Note from the CEO
When Melba Support Services approached us, we knew their fitout project was optimistic from a budget and timeline perspective. However, the opportunity to work alongside a company with such a noble purpose, was both a privilege and a chance for us to give something back to the wider community. We are honoured Melba chose us as their fitout partner and wanted to share their story and highlight the amazing work they do.
Richard Mensink
The Project
Melba Support Services helps those with a disability to get the care, support, and learning opportunities needed to lead everyday lives, as well as ongoing support for their family members.
Melba’s vision is a society that values the individuality and rights of all people
When Melba approached Concept in mid-2018 with optimistic plans for their Melbourne workspaces they weren’t just looking for any fitout company. They were looking for a partner, one that could design and build their various facilities, and work closely with them throughout the entire process.
From Concept perspective, the opportunity to work alongside a company with such a noble purpose was a privilege. In addition, their not for profit status allowed us to leverage our extensive relationships with suppliers to deliver inspiring and budget friendly fitout options, making an optimistic hope a reality.
The Brief
With multiple sites across Melbourne, helping thousands of individuals, consistency across the projects were paramount from a branding and cultural aesthetics perspective, ensuring patients had the same experience at every single location.
Another design aspect that required careful consideration was the fact each facility has a dual purpose, operating as both an office for staff and a patient facility. Security was at the forefront; providing a secure environment for the team to work in private on confidential patient documents, and ensuring the safety of their staff.
The nature of the business, and expansion of multiple sites required close integration with Melba’s IT team to ensure the required technology was adequately supported. Tight completion and turnaround times were also mandatory, as each site needed to be back up and running quick to continue their support for their patients.
Further complicating things, the business continued to expand throughout the project, with new staff coming on board, putting pressure on lead times and designs, as floor plans were altered to squeeze in additional desks for staff starting literally days later.
In addition, each site had its own unique challenges. For example, the Lilydale site was an old university campus, while in Dandenong the site was previously conventional office space, and Morwell was an existing temporary space before the build of the official facility. In-depth collaboration with the Melba Support Services team allowed Concept to overcome each individual sites challenges, while maintaining the required design consistency, ultimately delivering a seamless fitout experience.
We are honoured Melba Support Services chose to make Concept their fitout partner, and we want to thank the team at Melba Support Services for the amazing work they do each and every day, supporting patients and families to live a fabulous life.
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