Kathmandu’s adventure-inspired workspace
At a glance
Kathmandu had a desire to embody its core values of integrity, resourcefulness, passion, determination, environmental action and love for travel and adventure. The firm’s commitment to social and environmental responsibility, along with its vision for a healthy and productive workplace for its employees, guided the design of the building’s interior.
The challenge
After evaluating its options, Kathmandu determined that its previous office space would require extensive construction work and investment to remediate earthquake damage. The Innovation Precinct stood out as the obvious choice, as it reflects the evolution of its business and offers a platform to showcase its brand to visitors and more importantly, inspire its team.
Our response
Upon entering the ground floor, visitors experience a sense of arrival, as if they’ve landed in a transition between the public and private space. The urban-outdoor adventure blend is accentuated by the use of recycled timber salvaged from earthquake-damaged buildings lining the reception walls, exposed concrete around the building’s core and café joinery with a dark, moody metropolitan feel.
Visitors can also touch and see wall panels wrapped in Kathmandu fabrics, creating a powerful global graphic presence.
The design of Kathmandu’s new offices and reception area reflects the company’s values. Level 1 houses the design team in a warm, relaxed space with a strong outdoor adventure feel, featuring green carpet and recycled timber walls. The playful kitchenette is aptly named ‘The Campsite.’ In contrast, Level 2 is all about urban adventure, featuring a monochrome palette, neon lights and scaffolding framing the shared collaboration space. The kitchenette joinery is clad with steel and core concrete panels are exposed, creating a striking aesthetic.
Function is as important as form and the fitout has been designed to accommodate large tent assemblies both inside and outside, a presentation room that can be opened up to the café for large functions, custom at-desk storage for clothing and equipment samples and open plan areas lined with magnetic whiteboards for constantly evolving designs.
The impact
The design showcases Kathmandu’s commitment to sustainability, achieving a 5 Green Star design rating, reflecting its dedication to reducing its environmental footprint and providing its employees with a welcoming, inspiring and fit-for-purpose working environment.