Designed by Woods Bagot, the new fitout marks Argonaut’s move from Allendale Square, creating a workplace aligned with the firm’s next chapter. The result is a sophisticated environment that balances heritage and prestige with the demands of a contemporary financial services business. 

“The design centred on themes of heritage, longevity and prestige,” says Woods Bagot Senior Associate Ashleigh Lyford. “Argonaut is a high-performing business with a strong sense of identity. The workplace needed to reflect that character while supporting contemporary business operations.” 

Inspiration came from the firm’s namesake. References to the mythology of Jason and the Argonauts informed a design narrative centred on exploration, ambition and legacy. Nautical influences are subtly expressed through stone detailing, bronze accents, fluted glazing and a custom wallpaper that anchors the front-of-house experience. 

The floor plan responds to the operational needs of a business that functions across an extended working day. At its centre is the dealer floor, positioned to capture morning light and support the energy and intensity of trading activity. 

Around it, teams occupy clearly defined precincts tailored to their specific requirements. Research sits behind secure swipe-card access, while funds management and corporate finance maintain dedicated zones of their own. Senior leadership offices are positioned along the perimeter, with the boardroom enjoying views west towards Kings Park. Fluted glass is used throughout to establish privacy while maintaining visual cohesion across the floor. 

“Privacy was as much a design driver as aesthetics,” says Lyford. “Every team has a different rhythm and a different set of needs, and the plan had to honour that without the floor feeling fragmented. The goal was a workplace where each part functions on its own terms and the whole still holds together.” 

Despite its internal position on the floorplate, reception was carefully planned to borrow natural light from surrounding spaces. Beyond it, the workplace opens into a social hub and multi-purpose area designed to encourage interaction between teams that had previously operated largely independently. 

Serving as breakout space, presentation venue and informal gathering place, a flexible collaboration room has become a central destination within the workplace. A large-format screen supports client presentations, while the feature wallpaper reinforces the broader design narrative. 

“The materiality always stayed true to the Jason and the Argonauts story,” says Woods Bagot Interior Designer Anjalee Patel.  

“We wove that narrative through texture, finish and graphic elements, including the glazing film, which carries the story across the workplace. The front-of-house palette references the client’s branding while introducing colour and tone that give the space a character of its own.” 

Key material moments are concentrated within the reception, boardroom and social hub, where bronze detailing, stone elements and bespoke joinery establish a refined and enduring aesthetic. 

Elsewhere, carefully selected finishes balance durability with visual warmth. A herringbone-pattern timber-look tile brings texture and character to the breakout area while supporting the day-to-day demands of a workplace that regularly hosts clients and events. 

The project also incorporated a considered approach to reuse. Existing furniture and artwork were catalogued and retained where possible. 

The views from 9 The Esplanade are among the building’s defining assets, extending across the Swan River and towards Kings Park. Workstations are deliberately set back from the glazing line to preserve sightlines and allow the full-height façade to frame the landscape. 

The project sits within a broader shift in Perth’s commercial interior market, where the expectations placed on workplace design have moved well beyond fitout.  

“Perth clients are asking for more,” says Lyford. “The standard for quality has moved beyond the finish. Clients expect workplaces that are thoughtful, distinctive and aligned with the way their business operates.” 

“Projects like this work when the client already knows who they are,” says Lyford. “Argonaut came to us with a strong sense of identity and the conviction to back it. That kind of clarity makes for better design. You’re not searching for an answer, you’re finding the best way to express one that already exists.” 

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Adrien Moffatt
Content and Communications Manager (Australia)