Fender

Creating a home for the home of guitars was a creative challenge that needed to be balanced against the workplace needs of staff as well as those that might peruse their dream instruments. Remaining true to the brand is always a key objective but icons such as Fender, known around the world for quality, workmanship and prestige since the 1940s, it’s vital.

Location: Sydney, NSW | Size: 450m2
Build completion: April 2019
Service: Office Fitout, Office Design

fender-case-study-2

workplace

Where the guitars are the stars

Understanding the company was built on the product, it was important to ensure that the guitars were visible and properly displayed for all to see. The reception area provides the perfect backdrop. We included some subtly backlit, individual display cases for the key pieces, adding prestige to these fine instruments.

Our vision was a uniquely Australian take on inspirations taken from the LA office.

However, we leant heavily on the timber feature in the reception area ceiling,
cantilevered out over the meeting rooms – a constant reminder of both the craftmanship and the warmth of Australia. These tones are repeated and complemented by the selected hues of the furniture choices.

The look and feel is uniquely Fender and the guitars remain the stars.

“Creating iconic surrounds for iconic sounds”

Solution

behind the design

We often talk about the power of interior design being able to a) solve problems and b) perhaps more pointedly, bring aesthetics and functionality together under one roof. Never was this more important than when understanding, dissecting, challenging and responding to the Fender brief. As previously stated, we have an iconic brand with which people will literally want to interact. They have heard of the brand, heard the brand and what to play and yes, own a piece of the brand – perhaps shape it to their own sense of creativity. To build an environment where this can happen, we needed to consider factors such as:

  • Creating beautiful display settings
  • Acoustics and the challenges they can present
  • Paying appropriate homage to brand origins

Since this was an office fit out in a new location there was an air of expectation around creative solutions and ambience – aesthetics and function.

Outcome

our approach to their workplace

How do you characterise, capture and encapsulate music in a look and feel? Possibly a hopeless task with no really definitive  answers. Music, like musical tastes, are broad and diverse but the Fender brand has remained solid, true and reliable despite  changes and progressions. The team required an environment in which they could support and promote the brand by singing its praises, working toward commercial objectives as well as presenting the “face of the brand” to those that care about it most.

Understanding this our technical brief requirements worked  harmoniously with the what Fender fans might expect to see, feel, experience. Like music, this environment was about the feel and respect for legacy. Our inspirations have already been discussed in
the previous section however, our approach, aim and shared  ambition was to design iconic surrounds for iconic sounds. 

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