National Australia Bank Officially Opens New Flagship Docklands Complex

The National Australia Bank’s new flagship development in Melbourne’s Docklands was today officially opened by the Premier of Victoria, Mr Steve Bracks. 

More than just a building, the new development will play an important role in the National’s cultural change program, bringing together 3500 employees from across Melbourne under the one roof to work more effectively and collaboratively to serve the needs of customers.

The new complex features two interconnected low-rise, highly transparent buildings set amongst sunlight filled Atriums.  There are no offices in the building, nor are there any barriers to effective communication. 

National Australia Group CEO and Managing Director, Mr John Stewart said “It’s much more that just real estate, it’s a statement about the new National and its culture.

“It helps to embed some of our key corporate principles including being open and honest, teamwork and collaboration, speed and simplicity and efficient execution of our promises.

“It fosters people speaking together rather than relying on emails.  It’s an environment that will support the integration of two of our core businesses – retail banking and wealth management, resulting in better product and service offerings for our customers.”

The building is the culmination of a long-term partnership between the National, developer and builder Lend Lease, owner General Property Trust and architects Bligh Voller Nield, a model of what can be achieved when a traditional contract-based relationship is reformed as a true collaborative effort.

Lend Lease CEO, Asia Pacific and Americas, Mr Ross Taylor, said “National @ Docklands is testament to what can be achieved when the tenant, architect, building owner, builder, developer and government partners all work together as a single team.

“National @ Docklands is a unique building, setting a new benchmark in not only the way that workplaces are designed, but also the relationships required to deliver them.”
 Working with like-minded corporates, the National had an opportunity to design a totally new environment from first principles, with partners willing to embrace a much more collaborative design process involving hundreds of National employees.  From workstation design and chair selection right through to development of the guidelines that the community lives by, employees had the opportunity to get involved to shape their new workplace.

The end result is not only a highly flexible workplace that fosters openness, accountability and collaboration, but a new philosophy of work for the National.

As one of the first major employers to commit to the Docklands precinct, the National is already taking an active part of the development of this new community, partnering with VicUrban and other Docklands employers to support the growth of Melbourne’s newest suburb.

Final relocations into the second building are currently taking place, with the complex expected to be fully occupied by the end of October.

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