Sanofi Aventis HQ
North Ryde
Project: PCG
Year
2006
Location
Sydney, Australia
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Master Plan
Change Management
Spatial Planning
Concept Design
Architecture
Interior Design
Furniture Design
Environmental Branding
The merger was an opportunity to influence change within the workplace
The Sanofi Aventis project came about after the merger in 2004 of two prominent pharmaceutical companies, Sanofi Synthelabo and Aventis Pharmaceuticals, creating one of the largest pharmaceutical organisations worldwide.
The beginning of the project saw a very traditional work environment of enclosed cellular spaces with a defined hierarchy of different types and sizes of offices and workstations. This conventional layout was discarded in favour of a collaborative open-plan environment, providing natural light & views for everyone. It offered a creative workplace solution with a communal space on the ground floor modelled on a hotel lobby, inviting all employees to create their bustling environment.
Integral to the design's success was to challenge peoples’ perception of the traditional pharmaceutical workplace, creating an edgy environment with an impressively generous open entry floor facilitating employee interaction.
The space features an exposed dark-painted concrete ceiling where dropped ceiling panels and raised timber platforms provide smaller intimate areas where people can comfortably wait, meet and socialise.
An important part of both the function & design was a showpiece glass and metal staircase connecting 3 floors, backdropped by a purpose-designed light feature vertically climbing the void wall. The inspiration for the custom-made acrylic moulds came from a ‘blister pack’.
