Harry Seidler’s original concept for Australia Square included a double-height exhibition space above the grand modernist lobby, conceived as a transitional civic volume before the standard office floors above. Defined by the coffered ceiling designed with Pier Luigi Nervi, the space was later converted to offices but remained vacant in recent years due to the constraints of its remarkable form.

In relocating our studio to this largely forgotten level, we sought to reveal its spatial qualities through minimal intervention. The workplace is conceived as an open, adaptive environment structured by a clear organisational framework that introduces four legible studio quadrants within the circular floorplate. This improves orientation and supports diverse modes of work, from focused tasks to collective exchange.

Within the western George Street quadrant, circlesix operates as a dedicated forum for daily collaboration, reviews and industry events. Curvilinear volumes accommodate meeting rooms, library and workshop functions while preserving long views to the Nervi ceiling. Integrated artwork by First Nations collaborator Jake Nash anchors the arrival space, establishing a dialogue between the building’s modernist geometry and the enduring cultural significance of the circle as a place of gathering on Country.

Photography: Tom Ferguson, fjcstudio