Daniel Boddam harmonises with Australian landscapes at Wyer & Co

Images: Pablo Veiga

Using a design language centred around authentic and sustainable design, Daniel Boddam Studio has transformed a warehouse in Botany, NSW, into a natural and biophilic workplace for landscape design practice, Wyer & Co. “Sustainability was discussed from the outset and informed every aspect of the design – from materials and furniture to services and staff amenities,” says Daniel Boddam, founder of his eponymous studio.  

Verdant landscaping and potted plants – including a very special Phoenix reclinata palm – soften the external red-brick façade and frame the warehouse’s oversized dark steel entrance doors. On the floor, sandblasted limestone flows from the outside into a welcome foyer and adjacent conservatory-style gallery, which features a series of bespoke honey-coloured plywood cabinets for Wyer & Co to showcase materials they use in their work. “Visitors comment on how relaxed they feel in the environment,” adds Boddam, who created this area as a fit-for-purpose space for client presentations, industry events and workshops. A varied range of textured materials forms the basis of the interior’s warm base palette, including expressed hoop pine plywood, Tasmanian oak, walnut and sandblasted limestone, subtly embellished with cork and brass accents.

Staff areas were added to the lower ground floor with custom plywood lockers to enable workspaces to be kept clean; Wyer & Co’s kitchen offers a social space away from desks. Simple greenery is present in most rooms with Monstera deliciosa the plant of choice, intended to trail the walls and ceilings in years to come, “indoor planting was always a key part of the vision for Wyer & Co and serves as a showcase of our landscape design sensibility,” adds founder and creative director of the design practice, Anthony Wyer. Pots made from milled steel and finished in a clear powder coat nod to the warehouse’s industrial origin.  

Many furniture items from Boddam’s own collection feature throughout, which in his words “allows nature-based concepts to be translated architecturally”. The dramatic Geo Long Table anchors the meeting room, complemented by a custom design cabinet and a delicate Lina Chair. In the welcome foyer, a Wave sofa and armchair in textured bouclé upholsteries expresses the office’s coastal proximity. To connect the workspace with its wider community and surrounding vistas, Boddam also added a series of locally designed and crafted furnishings from the likes of Armadillo, Alison Frith and Clementine Maconachie.

In line with Wyer & Co’s eco-focus, solar panels offset the office’s power usage, while the provision of electric bikes enable local staff to sustainably commute to work. “The space is open to architects and designers looking to hire workspace in a creative, likeminded environment, and with time we hope to showcase additional works from local artists and creatives,” finishes Wyer.