Several fit-out materials supplied by Criterion Industries were utilised to create an inspiring work environment for Interactive, the largest privately-owned multi-service IT provider in Australia.

The Port Melbourne-headquartered Interactive worked with Arnold Lane, a boutique interior design office based in Sydney on the project, using the building expertise of Vaughan Constructions and a range of fit-out materials from Criterion Industries to realise their vision of a workspace that embodied their company values and encouraged employee engagement.

Interactive sought to create a corporate space that could communicate the dynamism of the company’s industry while simultaneously embodying the atmosphere of ‘a city apartment environment with a residential based, textured materiality’. A key objective of the design brief was to promote a sense of warmth and homeliness in the office for personnel who often travelled in the course of their work.

The design collaboration was a standout success with highlights including workspaces catering to a range of different work styles, from open office and enclosed meeting spaces to more private individual offices; distinctive look and colour scheme in each area to denote its role and purpose; fresh white finishes and pot plants for the open office space; and warm earthy colour tones and smoky glass panelling for meeting rooms.

While the interior project has created distinctive spaces, there are unifying design themes that bring coherence to the office as a whole such as the use of slatted brown panelling on the walls, interspersed with glass partitioning from Criterion Industries. This unique combination creates a sense of warmth and expansiveness, allowing light to permeate the space while also designating separate areas.

The glass partitioning was built using Criterion’s Definium partition system in a matte black powder coat finish. Criterion’s system is a perfect fit for the setting with its sleek, modern look combined with tough construction and strong acoustic protection qualities providing both aesthetics and practicality in the one package. A variety of stud size and glazing options also offered the architects and builders great flexibility in design.

Criterion additionally supplied a range of sliding door systems, sliding and conventional, as well as cavity units for the sliding doors.