Wurundjeri Woi wurrung people of the Kulin Nation
Victoria
Crumpler’s office and workshop, known as ‘Bag House,’ transforms the first floor of a heritage-listed building in Melbourne’s Chinatown into an inspiring space for design and fabrication. This adaptive reuse project preserves the raw industrial charm of exposed concrete ceilings, and heritage windows, while introducing a functional, tailored fitout that supports Crumpler’s innovative R&D and prototyping.
The design reflects Crumpler’s ethos of “grunge with grown-up sophistication,” balancing industrial character with modern needs. Efficient layouts accommodate diverse activities, from material handling to staff collaboration, while sustainable features—including cross-ventilation, energy-efficient lighting, and hydronic heating—minimise environmental impact.
Revitalising a heritage site on Swanston Street, the project also incorporates bespoke lighting to accentuate the original concrete ceilings. The result is a creative, welcoming, and practical workspace that celebrates Crumpler’s origins and its enduring partnership with Six Degrees, forged through the design of many of Crumpler’s iconic early stores.
‘Reuniting with Simon O’Brien and Six Degrees on Crumpler’s new workspace has been a full-circle moment for us. From the start, our dream was to return to Melbourne’s city centre and manufacture bags in a space reminiscent of our Flinders Lane beginnings. After a year-long search, we found the perfect spot on Swanston Street – a beautiful heritage building with high ceilings, concrete finishes, and a raw industrial feel. Six Degrees embraced the building’s history, incl. 1920s re-work adding practicalities to an authentic space. The result is a vibrant studio where we feel inspired to create bags in Melbourne again.’
Simon O’Brien, Project Director
Daniel Demant, Project Lead
Kimberly Atkinson, Graduate of Architecture
Karl Apted (George E Apted & Associates Pty. Ltd.), Structural Engineer
Shiva Neupane, Boris Polyachenko, Tanya Polyachenko (S.P.A), Services Consultant
Robert Cavalieri (Light Project), Lighting Consultant
John Conroy, Electrical Consultant
Nick Snart (Philip Chun), Building Surveyor
Architecture & Access, Access Consultant
Damine Iles (Hansen Partnership), Planning
Fire Rating Solutions, Fire consultant
The Australian Institute of Architects acknowledges First Nations peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the lands, waters, and skies of the continent now called Australia.
We express our gratitude to their Elders and Knowledge Holders whose wisdom, actions and knowledge have kept culture alive.
We recognise First Nations peoples as the first architects and builders. We appreciate their continuing work on Country from pre-invasion times to contemporary First Nations architects, and respect their rights to continue to care for Country.
