Cox Architecture, Melbourne: Public, Quality, Fun.

“By the many for the many,” is the phrase Cox Architecture Director Ian Sutter uses to describe the practice and its work. 

The practice of more than 130 staff has become known as one of Melbourne’s premium design firms focusing on sports, residential, education and transport architecture. Cox’s Melbourne office is the home of its sports group and it is from here that it produced their competition designs for both Barcelona FC stadium and the Tokyo Olympics. 

Situated in an old factory in Flinders Lane in a building covered in graffiti, the open-plan office spreads out over three floors. These are connected by a large sculptural stairway and auditorium which acts as the hub of the office hosting everything from film nights to all staff meetings. 

It is a young office with a flat structure. The average age of the practice’s directors is just 44 years and most of its staff are in their thirties. According to Sutter, the culture evolves around this.

“People are just excited by the work which we have,” says Sutter. “If you are into cutting edge design then this is the place people want to work.”

“We are very happy to give people a go at any direction they want to take their career in,” he adds. “We work very much in a workshop environment. We want everybody to be involved in the projects from the beginning.”

The office is a very social one. Each Friday night the working week ends with drinks and a bake-off, while during the week there is a sketching group, a soccer team and running club.