As their name suggests, Court Services Victoria (CSV) is an administrative and support service for Victorian courts and VCAT, but the ambiance of their offices is far from the formalized dark wood and leather of traditional judicial buildings. Instead, it projects light and space in a very contemporary style and uses natural materials to bring real warmth and character to a busy work environment.

A fresh colour palette throughout of Natural Oak laminate, light greys and whites, powder pinks and blues plus natural greenery lifts the two levels of office space. ISM created all joinery, including the angled reception desk, made from Polytec Natural Oak and finished with a Corian bench top. The reception area features an integrated bookshelf and media wall with a digital screen, plus concealed cabinetry.

Many columns throughout the building sport raised curved planter boxes, made again from Polytec Natural Oak and fully waterproofed. They add a delightful if an unexpected splash of nature. They’re complemented by smaller oval planters in Abet Laminati ‘Rosa Baby’ and Laminex ‘Blue Grass’, set in kitchen walls and dotted through the office levels.

The clean, modern bistro feel in the kitchen is elevated by natural oak laminate and oyster grey cabinetry, and the white Corian bench top. Both within the kitchen area and beyond, padded bench seating features grey Camira Momentum “Impact” fabric set against the distinctive Polytec Natural Oak.

Our fitout also included typical office joinery including large storage cupboards, floor to ceiling bi-folding doors and whiteboards in all 43 meeting rooms. A striking feature was the installation of the large Autex laser cut hanging screen, which carried the office-wide theme of organic flowing shapes seen elsewhere on windows and screen dividers.

The architects for this project, PTID, talk of ‘built environments (that)… enhance the human experience’, and creating ‘inspiring places for people to excel’. We’re proud to have been partners in creating such a space for CSV.

  • project manager: JLL Australia
  • architect: PTID