 awards, HASSELL was ranked number one in Australasia in the 2012 BD World Architecture Top 100.

When it came to door hardware for Maddocks, Designer Doorware had the specialist design and manufacturing capabilities that were crucial to bring HASSELL’s design vision to life and provide other high quality, contemporary doorware and accessories.

Project Brief

With a reputation founded on integrity and innovation, Maddock’s use of leading-edge technology and progressive work practices creates a point of difference for clients and staff alike. The firm maintains a strong alliance with the arts, and is known as an award-winning equal opportunity employer. This array of corporate drivers formed the basis of their brief to HASSELL - to reinvent traditional notions of legal environments within their Melbourne offices, giving new meaning to the way staff and clients experience a corporate legal space.

Response to the Brief

Through a series of facilitated workshops, the HASSELL design team, in association with strategic consultants DEGW, led Maddocks management and staff into a design process that was seen as an opportunity to embody the inward and outward motivators of the practice into a set of key design principles. Supporting diversity, increasing interaction and balancing both the needs of the individual and the collective were recurring themes within the brief, and became the fundamental ideals of the new design.

The design team then created a logical structure for encouraging circulation, avoiding compartmentalisation, and favouring collaborative spaces. The result was a domestic and diverse personality that maintained the crispness and coherence that one expects of a legal office.

The resulting interior utilises a central, transparent stair to create a vertical corridor, intertwining through the floors. Using the stair as a central anchor, the space acts as a social highway for staff to interact and observe each other at work. Individually designed yet open plan work spaces are connected to each other so that the whole is a seamless sum of discrete parts over six floors.

The key workplace initiative was the introduction of partially open plan legal environments and predominantly full height glass sliding panelled offices. This pursuit of visual connection and access to partners was seen as paramount to the nurturing and mentoring of junior lawyers to create an inclusive learning workplace. The transparency throughout the space ensures that lawyers at work remain connected to clients and colleagues.

Two main zones were created to provide pause for staff and clients alike, as sites from which observation or interaction could occur. On level six, the formal reception area and formal client meeting zone provide the corporate ‘face’ of Maddocks. As one moves vertically up the building, the spaces become less formal, culminating in the central hub on level eight. The hub combines the knowledge centre (library), training suite, social café and lounge, an area that has become the heart of the practice.

As an integral layer to the fit out, and as a driver of social connection, a sophisticated graphic design and art agenda was implemented throughout the space. This creative overlay provided a visual mnemonic, which reinforces the outward and contemporary philosophy of the practice, while enhancing the domestic scale and accessibility of the offices for both staff and clients.

Energy efficiency and minimisation, recycled and recyclable materials, product stewardship and volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions were all considerations in the design and choice of materials and finishes. The result is a workplace that meets ecological objectives while providing a healthy, sustainable environment for its occupants.


 

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Architectural Door Hardware Solution

The addition of custom made joinery and entrance pull handles from Designer Doorware enhanced the individuality of Maddock's new office. The “HASSELL Block” as it is known was designed by HASSELL and engineered by Designer Doorware’s design and manufacturing team.

The smooth, solid stainless steel pull handle is crafted from stainless bar stock, with a hidden groove underneath for grip. This combination of minimalist form and function, not only fit the design theme for Maddocks new interior, but was cohesive to the other Designer Doorware products chosen, including the Quad lever on narrow plate and Quad pull handle.

The Neo entrance pull handle with cut-out grip is a signature item for Designer Doorware, and its origins are with HASSELL. Upon entry, the simple pull handle with offset cut-out establishes the theme for the remainder of the building. Made from solid stainless steel and finished in satin, it is a discreet and highly functional handle of timeless quality.
 

Call our friendly, specialist consultants on +613 9300 8888 to find out how we can help you with invaluable design and manufacturing expertise, or email us.

 

*Photography courtesy of Earl Carter

About Designer Doorware's Capabilities

Designer Doorware designs and manufactures superior quality door furniture and architectural hardware including hingesdoor handles and door knobs, door pull handles, sliding door hardware, door hardware accessories, door closers, locks, cabinet door handles, and bathroom accessories. Our products offer timeless qualities to suit a variety of architectural styles and budgets, with thousands of product options and combinations to choose from.

If you are looking for something extra special, our custom design service can create hardware to complement any commercial or residential project, no matter how unique your requirements. We regularly work with Architects, Designers, Developers and Builders on award winning projects of all sizes across Australia, Asia-Pacific and the USA. With know-how gained through many years of specialised design experience, a well-established international network and best-of-breed manufacturing capabilities, we can operate to short lead times and quickly deliver doorware and accessories anywhere in the world.

Our new Selector Tool makes it easy to visualise, compare and select architectural hardware online. You can review a wide range of products, find related products, get tailored specification sheets, make them into a PDF book and request a quote for your specified products. We also make doorware selection easier with customer services that incorporate interior design advice, specifying, scheduling and more. Contact our friendly, highly qualified team to help create that final complement to your project.

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