Australian architecture and design practice COX Architecture has completed a seven-level workplace for law firm Mallesons at Governor Phillip Tower in Sydney’s Circular Quay.
Completed in 2025, the 10,000m2 office is the base for around 85 partners and 500 staff members and has 360-degree views of Sydney Harbour and the city.
The workplace is planned to give staff wider access to daylight and without compromising the privacy needed for meetings and focused work.
Meeting rooms placed near the central core
Meeting rooms and focus spaces are close to the core of each level, leaving the perimeter for work settings and bringing daylight further into the floors. Quieter work areas are positioned around these enclosed volumes.
Warm timber is used in the east-facing client spaces to reduce the intensity of the morning sunlight. In the Level 61 welcome area, timber wall panelling aligns with a timber ceiling grid, while textured glazing defines the meeting rooms.
“By carefully planning how different spaces relate to one another, we were able to make the most of the harbour setting by sharing the outlook more broadly across the workplace,” said COX director and project lead Brooke Lloyd.
“Alternative work and dining areas support connection and access to daylight, while carefully accommodating spaces for confidentiality.”
Travertine staircase links staff and client spaces
A sculptural staircase connects the staff café with the client welcome zone, linking areas that have traditionally been separated in legal workplaces.
Its cantilevered travertine treads appear to hover above mirrored shadow gaps. The café functions as a daily gathering place for staff and can also be used for meetings with clients.
Collaborative, dining, meeting, and breakout spaces are distributed throughout the office alongside rooms for confidential discussions and concentrated work. Lloyd described the design as balancing “performance and practicality”.
Timber joinery and bespoke furnishings define meeting rooms
Meeting tables and cabinetry feature solid timber detailing and double bullnose edges. Each meeting room has a different combination of bespoke rugs, pendant lights, tables, credenzas, and artwork, with repeated materials and joinery connecting the client areas.
Art Pharmacy worked with COX to curate works by Australian and Asian Australian contemporary artists. The collection draws on landscape, memory, and Australian nature.
The workplace also has technology infrastructure intended to support the law firm’s operational requirements. COX said sustainable design practices and environmentally friendly materials were used where practical.
“This is a workplace designed to support how we work today and into the future,” said Andrew Maynes, Mallesons partner in charge for Sydney. “It brings together a range of environments that allow our people to focus, collaborate and engage with clients effectively, while maintaining the discretion and standards our work demands.”
The consultant team comprised Art Pharmacy, CBRE, DBS Consulting, E-lab, FDC Construction & Fitout, Generate Property Group, Light Practice, Planning to Move, Sangster Design Group, TTW, and WT Partnerships. Bottom of Form
Photos: Cieran Murphy
