VCAT Headquarters
VCAT Headquarters
Wardle redefines civic workplace design, delivering a considered, human-centred project for Court Services Victoria.
Commissioned by Court Services Victoria and designed by Wardle, the new Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) headquarters at La Trobe Street consolidates the tribunal’s Melbourne operations into a contemporary, purpose-built facility across nine floors of 14,000m². Targeting a 5 Star Green Star Interiors rating, the project reflects a commitment to design excellence and environmental responsibility from the outset.
Serving the community through the resolution of disputes spanning planning, guardianship, human rights, consumer affairs, and commercial leases, VCAT required a workplace and public spaces that could respond to the complexity of its operations while remaining accessible, safe, and welcoming to all users. The overall aim of cultivating an environment that fosters effective hearings and mediations is carried throughout every layer of the interior.
Zinta by Arper is specified throughout the hearing and mediation rooms, where its modular bench system is ideally suited to the varied and specific spatial requirements of each space. Configured to different layouts within the project, Zinta’s system of diverse lengths and angles allows for tailored arrangements that respond precisely to each room’s function and layout. Its clean lines and restrained form brings clarity and order to these purposeful spaces — sitting cohesively within the interior while allowing the room and its role to remain at the forefront.
Discover the Zinta Collection here.
Throughout the general waiting, collaborative, and shared zones across the levels, the Place Lounge and Armchair by Melbourne-based designer Ross Gardam establishes a sense of ease and calm. Upholstered in a neutral palette of varied tones, Place reinforces the warm, soothing atmosphere central to Wardle’s design intent. Available in low, mid, and high-back configurations with or without arms, Place offers both comfort and flexibility, adapting intuitively across the range of settings found throughout the building. Paired with natural materials and organic textures within interior finishes, its quietly sophisticated aesthetic contributes to a public space that feels genuinely welcoming.