Bates Smart ™

Ericsson Australia
, Docklands, Melbourne

When Bates Smart was commissioned to design offices for Swedish telecommunications giant Ericsson in Sydney and Melbourne, our aim was to create a light, open and transparent feeling, working within the company’s corporate design guidelines. The vibrant and relaxed interior has succeeded in setting a new benchmark for the interpretation of Ericsson’s global brand.

With a highly mobile workforce, Ericsson was keen to ensure that the workplace encourages interaction and collaboration between staff. The design is based around a central glazed atrium with interconnecting stairs to bring people together and create a sense of community. Breakout, coffee, meeting spaces and touchdown business lounges face into the atrium on all floors, providing a visible connection to Ericsson’s mobile and energetic work culture.

We combined bold patterns and shapes with bright, clean colours and minimalist textures to successfully reflect Ericsson’s Scandinavian heritage. The result feels casual and comfortable, reminiscent of domestic living environments, encouraging staff to work in less structured and collaborative ways.