Sanders Place by NMBW Architecture Studio

Sanders Place, designed by NMBW Architecture Studio, represents a sensitive and inventive conversion of a 1970s two-storey brick factory into a modern co-working space. Located at the edge of commercial-industrial development and adjacent to a residential area, the original building was inward-looking, with minimal connection to the street or surrounding laneways. The design team’s vision transformed this underutilized industrial structure into a light-filled, naturally ventilated workspace that fosters both social interaction among occupants and engagement with the surrounding community.

Collaborative Design Approach

From the beginning, Sanders Place was conceived as a collaborative project, integrating the architect, landscape architect, and environmental sustainability (ESD) consultant as equal design leads. This approach allowed design decisions to balance architectural quality, sustainability, and landscape integration. The client’s brief emphasized a workspace that felt more like a home than a conventional office, while also prioritizing energy-positive performance.

The project demonstrates a holistic understanding of sustainability, extending beyond operational energy efficiency to include material reuse, adaptive design, and environmental quality. Even the demolition process was carefully planned to allow the meaningful reuse of materials from the original factory, reducing waste and retaining the building’s historical memory. High thermal performance, natural ventilation, and heat recovery ventilation systems minimize energy consumption, while a rooftop photovoltaic system generates renewable energy. The result is a healthy and inviting workspace where daylight, greenery, and natural cooling are seamlessly integrated into daily operations.

Courtyards as Spatial and Social Catalysts

A key feature of Sanders Place is the introduction of four new courtyards, which redefine the building’s spatial logic while providing natural light and ventilation throughout the deep floor plate. The central internal courtyard serves as the heart of the co-working environment. This courtyard incorporates a garden planted through a void cut in the first-floor slab above, creating a visual and physical connection across levels. Plant species were carefully selected for interior, unconditioned environments, creating a robust and low-maintenance landscape that brings nature into the workspace.

The corner external courtyards provide additional micro-climates and atmospheres, including a working kitchen garden, offering both functional and social opportunities for occupants. These outdoor spaces are designed to encourage interaction, providing communal areas for gathering, informal meetings, and relaxation. Sky lanterns punctuate the roof, allowing natural light to reach deeper into the building, transforming previously dark and underused areas into inviting spaces. The courtyards, together with carefully considered daylighting strategies, foster a healthy, productive, and connected working environment.

Structural Adaptation and Circulation

The transformation required significant structural adaptation to introduce the courtyards and reconfigure circulation within the building. Large openings were carefully cut through the existing concrete slabs to create double-height spaces and courtyards, allowing daylight to penetrate the deep floor plate. On the ground floor, cores were drilled to expose natural ground, enabling the creation of deep planting zones and integrating the interior with exterior landscaping. These interventions were executed in a way that preserved the structural integrity of the original building while creating a more legible and functional spatial hierarchy.

New circulatory pathways connect open and enclosed areas, integrating staircases and visual sightlines that enhance spatial clarity. The result is a workspace that feels open, fluid, and interconnected, with multiple layers of interaction between levels and spaces.

Material Reuse and Craftsmanship

Sustainability and craft are central to Sanders Place’s identity. Materials from the existing factory were carefully deconstructed, cleaned, stored, and repurposed, minimizing environmental impact and preserving historical character. Large sections of demolished Oregon floor joists were transformed into bespoke furniture, including communal benches, crafted in collaboration with a woodworker. These pieces retain the original material’s ‘as-found’ quality, turning structural remnants into functional and social objects that foster community within the co-working space.

Existing walls and structural elements were meticulously wrapped in an air-tight membrane, enhancing thermal performance while maintaining the building’s architectural character. The integration of raw brick, timber, and concrete throughout the space honors the building’s industrial origins, while subtle interventions in finishes and materials emphasize warmth, tactility, and a human scale.

Energy Efficiency and Environmental Performance

Sanders Place exemplifies a thoughtful approach to energy efficiency and environmental responsibility. The rooftop photovoltaic system provides renewable electricity, while high-performance glazing, thermal insulation, and heat recovery ventilation optimize energy use. Natural ventilation and daylighting reduce reliance on mechanical systems, creating a building that is not only energy positive but also comfortable and engaging for its occupants.

The combination of landscape, daylight, and sustainable building systems contributes to a healthy indoor environment, supporting wellbeing, productivity, and social connection. By prioritizing environmental performance alongside design quality, Sanders Place demonstrates how adaptive reuse can meet contemporary sustainability standards without compromising architectural integrity.

A Human-Centered Co-Working Environment

The final design transforms a former industrial building into a dynamic, flexible, and energy-positive co-working hub. Courtyards, double-height voids, abundant daylight, and thoughtfully repurposed materials create a sense of openness, warmth, and identity. Every intervention, from structural adaptation to furniture design, emphasizes social interaction, comfort, and connection—both among occupants and with the surrounding neighborhood.

Sanders Place stands as a compelling example of how a 1970s industrial building can be reimagined for contemporary use, balancing sustainability, heritage, and human experience. It demonstrates that thoughtful design and collaborative practice can convert a historically isolated factory into a vibrant workplace that is environmentally responsible, socially engaging, and architecturally rich.

Photography: Peter Bennetts