An 11-storey commercial office building on a compact 615m² site, 116 Rokeby is Figurehead’s own headquarters and a benchmark for design-led, sustainable construction in Melbourne.

Designed by Carr with façade engineering by Arup, the building takes cues from the minimalist, brutalist forms of Harvard’s Carpenter Center. Every structural element — from off-form concrete columns to galvanised steel framing — is left exposed, demanding precision to within 2–5mm. The result is a build with no room for compromise.

A double-skin “chimney” façade uses natural stack ventilation to minimise mechanical cooling, supported by automated blinds and operable windows connected to an advanced Building Management System. Powered entirely by electricity with rooftop solar, 116 Rokeby is targeting Platinum WELL Certification and a 5.5-Star NABERS Energy rating.

Sustainability is embedded throughout: low-VOC finishes, responsibly sourced materials, recycled newspaper acoustic insulation, and ‘Reflections of a Breathing Space’, an Indigenous artwork by Lowell Hunter and Gerard Black, cast directly into precast panels in collaboration with Wurundjeri elders.

Delivered under a Design & Construct model from 60% documentation, the project overcame complex logistical challenges including a two-level hydrostatic basement, constrained access, and gantry crane lifts over a one-way street — all completed within a 24-month program.

116 Rokeby was awarded Excellence in Construction of Commercial Buildings $20M–$30M at the 2025 Master Builders Victoria Awards, recognising the precision, rigour, and collaboration that define Figurehead’s approach.