K2LD were engaged by ISPT for the design and delivery of upgrade works to the public realm at their A-grade office building, Casselden, in Melbourne’s CBD. Located on the corner of Spring and Lonsdale streets, Casselden sits as a landmark commercial offering within the wider Spring Place precinct – a collection of 3 buildings interconnected by a bustling central laneway and pocket park. Located in close proximity to some of Melbournes most beautiful gardens, we drew on this inspiration to deliver a fresh and welcoming revitalisation of Casseldens ground plane with improved connection and engagement with the buildings occupants and the wider Spring Place precinct.
The design proposal focuses on the buildings ground floor, promoting an open and warm interior atmosphere. New access points were created, including a direct link to the neighbouring 271 Spring St, as well as improving access and visibility of Madame Brussels Ln and Pocket Park. A series of flexible spaces including lounges, informal meeting spaces and tech driven town hall and conference rooms were added to activate the peripheral zones while the main foyer delivers an impactful entry to the building, refining and reinvigorating existing details of the architecture and housing concierge services and casual lounge spaces. A new timber screen adds gravitas to the expansive foyer, emphasizing the verticality and scale of the space, and dissolves into a custom installation reflective of the falling leaves and changing seasons evident in the nearby gardens. A dynamic LED installation allows the ability to engage with the precincts wide offering of activities and initiatives that are often on display in the buildings foyer.
A layering of natural and textural materials throughout softens the commercial nature of the interiors and delivers a consistent narrative. The strategic recycling and re-use of existing terracotta cladding helped to reduce construction waste and assist in managing the project budget, as well as retaining a connection to the buildings past. Collaboration with a local gallery developed of a number of flexible exhibition spaces and the inclusion of a permanent collection of artwork by a talented group of female abstract artists. Artworks were commissioned and displayed to enhance the connection to nature and create moments of intrigue as you move through the interior.
Minor façade works enhance the buildings street presence and improve engagement with the public interface along Spring Street. Re-cladding of the existing canopy and opening up of the façade creates connection to a new retail tenancy allowing both indoor and outdoor dining opportunities and a new amenity offering for the building. New architectural interventions were extruded from the building, extending the floor plate and engaging with the re-invigorated pocket park below. New hard and soft landscaping to pocket park creates a natural buffer between the buildings and provides an area of respite within the precinct accessible to the wider public. The continuation of landscape works extended to the buildings interior, with planting assisting in the softening and greening of internal spaces as well as the internal courtyard, offering protected outdoor lounge and work zones and a sculptural installation reflective of the colours and textures of autumn. Collaboration with a branding and wayfinding team ensured that there was consistency across all touch points of the revitalization and that Casselden sat comfortably as its own brand while still engaging with the Spring Place precinct.
