More than 18 months after buying its new premises, architecture firm Sandover Pinder has completed renovations of the Cremorne Arcade Buildings on Hay Street in the city’s east end.
The company bought the building for $2.6 million in April last year and subsequently embarked on an overhaul of the internal layout and fittings.
At the time of purchase, a low ceiling was blocking off about a metre of space along the windows.
The ceiling has since been removed to allow more light into the 800 square metre area, while the walls have been stripped back to expose the brickwork underneath. The rest of the interior has been painted white to maximise the natural light.
Sandover Pinder managing director David Karotkin said the firm decided to move from its former site in Subiaco because it needed a larger, better quality space for its 25 staff.
“It was also part of a desire to move back to the CBD and as our practice grows, more and more of our clients are CBD based,” he said.
The firm was also keen to be part of the revitalisation of the east end, which includes the Criterion Hotel mixed-use development down the road at 560 Hay Street.
A few doors the other way is the former Cinema City site, which is to be developed into 147 apartments, a shopping mall and five levels of office space.
“With all the development, the traditional centre line of the city could become the centre line again,” Mr Karotkin said.
He said the site also had great potential for development in the longer term.
Executive chairman Michael Henderson said while renovations were often more expensive than the purchase of a premises, the costs had been kept in check.
“The previous owners had spent a large amount structurally and it was a unique opportunity to develop the premises in the manner we wanted,” he said.
Sandover Pinder is based on the first floor of the two-storey building, while three ground floor tenancies, covering 700sqm, are occupied by a souvenir retailer, a comic book shop, and a foreign languages bookshop.
Other tenants on the first floor include barristers’ offices and the head office of Jetset Corporate Travel.
Sandover Pinder, which was established in 1995, is currently building its market share in the Asia Pacific region, in health care and hospital infrastructure.
“It’s a big market right on our doorstep,” Mr Karotkin said.
“It’s actually a lot more difficult to penetrate the Australian market, because of the time difference with the eastern states.”
About 60 per cent of the firm’s revenue currently comes from its Asia Pacific clients – a proportion that’s expected to increase to 90 per cent during the next two years.
While most of the firm’s future growth is expected to come from the region – particularly Indonesia, China, India and Malaysia – it will retain its headquarters in Perth.
“Ultimately what we want to do is keep our finger on quality control,” Mr Karotkin said.
