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Melbourne office renovations We will soon start renovating the west wing of the Melbourne office. This is part of a wider renovation project approved by Council that includes renovating the west wing’s levels two and three in phase one, bringing the building up to modern standards. This will be followed by the renovation of the east wing’s levels three and four in 2023. The renovation is part of a wider RACS program of work that has seen the updating or move to new office premises for offices in Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales, and Tasmania. Why are we renovating? The Melbourne office consists of three wings and each has various building issues that need to be rectified. • The west wing was built in the 1960s and is not code compliant for workplace usage and does not have disability access. • The east wing was built in the early 2000s and services in the building such
as air circulation, electrical, plumbing and security, among others are past their useful life. • The south wing, which is the heritage listed part of our building, does not have disability access. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has changed our work environments with the rise of hybrid methods of working. This has placed pressures on organisations to change the way they view and use office spaces, including keeping them safe and healthy by reducing or limiting potential virus transmission through the effective management of air circulation and quality. We also need to ensure our workplaces are inviting, allowing effective engagement and collaboration among staff. We have commissioned Lovell Chen Architects to help us with the design of the offices. Construction of the west wing is expected to start in August 2022 and finish around February 2023. We had to factor a long lead time because our building is heritage listed and the pandemic and other global events meant
that materials tend to take longer to procure than usual. Our goal is to have a safe, healthy, and attractive workplace that motivates people to come into the office and enjoy the time they spend there. Some of the benefits of the new office spaces will include: • modern, spacious, and comfortable office layout with more natural light and windows that open to provide fresh air • architecturally designed office spaces with ample storage • flexible meeting spaces and breakout rooms to promote socialising and collaboration • comfortable spaces for Fellows, Trainees and Specialist International Medical Graduates to use • purpose built new kitchen and meals area • latest IT equipment and technology • disability access • end of trip facilities • energy efficient air circulation and heating systems.
