Andy Hoyne loves that his new Melbourne office keeps getting mistaken for a café. Designed by Elenberg Fraser and right in the middle of the action on Chapel Street, it’s easy to see why: all that separates the ground floor from the street is a sheet of glass, and the ‘café’ as it’s come to be known, features a long table, coffee machine and kitchen facilities where Andy’s wife has been known to cook client dinners.If you get the impression that the line is blurred between domestic and corporate, that’s because it is. The Hoyne offices were designed to mirror the branding studio’s own process, which is completely immersive and collaborative – clients literally become a part of the team and the construction of their new identity. And so, Hoyne’s new home needed to be exactly that – a home – complete with the full spectrum of both formal and casual interactions that the domestic realm facilitates. Our response was to design a workplace with a series of discrete spaces, which would allow Hoyne staff and clients the opportunities to engage in ways that you may not expect from a typical office fitout. Those surprising interactions are vital to achieving the unexpected results the firm has become known for – including for Elenberg Fraser projects Huski and Quay West Resort and Spa.Firstly, there is the aforementioned café space, where staff and clients come together to chat, bounce ideas and stumble across sparks of inspiration. Moving upstairs, the setting immediately changes to be more formal and focused as the function changes from discussion to presentation. Visitors are seated in a dark, textured lounge that calls to mind the ‘black zen’ and lacquered surfaces of Japanese homes, with timber accents and black carpet. The monochromatic palette allows everyone to focus on the task at hand by removing unnecessary stimuli, while hints of orange in the details, such as the doorknobs, reference Hoyne Design’s own brand. With one movement of a sliding door the room splits into a boardroom area, complete with audio-visual presentation equipment ready for the theatre of presentation. This rapid transformation again reflects the dynamic workstyle of Hoyne Design – ideas are conceived and seemingly moments later are projected and concretised into a tangible form.Upstairs also houses a library – but not just any library, a library of brands. What at first glance appears to be an extremely well-stocked bar is actually a product catalogue of the world’s most famous beverage brands (it makes sense given Hoyne’s extensive portfolio in this sector). The library is an important space in the office as it represents that move from conceptual to physical and means that reference and research tools are within arm’s reach. The library also contains stock samples, design books and other tools of the trade. The moodily lit ‘disco’ bathroom punctuated by a pulsating red neon light pays homage to where we first met Andy – at Redheads! The dark space also features a rare black porcelain toilet, vanity and basin. The Hoyne office plan has been informed by the domestic environment and it has all the features of a comfortable home – bar, lounge, kitchen and library as well as more formal spaces. This integration of domestic and commercial reflects the integration that Hoyne Design clients experience when they work with the firm and are brought into the Hoyne family. The result is an office that is an immersive, collaborative arena. Welcome to the family!