For over 15 years, we have operated out of our head office and factory in Central Victoria, travelling to meet architects and builders all over the country. Conceptualised in 2019 and opening its doors recently, our studio in the Melbourne CBD is designed to facilitate a new way of working with our community of architects, designers, specifiers and builders.

Why we opened a studio space

Working with architects and designers is what we do best. Our ability to rationalise a concept and use our systems to deliver on design intent has always been what sets us apart. Our new studio is designed to allow for face-to-face collaboration with designers, allowing them to arrive with a concept and leave with a solution. Our galleries and interactive spaces like the Co-lab will provide inspiration and showcase the options available, empowering designers to make the best decisions quickly.

“We’re a creative enterprise building a reputation and a product range beyond our timber origins. It makes sense to be physically closer to industry groups, other manufacturers, and architectural collaborators, many of whom have a presence in or close to the city,” said Jeremy Napier, Managing Director, Sculptform.

The location

Once deciding to open our studio, the search for a location began. We knew a central location was vital to ensure the studio was easy to reach, which narrowed down our search area. By mapping out the offices of our major clients within the design and construction industry, we aimed to ensure that we were only a short walk away from as many as possible.

After viewing several possible sites around Melbourne, accompanied by some key architects from Cox Architects and Woods Bagot providing input, the location of 50 Queen Street was decided. After a design competition between the two, the Woods Bagot concept was chosen and we moved into the next phase of the studio journey.

The design

The ethos behind the design from Woods Bagot is to enable our culture of collaboration. Led by Bruno Mendez, the Woods Bagot team understood what we needed in a studio space, having worked with us closely in the past.

A physical loop, which takes patrons on a journey, the studio showcases our systems, processes and way of working as much as it does our products. An events space, digital and physical galleries, meeting rooms and workstations are all centred around the heart of the studio – The Co-lab.

The Co-lab space is a tactile environment where clients can interact with our products and understand the practicalities of how they work. Our range of timber and aluminium profiles is on display, ready to be cut and coated to create a sample board on the spot or even installed on our demonstration wall or ceiling. This space creates the opportunity for a short feedback loop with the client, who can arrive at the studio with a concept in mind and leave with a tangible solution for their project.

“While the nature and scale of our businesses are different, Woods Bagot and Sculptform share an intent for a culture that's about collaboration and co-creation and engaged with the city,” said Bruno Mendes, Principal and Design Leader, Wood Bagot.

The installation

With our experience in the supply and install of our products, it made sense for us to coordinate the fitout of the studio internally. The ambitious design from Woods Bagot led us to develop our capabilities around steam-bent timber to create the curved feature bulkhead.

Working closely with Melbourne-based contractor Exact Ceiling Solutions, the installation of the timber along the curving forms of the studio involved some challenges, which were overcome through a combination of product developments and on-site solutions.

Our suite of products will be featured in various ways throughout the studio, in both large and small scales. The feature timberwork showcases our timber Click-on Batten system, whereas our other offerings will be shown in the display and digital galleries spread throughout.

Contact us

Our Melbourne Design Studio is by appointment only.