Our transformation of Vortex Headquarters the brand behind Thermomix, was driven by a strategic vision to create a workplace that brings together brand, community, product experience and operational performance.

Located on Level 21 of Rialto Towers at 525 Collins Street, Melbourne, the new headquarters spans 900sqm and has been designed as a people-first workplace that reflects Vortex’s legacy of innovation, local growth and passion for bringing people together through food, creativity and connection.

The project reimagines the workplace as both a functional headquarters and an immersive brand environment. It brings together front-of-house experience, workplace neighbourhoods, meeting spaces, breakout areas, product display, media support and a purpose-built test kitchen within a cohesive setting that feels warm, precise and distinctly Vortex.

Photographer Credit: Graham Alderton

The Strategy

Prior to design and construction, the project team worked closely with stakeholders to identify the key priorities required to support Vortex’s operational needs, brand presence and future workplace experience.

Key focus areas included:

• Creating a welcoming headquarters that reflects Vortex’s brand, heritage and community spirit

• Designing a workplace that supports staff, visitors, consultants and product demonstrations

• Establishing a strong front-of-house experience with reception, display, meeting and waiting areas

• Delivering a breakout and kitchen environment that acts as the social heart of the workplace

• Providing specialist back-of-house spaces for recipe development, media activity and operational support

• Ensuring the test kitchen could function effectively without unnecessarily triggering commercial kitchen requirements

• Maintaining buildability and compliance within an operational premium-grade commercial office tower

These priorities informed a workplace strategy focused on connection, clarity and confidence. The result is a design that balances hospitality, technical performance and workplace functionality while supporting Vortex’s culture of passion and innovation.

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 three core objectives:

Brand Expression & Legacy

Create a workplace that reflects the Vorwerk and Vortex story, drawing on global brand references while adapting them to a Melbourne headquarters environment.

Connection & Community

Design a warm, engaging workplace that supports collaboration, product storytelling, shared meals, informal interaction and moments of social connection.

Performance & Operational Confidence

Deliver a technically resolved workplace with specialist kitchen, media, meeting and support spaces that enable Vortex teams to work, demonstrate, create and host with confidence.

The Design

The design approach was built around the idea of a workplace crafted through legacy, designed to fuel creativity and built for connection. It expresses the Vortex brand through warmth, precision and purposeful colour, creating a workplace that feels both professional and welcoming.

Key design features include:

Front of House Entry & Arrival

The arrival experience uses warm timbers, layered textures, soft curves and brand messaging moments to invite visitors into the Vortex story. Reception, waiting, display and product showcase areas combine to create a strong first impression that communicates legacy, innovation and hospitality.

Branding & Hero Wall

A custom brand wall and Hall of Fame display provide a flexible storytelling platform, allowing Vortex to celebrate people, milestones, products and achievements. Modular rails and display elements allow content to evolve over time.

Front of House Meeting Room

The meeting room suite expresses quiet precision through technology-enabled capability, warm materiality, acoustic treatments and clear detailing. Glass partitions support transparency and connection while maintaining a professional meeting environment.

Breakout & Community Hub

The breakout area forms the emotional centre of the workplace. Designed as a kitchen-led communal space, it supports morning coffee, informal meetings, staff gatherings, demonstrations and moments of connection. Tiered seating, integrated planting, flexible dining settings and a warm material palette create a space that feels social, active and inviting.

Test Kitchen & Specialist Rooms

The test kitchen and support rooms are designed as high-performance spaces that reflect Vortex’s mastery in food, product and recipe development. The kitchen includes integrated equipment, storage, safety flooring, suspended power, stainless steel worktops and dedicated areas for Vortex equipment, enabling practical workflow while maintaining a refined workplace aesthetic.

Workspace & Executive Offices

The back-of-house workspaces are calm, light-filled and organised with clarity. Open plan work areas, touchdown settings, focus rooms, private booths, executive offices and people and culture spaces create a balanced workplace environment that supports concentration, collaboration and daily operational flow.

Materiality & Colour

The palette combines the Vortex and Tmix green with warm timber, soft neutrals and selective colour accents inspired by food, ingredients and brand moments. Colour is introduced through carpet, upholstery, shelving, tiles, rugs and feature finishes, creating moments of energy without overwhelming the workplace.

The overall design balances precision and warmth, ensuring the workplace is technically capable while still feeling human, generous and connected.

People and Culture Outcomes

The Vortex HQ workplace is designed to support staff, visitors and the broader Vorwerk community through a more connected and purposeful workplace experience.

Stronger Brand Connection

The workplace embeds Vortex’s identity through brand storytelling, product display, colour, materiality and moments that celebrate the company’s legacy and passion.

Enhanced Collaboration

Meeting rooms, touchdown areas, breakout spaces and informal settings support collaboration across teams, consultants and visitors.

Improved Daily Experience

A warm and varied workplace environment provides spaces for focused work, team connection, private conversations, product activity and social interaction.

Community & Belonging

The breakout and kitchen-led spaces create a natural gathering point, reinforcing food, sharing and connection as central elements of the Vorwerk culture.

Visitor & Demonstration Experience

The front-of-house, display and kitchen environments support a more polished, immersive and brand-aligned journey for guests, consultants and stakeholders.

Streamlined Planning and Future Adaptability

Delivering the Vortex HQ project within an operational commercial office building required careful planning, consultation and coordination.

Key considerations included:

• Working within Level 21 of Rialto Towers, a premium-grade commercial office environment

• Coordinating services, access and construction constraints within an existing base building

• The test kitchen was designed to support day-to-day needs while meeting building, safety and compliance requirements. Early planning also helped the team find a practical, compliant approach and avoid unnecessary changes to the building

• Avoiding costly exhaust canopy and major base building modifications through early planning

• Confirming service capacities, approval pathways and compliance requirements during pre-construction

• Managing specialist joinery, equipment, finishes and workplace settings across a compact 900sqm tenancy

Through proactive coordination with building management, consultants and stakeholders, the project team developed a delivery strategy that balanced compliance, operational performance and design intent.

 Outcome: A Connected Headquarters Built Around Brand, Food and Community 

The Vortex HQ project delivers a workplace that brings together people, product, storytelling and operational excellence.

Through a welcoming front-of-house, flexible community hub, specialist kitchen and media support spaces, and calm workplace neighbourhoods, the design supports the everyday needs of Vortex teams while elevating the experience for visitors, consultants and stakeholders.

The result is a headquarters that reflects Vortex’s passion for innovation, creativity and connection - enabling teams to gather, create, demonstrate, collaborate and perform within an environment that feels distinctly Vortex.

This outcome was reflected in Vortex’s outstanding NPS score of 9, with perfect 7/7 ratings across responsiveness, value for money and commitment. Client feedback highlighted Axiom’s strong communication, responsiveness and supportive approach, with the team noting that the process felt comfortable, well aligned and well managed from end to end.