Axiom - A Studio Designed Without Barriers
After recognising their previous environment no longer aligned with the way the team worked, Axiom approached the project the same way they would for a client: through research, strategy and workplace analysis. Using their proprietary wrkx INDEX™ survey, the studio asked employees what they genuinely needed from the next chapter of their workplace.
The results shaped nearly every aspect of the project. Staff identified the need for greater access to advanced technology and equipment, stronger support for focused individual work, better collaboration with remote colleagues, and spaces capable of accommodating a broader range of working styles. Just as importantly, the team wanted a workplace that felt more connected to wellbeing through natural materials, greenery and openness.
Rather than designing around hierarchy, Axiom designed around behaviour.
From the moment the lift doors open, the studio reveals itself immediately. There is no formal reception threshold separating visitors from the workplace beyond. Instead, sightlines extend directly across the floorplate - an intentional move designed to communicate transparency and openness from the first interaction.
Jardan Furniture - Lola Armchair Oak Lacquer Ghost Bowie Linen
That sense of visibility becomes one of the defining qualities of the studio. Spaces flow openly between departments while still supporting a wide spectrum of work modes. The workplace includes a greater number of meeting rooms and focus spaces, alongside dedicated areas for innovation, collaboration and presentation.
The Design Library
One of the most distinctive spaces is the design library - a multifunctional environment combining material displays, pin-up walls, integrated storage and presentation capabilities.
“We really wanted an open environment so the minute you came out of our lifts you saw right across our floor plates,” says Managing Director Asher Frankel. “I think it really communicates how we work, the transparency of the organisation. There’s no barriers. You can literally see how we’re one whole team across our departments because the environment literally shows that. There’s no designated desking.”
Jardan Furniture - Cassidy Rug
More than a static resource area, the design library operates as an active working space where ideas can be reviewed, tested and shared collaboratively.
Jardan Furniture - Flo Dining Table Oak Lacquer Ghost, Roy Executive Chair Polished Aluminium Base Greyson Leather Bud Seat (Board Room)
The social breakout space also plays a significant strategic role within the layout. Positioned at the deepest point of the floorplate to maximise city views, the area functions as both an everyday gathering space and a larger event environment through the integration of a flexible operable boardroom system that can open entirely into the surrounding space.
Materially, the project feels warm and earthy. A palette of terracotta, olive and sage tones references the studio’s branding while introducing softness throughout the workplace. Rust-toned metals and custom terrazzo made from reclaimed materials reinforce the tactile quality of the interior without overwhelming it.
The result feels less corporate showroom and more hospitality-influenced creative studio - an environment designed equally for functionality, culture and experience.
Importantly, the project’s success appears measurable beyond aesthetics alone. Axiom continues to conduct regular internal surveys and has reportedly seen a boost in employee ambassadorship metrics since moving into the new studio, suggesting the workplace is not only supporting how the team works, but also how they connect to the business itself.
In many ways, the project demonstrates a broader shift occurring across contemporary workplace design. Increasingly, studios are designing spaces not around fixed desks or rigid departmental structures, but around flexibility, identity and human behaviour. At Axiom Sydney, strategy and culture are inseparable - and the workplace makes that immediately visible.
Credits
Design & Delivery
Axiom Workplaces
Furniture
Jardan
Indoor Plants
Indoor Plant Solutions
Photography
Nicole England
