PROJECTS

EMI Music

DETAILS

Arch / Design:		The World is Round (web)
Project Manager:		Medland Mitropoulos (web)
Type:		Office
Year:		2011
Location:		Sydney
Photographer:		Tyrone Branigan (web)

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PROJECTS BY ARCHITECT THE WORLD IS ROUND

PROJECTS BY PROJECT MANAGER MEDLAND MITROPOULOS

PROJECTS PHOTOGRAPHED BY TYRONE BRANIGAN

The space was re-designed by The World is Round, with the Hutchinson St space now offering EMI a definite point of contrast with their competitors, both in creative ambition and as a statement of internal values and a future model for how they work.

The building was originally a 1990's Burley Katon Halliday interior design project - and was previously occupied by contemporary furniture showrooms. The design brief tried to keep the strength of the previous BKH fitout integral to the EMI re-design process eg the beautiful stair void etc

The space certainly makes an impact, as bold colours and feature furniture and art contrast with the industrialised shell in a palette now synomonous with creative companies looking to make an impression. This design however is about more than a dash of makeup as EMI have used the move to their new premises to re-consider and re-define how they want to work.

Underneath the ‘cool’ is the defining principal that collaboration and conversation is critical to the productivity and quality of work that a creative company produces. Chance encounters and informal interaction are the seeds which plant good ideas, a fertile environment that is pretty hard to achieve in an office where cellular offices are jealously guarded domains. The new EMI office eviscerates the hideaway, instead placing its staff in a melting pot of open plan, hot-desks, lounges and war rooms designed to encourage interaction between staff in different disciplines.

Likewise the inclusion of gallery spaces and curated artworks from local artists is an important statement of intent, both in providing inspiration to its staff and in presenting a holistic approach to music and the creative industries.

The office opens with an interesting juxtaposition between Stuart Hall’s portrait of Paul Dempsey, entered in this year’s Archibald Prize and works by street artist Beastman. We can’t wait to see what other artists are featured in the future.