Designed for long-time client and collaborator, Firma Construction Group, FIRMA HQ is the product of a well-acquainted architect–client–builder relationship; one grounded in trust, candour and a shared appetite for pushing material boundaries.

Located in the heart of Richmond and overlooking Melbourne’s skyline, the workplace is both a functional headquarters and a built manifesto. It reflects Firma’s confidence as a builder and Cera Stribley’s belief that design should be felt as much as it is seen.

At the centre of the project is an unconventional material decision: cork. Typically relegated to pinboards or acoustic backing, here it is elevated and applied with intention. The design leans into its tactility and tonal depth, pairing it with deep burgundy and moody neutrals, offset by precise moments of stainless steel. The result is warm, immersive and quietly luxurious; a deliberate departure from the archetypal industrial office.

The palette is deliberately controlled: warm neutrals sit alongside cool steel, walnut joinery and deep burgundy accents. Light becomes a material in its own right — softening the composition without diluting its strength.

The interplay between matte cork and reflective metal creates a tension that is both grounded and refined.

The planning prioritises openness and connection, balancing collaborative zones with spaces for focused work. Generous sightlines and framed views to the city reinforce a sense of expansiveness, while the material palette anchors the experience at a human scale.

FIRMA HQ ultimately explores what a contemporary construction office can be: textural yet controlled, expressive yet disciplined. It demonstrates how workplace design can move beyond trend, instead articulating a clear identity through material intelligence and spatial clarity.