Wyer & Co warehouse | Daniel Boddam
Sydney / Australia
Harnessing a shared affinity for nature, Daniel Boddam Studio has transformed landscape design practice Wyer & Co’s Botany-based warehouse into a workplace sanctuary awash with verdant landscaping, natural light, sustainable materials and locally crafted furniture.
After working with Wyer & Co creatively for many years, Daniel Boddam Studio was invited to collaborate on a values-based ‘creative hub’ for the practice; a place that would feel natural, calm and uplifting. The sustainable and naturalistic ethos of Wyer & Co’s Founder and Creative Director, Anthony Wyer, resonated with the design team, who developed a design language centred around authenticity and sustainable design.
“I saw the project as an extension of Wyer & Co’s desire to bring in nature,” says Daniel Boddam, Founder of Daniel Boddam Studio. “Sustainability was discussed with Anthony from the outset and informed every aspect of the design – from materials and furniture to services and staff amenities,” reveals Daniel.
Embedded in Botany’s industrial context, Wyer & Co’s dark steel and red brick warehouse is softened by verdant, layered landscaping. Along the boundary, existing linear garden beds are retained with mature Trachycarpus fortunei craned in to ground and reduce the scale of the building, while at the entrance, a large masonry planter holds a striking Phoenix reclinata palm supported by Agave potatorum (Butterfly Agave), Lomandra longifolia ‘Tanika’ and a carpet of vibrant Zoysia tenuifolia, framing the building’s oversized steel doors.
Sandblasted limestone pavers flow effortlessly from exterior to interior, where a conservatory-style gallery welcomes visitors and presents a canvas for client presentations, industry events, talks and workshops. A series of bespoke, honey-coloured plywood cabinets articulate project material displays, fostering a constant connection to Wyer & Co’s design process, while a large Phoenic roebelenii mirrors the tone of the exterior planting, its fronds reaching towards the skylight above.
“It was important that our space was a direct reflection of our considered client work – seamlessly intergrating the outdoor and internal spaces. This was not only achieved through materiality, palette and furniture selections but from Daniel’s understanding of our brand and our
values as a business,” notes Anthony Wyer, Founder and Creative Director of Wyer & Co.
Following Daniel Boddam Studio’s pursuit of simplicity, the workplace interior embraces a restrained yet textural arrangement of natural materials. Expressed hoop pine plywood, Tasmanian oak, walnut and sandblasted limestone create a warm base palette, subtly embellished with cork and brass accents. “I was drawn to the character of cork and chose to celebrate its tactility in joinery accents and wall panelling,” reveals Daniel.
Custom pots faricated in mild steel and finished in clear powder coat lend an industrial feel to the interior. Planting is kept simple, with Monstera deliciosa intended to trail the walls and ceilings to create a natural, green environment over time, complemented by views to the exterior palms. “Indoor planting was always a key part of the vision for Wyer & Co, and serves as a showcase of our landscape design sensibility,” says Anthony.
Throughout Wyer & Co, Daniel Boddam Studio has curated locally designed and crafted furniture, with many pieces derived from studio’s own collections. The dramatic Geo Long Table anchors the meeting room, complemented by a custom design cabinet and the delicate Lina Chair which sits lightly around its perimeter. The low-lying Booham Chair mediates contemporary and primitive influences in the nearby lounge areas, while a combination of the Wave Sofa and Armchair in textural boucle upholsteries speak of the coast’s gentle rolling and foaming waves.
Long inspired by qualities of the landscape, Daniel believes the integration of his pieces “allows nature-based concepts to be translated architecturally”. Complemented by furniture, ceramics, art and decor from small-scale and local artisans such as Armadillo, Alison Frith, Clementine Maconachie, Lara Hutton and Sarah Nedovic Gaunt, Wyer & Co connects with the broader design community.
Wyer & Co’s community-minded ethos extends to the basement level staff areas, designed to inspire healthy work practices. Custom plywood staff lockers provide personalised storage, enabling workspaces to be kept clean, while kitchen and gathering spaces encourages staff to step away from their desks, gather and socialise. In line with Wyer & Co’s focus on sustainability and staff wellbeing, solar panels offset power usage, while the provision of electric bikes enable local staff to sustainably commute to work.
“The space is open to architects and designers looking to hire work space in a creative, likeminded
environment, and with time we hope to showcase additional works from local artists and creatives,” says Anthony Wyer.
The result is a quiet and considered interior that harmonises with the Australian landscape and celebrates the artisanal; a testament to simplicity, comfort, calmness and wellbeing. “Visitors comment on how relaxed they feel in the environment,” muses Daniel. The synergistic pairing of Daniel Boddam Studio and Wyer & Co has crafted a responsive and nurturing space reflecting the designers’ shared reverence for nature and interest in connecting people to place.
Project Credits
Interior Architecture: Daniel Boddam Studio Landscape Design: Wyer & Co
Photographer: Pablo Veiga
Stylist: Clare Delmar
Builder: SGS Projects
Harnessing a shared affinity for nature, Daniel Boddam Studio has transformed landscape design practice Wyer & Co’s Botany-based warehouse into a workplace sanctuary awash with verdant landscaping, natural light, sustainable materials and locally crafted furniture. After working with Wyer & Co creatively for many years, Daniel Boddam Studio was invited to collaborate on a values-based ‘creative hub’ for the practice; a place that would feel natural, calm and...
- Status Completed works
- Type Corporate Headquarters
- Websitehttps://danielboddam.com/architecture/wyer-co
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