Inspiration
Workplace

Brookfield Place by Hassell

Workplace | 05.09.2025

The lobby of Brookfield Place demonstrates how thoughtful design can transform a transitional space into a dynamic case study for commercial seating.

Brookfield Place, the 45-storey premium commercial tower that reshaped Perth’s skyline, also reimagined the city at ground level.

More than a passage between street and tower, the lobby establishes a sense of arrival, where furniture choices play a critical role in shaping how people interact with the building. By integrating flexible, high-quality seating options, the lobby offers a place for rest, informal meetings, or simply pausing in transit, supporting both tenants and the public who move through the precinct daily. As organisations reimagine workplace experiences, these spaces illustrate how considered furniture solutions can enhance comfort, foster community, and set the tone for a commercial development at large.

Originally designed in 2012 by Hassell in collaboration with Fitzpatrick + Partners, the tower was envisioned as a high-performance, flexible workplace to accommodate major tenants including anchor tenant BHP. What was once a dormant city block filled with boarded-up heritage buildings, Brookfield Place is now a vibrant retail and entertainment destination. The precinct’s design intentionally softens the boundary between public and private space, inviting city-goers to engage with its laneways, restaurants, and activated ground plane.

While the tower’s architecture continues to communicate prestige, the lobby has undergone a transformative renovation, designed by Hassell Studio in collaboration with the building owners, Brookfield. “The lobby now offering a more intimate and welcoming first impression,” says Emily Lamerra, Senior Project Consultant Living Edge.

The Walter Knoll Tama Living Sofa, with its graceful curves and generous proportions, anchors the space with an understated sense of luxury. Its modular form allows for flexible arrangements, while its plush upholstery invites visitors and tenants alike to settle in. Mixing materials to make this more of a comforting and sensory experience, this setting has been paired with E15 Enoki and La Chance Salute coffee tables, where marble tops meet slender, asymmetrical metal bases. the setting feels more like a thoughtfully curated living room than a commercial waiting area.

“The sophisticated, comfortable zones are now actively occupied throughout the day, offering spaces for people to meet, wait, converse, work, touchdown or take a break.”

^{- Emily La Merra}

Lighting plays a central role in creating the lobby’s warm atmosphere. Flos Glo Ball lights, placed throughout, diffuse a soft, ambient glow that tempers the building’s scale and enhances its sense of approachability. Their timeless form works harmoniously with the space’s clean architectural lines, contributing to a calm and cohesive visual language. Other key accent lights include Lambert et Fils Parc floor light, Oluce Atollo, and Flos Superloon.

Extending the hospitality-driven approach, Tom Dixon seating is used at café tables within the precinct. Their bold, sculptural presence brings a layer of design personality to the space, encouraging dwell time and reinforcing Brookfield Place as a destination that serves both office workers and the broader community. The curvature of the Walter Knoll 620 Foster was included in the design, an acknowledgement of the traditional cultural significance of the winding Swan River. The flexibility of the 620 Foster allows for both intimate clusters and expansive seating arrangements, supporting the lobby’s role as a welcoming, multifunctional environment.

Brookfield Place demonstrates how commercial architecture, workplace design, and public realm activation can converge into a single, cohesive vision, one that revitalises a city block, strengthens business culture, and welcomes people back into the heart of the city.

Photography by: Dion Robeson

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