Asahi’s New Melbourne Headquarters: Where Hospitality Meets Workplace Design
Located at 2 Southbank Boulevard within the Freshwater Place complex, the new headquarters brings together Asahi’s Melbourne teams in a multi-level workplace designed to feel less like a traditional corporate office and more like a destination.
With sweeping views of the city skyline, and their signature blue adorning the space, Asahi Beverages’ new Melbourne headquarters is a space that represents their 90+ brand portfolio and celebrates the essence of their Asahi work culture - collaboration.
Asahi’s portfolio spans beer, coffee, water, hydration, energy drinks and soft drinks, with brands including Allpress, Cool Ridge, Peroni, Hard Rated Solo, Cottee’s, Vodka Cruiser and Carlton to name a few. The new headquarters needed to celebrate that diversity while creating a stronger sense of “One Asahi”.
The move follows Asahi Beverages’ acquisition of Carlton & United Breweries, which brought together two major businesses and created the need for a larger, more connected home.
Speaking on JLL’s Perspectives Podcast, John Tortora, Chief Procurement and Sustainability Officer at Asahi Beverages, explained that the existing workplace had quickly become too small for the newly combined business.
The workplace supports more than 650 workpoints and brings together a business of approximately 4,000 people across Australia and New Zealand.
In a day and age where offices are emptier than ever and people have the ability to work from home, the one thing that separates the physical environment is the opportunity to build an alive team culture. Tortora elaborates on how they have mandated coming into work on Mondays, beginning the work week as a team, followed by an additional 3+ days in the physical workplace.
Meeting rooms were difficult to book, the lighting felt uninspiring and the environment was not supporting the level of collaboration the company aspired to foster.
New technology integration allows for the seamless booking of meeting rooms with visibility of all team members across the workplace. The new office is intentionally designed with neighbourhoods for each team to gather, promoting more a sense of ownership and team identity within the space.
Asahi wanted a workplace that would encourage people to come in, connect with colleagues and feel proud of the business they are a part of. From its inception the company was adamant on getting the team involved, listening to what sparks excitement to pull them in.
On Level 20, a state-of-the-art bar is framed against surrounding views of Melbourne. They’ve created a venue-like floor where employees, guests, partners and customers can raise their glasses to their collective efforts and enjoy tasting their products. It almost brings the spirit of pub culture into the workplace, taking after work drinks to another level.
Other amenities such as the Allpress café, business lounge and brand showroom create a welcoming environment for hosting clients, partners and guests, while showcasing products and inviting people into the world of Asahi. Together, the spaces merge the functions of an office, hospitality venue and brand experience centre.
Rather than giving individual meeting rooms to individual brands, as was done in their previous office, the design ties together Asahi’s portfolio in a more holistic way. The space is proudly branded, but not fragmented. It celebrates the history, scale and personality of each brand whilst reinforcing a unified identity.
For Amanda Sellers, Asahi Group CEO APAC, the workplace has created a new sense of belonging. “People can come together and feel a sense of pride,” she said. “It means we’ve got a space to call home.”
The workplace is designed to feel like a second home within the city, supporting the rhythms of life around work. Tortora described the ambition as creating a “life admin” space: somewhere people could come in, work, collaborate, connect, socialise and manage parts of their day in an environment that feels comfortable and useful.
The new headquarters has already shifted the atmosphere of the workplace, with more people coming in, collaborating and engaging with one another. Asahi’s headquarters is a space that feels like a home for its people and a stage for its brands.
Credits
Builder / Head Contractor
McCormack
Workplace Design
HOT BLACK
Client-Side PM
Facilitate Corporation
Services
Ashton Consulting
Photography
Tom Blachford & McCormack