Wyer & Co Warehouse: A Workplace Sanctuary in Sydney
Harnessing a shared affinity for nature, Daniel Boddam Studio has transformed the corporate space of Wyer & Co Warehouse in Sydney, Australia into an uplifting sanctuary.
Filled with sustainable materials, locally crafted furniture, verdant landscaping and natural light, the space reflects the designer’s shared reverence for nature and their interest in connecting people to place.
About Wyer & Co Warehouse
Harnessing a shared affinity for nature, Daniel Boddam Studio and landscape design practice Wyer & Co have come together to create a workplace sanctuary in Wyer & Co’s Botany-based warehouse. The result is a space awash with verdant landscaping, natural light, sustainable materials and locally crafted furniture.
Transforming Landscape Design Practice Wyer & Co
Working with Wyer & Co creatively for many years, the Daniel Boddam Studio design team developed a design language centred around authenticity and sustainable design. “I saw the project as an extension of Wyer & Co’s desire to bring in nature,” says Daniel Boddam, Founder of Daniel Boddam Studio.
Softening the Industrial Context
Embedded in Botany’s industrial context, Wyer & Co’s dark steel and red brick warehouse is softened by verdant, layered landscaping. Along the boundary, existing linear garden beds are retained with mature Trachycarpus fortunei craned in to ground and reduce the scale of the building, while at the entrance, a large masonry planter holds a striking Phoenix reclinata palm supported by Agave potatorum (Butterfly Agave), Lomandra longifolia ‘Tanika’ and a carpet of vibrant Zoysia tenuifolia, framing the building’s oversized steel doors.
Reinforcing the Values of Wyer & Co
Sandblasted limestone pavers flow effortlessly from exterior to interior, where a conservatory-style gallery welcomes visitors and presents a canvas for client presentations, industry events, talks and workshops. A series of bespoke, honey-coloured plywood cabinets articulate project material displays, fostering a constant connection to Wyer & Co’s design process, while a large Phoenic roebelenii mirrors the tone of the exterior planting, its fronds reaching towards the skylight above.
Celebrating Natural Materials and Local Artisans
Following Daniel Boddam Studio’s pursuit of simplicity, the workplace interior embraces a restrained yet textural arrangement of natural materials. Expressed hoop pine plywood, Tasmanian oak, walnut and sandblasted limestone create a warm base palette, subtly embellished with cork and brass accents. Custom pots faricated in mild steel and finished in clear powder coat lend an industrial feel to the interior. Planting is kept simple, with Monstera deliciosa intended to trail the walls and ceilings to create a natural, green environment over time, complemented by views to the exterior palms.
Curating Locally Designed and Crafted Furniture
Throughout Wyer & Co, Daniel Boddam Studio has curated locally designed and crafted furniture, with many pieces derived from studio’s own collections. The dramatic Geo Long Table anchors the meeting room, complemented by a custom design cabinet and the delicate Lina Chair which sits lightly around its perimeter. The low-lying Booham Chair mediates contemporary and primitive influences in the nearby lounge areas, while a combination of the Wave Sofa and Armchair in textural boucle upholsteries speak of the coast’s gentle rolling and foaming waves.
Providing Staff Amenities
In the basement level staff areas, custom plywood staff lockers provide personalised storage, enabling workspaces to be kept clean, while kitchen and gathering spaces encourages staff to step away from their desks, gather and socialise. In line with Wyer & Co’s focus on sustainability and staff wellbeing, solar panels offset power usage, while the provision of electric bikes enable local staff to sustainably commute to work.
A Reflection of Nature and Values
The result of Daniel Boddam Studio and Wyer & Co’s partnership is a quiet and considered interior that harmonises with the Australian landscape and celebrates the artisanal; a testament to simplicity, comfort, calmness and wellbeing. The space reflects the designers’ shared reverence for nature and interest in connecting people to place.
Photography by Pablo Veiga
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- by Matt Watts
