Lander & Rogers
Project: Lander & Rogers
Architect: Bates Smart
Builder: MPA Construction
Location: Sydney, Australia
Planex products: Linea Sliding Door Cabinet and S-Series SB Bookcase
Returning After 22 Years
More than 22 years later, Planex’s relationship with 33 Alfred Place has entered a new chapter.
When leading Australian law firm Lander & Rogers relocated its Sydney office, Bates Smart reimagined the workplace to support a contemporary way of working while respecting the architectural significance of this landmark building from 1962. The result is a warm, welcoming environment that encourages collaboration, wellbeing and flexibility, while retaining the timeless character of the original architecture. Strong sustainability credentials also reflect Lander & Rogers’ commitment to responsible business practices.
For Planex, the project marks a rare opportunity to return to a building it first helped furnish more than two decades ago. In 2004, Planex supplied the original S-Series tambour door cabinets for the AMP workplace fit-out. Then, low-height tambour cabinets became a defining architectural feature, running beneath the perimeter windows and contributing to the clean, horizontal lines of the workplace.
Now, Linea cabinets supplied by Planex offer more than practical storage. Positioned on carefully detailed plinths and complemented by integrated plantings, they become a prominent architectural feature within the space. Their clean horizontal proportions and minimalist detailing reinforces Bates Smart’s disciplined design language, demonstrating how functional elements can also contribute to the overall architectural expression.
Manufactured in Australia from locally sourced steel, the Linea range reflects the shared values of both Bates Smart and Lander & Rogers namely quality, durability and sustainability. Unlike conventional joinery, our cabinets can be maintained, refinished, relocated and repurposed as workplace needs change, significantly extending their service life. And, at end of that life, the steel doesn’t become landfill but is fully recyclable, supporting circular economy principles and reducing whole-of-life environmental impact.
Few Australian manufacturers have the opportunity to contribute to successive generations of fit-outs within the same landmark building.
For Planex, returning after 22 years is a reminder that as well-designed buildings continue to evolve, Planex’s thoughtfully designed Australian-made products can play an enduring role in that ongoing story.
Photography by Tyrone Branigan
Planex Archives and City of Sydney Archives