April 19, 2019

Text: Jesse Dorris

D&P and France Vietnam Architecture Put Fun in Functional for Spaces Rialto

Coworking spaces have many tasks to fulfill: They need to be functional but not too corporate, comfortable but not snooze-inducing, and attractive yet not distracting. Clearly, D&P Architecture and France Vietnam Architecture, both based in Hanoi, had their work cut out for them while designing the 28,000-square-foot Spaces Rialto in Melbourne, Australia.

Read more: The Assemblage by Meyer Davis Studio Wins 2018 Best of Year Award for Coworking Space 

The second-floor conference room includes a table and chairs by Alki, with Flos pendants. Photography courtesy of IWG.

“We want a vibrant and unconventional event area that energizes visitors just as the quick-paced surroundings challenge them,” says project manager Hanh Le. They accomplished this by carving out a variety of zones—private booths, a “think tank,” meeting rooms large and small, open areas with banquettes but also pods to sink into and hide out for a moment—in a cool palette of natural woods with pops of red and green.

A wall of the first floor’s meeting room is covered in Kvadrat pinnable fabric; the pendant is by Gubi. Photography courtesy of IWG.

Throughout the ground, first, and second floors, the design team installed a sense of fun, particularly at the first floor’s reception area. “While the counter is used, of course, for reception work mostly, visitors may still use it as a full-fledged work desk. It is that friendly,” Le says, much like the project itself.

Keep scrolling to view more images of the project >

The walls of second floor’s “think tank” are covered in a geometric-patterned film, with Desso carpet tiles. Photography courtesy of IWG.
Alki provided seating in the second floor’s coworking space; the pendant is by Flos. Photography courtesy of IWG.
A Corian counter defines reception, lit by &tradition pendants. Photography courtesy of IWG.
Vitra seating pods offer privacy near custom banquettes with tables and chairs, also by Vitra, beneath Fritz Hansen pendants. Photography courtesy of IWG.

Read more: Convene Collaborates with HOK and Gensler on Two Co-Working Spaces in Los Angeles 

Recent Projects