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In the heart of the Melbourne Street office precinct Genworth were excited by the challenge of converting a tired 1990s building into an iconic office space that would ultimately become a place that Genworth would call home.

The challenge was, to create something that would display a high regard to architecture and at the same time maintain  the original structure. Inspired by a burning cigarette with its long white stem and a perfectly formed grey ash on the tip, the design journey begins.

The façade of the existing building was literally cut off and replaced with the beautiful texture of white concrete. This would represent the body of the famous cigarette whilst the elegant natural finish of VM Zinc separated by a slither of glass would represent the infamous perfectly formed ash.

Placed on a prominent pair of Vee shaped columns,  the structure has been elevated to grace and observe the beautiful surroundings that Melbourne Street has to offer. The large front window has been detailed to present as Mondrian art over a large glass façade making interesting and at the same time practical to glaze effectively.

In the tradition of Genworth this too was driven by the passion for design excellence and our perpetual quest for creativity.