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A Sydney agency on the Lower North Shore has won acclaim from the architectural fraternity for a vision that has set a new real estate design benchmark.
LJ Hooker Willoughby/Artarmon has won silver in the commercial category of the prestigious 2018 Sydney Design Awards for the design of their office on Mowbray Road, Willoughby.
The panel of judges, from the design and creative disciplines, recognised the office’s bold approach to making the workplace feel like a home.
In its judgment, the panel acknowledged the similarities in the spaces.
“The boardroom feels more like a dining room, [and] the meeting room appears more like a lounge room with an elevated sense of luxury flowing through to the workspace,” the panel said.
LJ Hooker Willoughby/Artarmon principal John McManus said that this distinction was an important consideration of the design.
“I wanted the office to be a physical representation of the experience customers expect from the real estate process.
“When people are selling, buying or investing, they’re making what can be life-changing decisions and expect a level of service commensurate with their commitment.”
Mr McManus said that the process should be seamless.
“That level of service should extend from their first phone enquiry or attendance at an open for inspection right through to any meetings in our office.
“Vendors welcome us into their home, and we strode to create an agency that reciprocated that privilege.
“We therefore needed to create a workplace that was comparable with many of the prestige properties we market and manage. It’s less like stepping in to negotiate a deal and more like an extension of the Lower North Shore’s character.”
Mr McManus added that the setting also enhanced the diligence and commitment of his team.
“Your approach to work is a by-product of your setting, so when you’re working in an innovative environment, it undoubtedly influences your own standards.”
LJ Hooker Willoughby/Artarmon engaged Prospace Australia to develop the concept, with Al-Chami Projects and Cordony Design materialising the vision.
LJ Hooker chairman L Janusz Hooker congratulated Mr McManus and his team on the workspace.
“It’s a game-changing design outcome which meets the expectations of the savvy, modern-day real estate customer,” the chairman said.
“In every state, we have agency experiences which have turned preconceptions of the real estate shopfront on its head. LJ Hooker Willoughby/Artarmon is a prime example of our brand leading the transformation of the real estate experience.”
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