Sydney Animation Studio
Our transformation of this Sydney Animation Studio was driven by a strategic vision to embed a...
A future-focused workplace centred on performance, collaboration and brand expression.
PUMA's new Melbourne workplace redefines the contemporary sports-brand office through a strategic blend of workplace planning, hospitality and immersive brand experience. Developed through executive workshops, team interviews and behavioural analysis, the project responds directly to PUMA's global brand guidelines- while creating a future-focused workplace centred on performance, collaboration and culture.
The two-level environment was designed to support a more agile and connected way of working. Rather than relying on traditional departmental silos, the workplace introduces flexible neighbourhoods, shared collaboration zones and adaptable settings that allow teams to move fluidly across the floorplate.
The result is a high-performing workplace that brings PUMA's global identity into a distinctly Melbourne context, supporting daily operations, client engagement, employee wellbeing and future scalability.
Photography by: Shannon McGrath
The Strategy
Before design and delivery commenced, the Axiom project team implemented our proprietary workplace strategy tool, wrkx INDEX™. This evidence-based tool is used to understand how a workplace can best support organisational performance, culture and brand.
For PUMA, this process involved structured surveys and in-depth interviews with key stakeholders to identify the operational requirements of the new workplace, along with the cultural behaviours and brand attributes it needed to reinforce. These insights provided measurable criteria to guide decision-making throughout the project.
In parallel, international visits to PUMA workplaces in Dubai, Herzogenaurach and Berlin informed the brand strategy. By studying how PUMA’s global offices function and express the brand, the team was able to translate consistent global design cues—such as circulation patterns, collaboration spaces and brand touchpoints—into a workplace solution tailored to the Melbourne context.
The strategy focused on creating an agile neighbourhood planning model that connects teams through shared collaboration zones and supports a more flexible, behavioural way of working. A diverse kit of parts was introduced to accommodate focused work, project activity, informal connection, hybrid meetings and client-facing experiences.
Key focus areas included:
- Creating a flexible neighbourhood model to replace traditional departmental silos
- Increasing access to meeting and collaboration spaces across the workplace
- Supporting hybrid work through enclosed rooms, focus pods, quiet rooms and AI-enabled meeting rooms
- Embedding PUMA's energetic brand identity through immersive, hospitality-inspired design
- Designing for wellbeing, adaptability and future change
Image Left: The Axiom Design Team created a digital render to illustrate the design concept.
Image Right: The professional photograph of the completed space.
The Objectives
The project was guided by four core objectives:
Innovation
Introduce an agile workplace model that enables teams to move fluidly across the floorplate, supported by adaptable neighbourhoods, shared collaboration spaces and a diverse kit of parts for different work modes.
Functionality
Improve operational efficiency, meeting room access and daily usability, including increasing meeting room provision from one room per 13.1 staff to one per 4.8 staff.
Form
Create an expressive workplace that reflects PUMA's global identity and Melbourne's creative culture through hospitality-inspired planning, curated sightlines, showroom moments and immersive presentation spaces.
Eco-Social Impact
Support inclusion, wellbeing and adaptability through multi-faith rooms, equitable access to wellness spaces, shared work settings and planning strategies that reduce future churn.
The Design
The design approach balances energy and efficiency, combining functional workplace planning with brand-led experience. Large communal hubs, integrated display zones and showroom catwalks create an environment equally suited to collaboration, client engagement and brand activation.
Level 8 supports high-performance working through flexible workpoints, collaboration hubs and focus settings, while Level 9 operates as an immersive showroom and client engagement environment with concierge, presentation zones and adaptable display areas.
Key design features include:
Agile Neighbourhoods
Three adaptable neighbourhoods connect teams through shared collaboration zones, enabling cross-functional working and greater flexibility across the floorplate.
Diverse Kit of Parts
Focus pods, quiet rooms, project tables, huddle spaces and AI-enabled meeting rooms support multiple work modes and hybrid collaboration.
Hospitality-Inspired Experience
Central communal hubs and engaging arrival moments create a workplace that feels welcoming, energetic and connected to the PUMA brand.
Showroom and Client Engagement
Level 9 creates an immersive showroom environment with concierge, presentation zones and adaptable displays for product storytelling and brand activation.
Adaptable Graphics and Spatial Layers
Layered graphics, curated sightlines and brand touchpoints translate PUMA's global identity into a local Melbourne workplace experience.
PUMA awarded Axiom an outstanding NPS score of 10, reflecting a highly positive client experience. The feedback highlights strong satisfaction with Axiom’s delivery and design, particularly around the quality of the outcome, the team’s professionalism, and the way challenges were managed throughout the office build.
People and Culture Outcomes
The workplace embeds inclusion, wellbeing and adaptability at the centre of the employee experience:
Improved Choice and Flexibility
A wider range of work settings allows teams to choose the environment that best supports their task, from focused work to team-based collaboration.
Enhanced Collaboration
Shared communal hubs, project spaces and collaboration zones encourage connection across neighbourhoods and support hybrid work behaviours.
Inclusive Wellbeing Support
Wellness rooms, multi-faith rooms and equitable access to support spaces create a more inclusive environment for a diverse workforce.
Stronger Brand Connection
Immersive brand cues, display moments and showroom experiences reinforce PUMA's identity for staff, visitors and clients.
Streamlined Planning and Future Adaptability
The project was planned to optimise spatial efficiency while supporting future workplace change. Flexible planning, shared settings and adaptable rooms reduce churn by enabling the workplace to respond to evolving team structures, project demands and hybrid work patterns.
By centralising communal hubs and distributing work settings across the floorplate, the design strengthens social connection while maintaining operational efficiency and long-term scalability.
Outcome: A Unified Workplace Supporting Creative Excellence
PUMA's Melbourne workplace delivers a brand-aligned, high-performing environment that supports people, performance and client engagement. It replaces rigid workplace structures with a more agile model, improving functionality while creating a distinctive and energetic spatial experience.
Through flexible neighbourhoods, immersive brand moments, inclusive support spaces and a strong focus on collaboration, the workplace establishes a scalable foundation for future growth and reflects PUMA's culture of movement, creativity and confidence.
Watch the PUMA Workplace video below.
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