Celebrating the Indo-Pacific’s
Best of the Decade in 2020

Perhaps more than any other sector of design, workplace design is in a state of perpetual evolution. The workplace has undergone an ambitious evolution to become a high-functioning environment that is social, cultural and community-driven. And it continues to evolve hand-in-hand with technology, culture, lifestyle habits, as well as sustainability, wellness and urban considerations.

Piazza Dell’Ufficio (Australia) by Branch Studio Architects. Honourable Mention, The Work Space, INDE.Awards 2019. Photo by Peter Clarke.

Our region – a crucible of development and change – has produced some of the world’s leading progressive workplace projects over the years. We’ve documented many of them in our publications and celebrated them in the INDE.Awards since 2017. Now it’s time to look back over a decade of progress and celebrate how we’ve changed the game.

Space & Time (Australia) by Russell & George. Winner, The Work Space, INDE.Awards 2019. Photo by Paul Martin.

Best of the Decade | The Work Space marks the start of a new decade – and the twentieth anniversary of Indesign Media Asia Pacific – by honouring a watershed moment in workspace design.

This award will open up discussion about a project and place that has redefined the very meaning of how and where we work in the Indo-Pacific region.

Alongside its companion award Best of the Decade | The Living Space, the Best of the Decade | The Work Space gives us reason to collectively look back on how we’ve progressed, and to consider where we’ll go from here.

Synergy Building, CSIRO (Australia) by BVN. Winner, The Work Space, INDE.Awards 2018. Photo by John Gollings.

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5 Minutes With INDE.Awards Judge Sue Carr
On Workplace Evolution

INDE.Awards Juror Sue Carr, Founder & Principal Director, Carr

In 2010, what were some of the key issues being addressed by workplace designers?

Sue Carr (SC): The main thing that workplace designers were grappling with in 2010 was the proliferation of Activity-Based Working (ABW). This new flexible way of working was just starting to be adopted and we had to educate ourselves and our clients to make sure that we were bringing the right advice.

In 2020, what are some of the key issues being addressed by workplace designers?

SC: In 2020, workplaces have evolved past the more mechanical or fixed offerings to truly give the end-user an array of choice. The distraction of the modern workplace means it’s now about creating human-scaled, neighbourhood-level spaces that are intimate and bring connectedness, while still offering a choice of retreat. It’s not just about the big collaborative statements. There has also been a rise in the design of the workplace as a tool for the retention of staff. As social media has taken over it’s not uncommon for people to align their personal values with that of their place of work and these cultural alignments are becoming more pronounced, with an onus on companies to deliver.

What do you hope to see in the entries to the ‘Best of the Decade: The Work Space’ category?

SC: We hope to see the evolution of the workplace. Where the old approach was like a uniform, it’s now more bespoke and this should show through in the projects. It would be wonderful to see how emotional wellbeing, human physiology and health is considered in workplaces and how this has changed over time.

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Does your portfolio contain the INDE.Awards 2020’s best work space of the decade?

Mantab Group KL (Malaysia) by S/LAB 10. Shortlisted, The Work Space, INDE.Awards 2019. Photo by Heartpatrick.

How does your project demonstrate a marked leap forward (for its time and location) in terms of best practice in workplace design, quality and response to client needs? How does it show original thinking and smart creativity? How has it had a game-changing impact that has spurred improved performance and inspired better outcomes? And how does it embody the progressive spirit celebrated by the INDE.Awards?

View the category criteria, dig out those images and enter now!

The Working Capitol (Singapore) by HASSELL. Shortlisted, INDE.Awards 2018. Photo by E.K. Yap.

To be eligible for this category your project and your studio must be located in the Indo-Pacific region. Your project must have been completed between 1 January 2010 and 21 February 2020.

Best of the Decade | The Work Space will be Jury decided as well as being open to a people’s choice vote. It’s the ideal platform for generating a region-wide discussion about what matters to how we work in the Indo-Pacific. Be part of the conversation and make your best work count!

PwC Melbourne (Australia) by Futurespace. Honourable Mention, INDE.Awards 2018. Photo by Nicole England.

Slack Melbourne Office (Australia) by Breathe Architecture. Winner, The Work Space, INDE.Awards 2017. Photo by Peter Clarke.

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Enter now! You have until 21 February 2020 to
make your mark.

Best of the Decade | The Work Space is proudly presented by INDE.Awards Partner Wilkhahn.