SEEK HEAD OFFICE | ECN

Client: Executive Channel Network (on behalf of Seek)

Location: Seek Head Office, 541 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC 3004

Scope: Concept development, design and supply of 2 x digital directory boards

Brief: Replace outdated directory boards with a contemporary design featuring 32" LCD screens

The brief

In August 2016, Executive Channel Network engaged Concept Evolution to redesign the digital directory boards at Seek's head office in Melbourne.

Seek is Australia's largest online employment marketplace. Their St Kilda Road offices handle significant foot traffic from clients, partners, and job seekers, and the lobby entry point needed to reflect the company's standing. The existing directory boards were well past their use-by date — functionally adequate but visually at odds with a modern tech company's workspace.

The brief was specific: two new digital directory boards with a contemporary aesthetic, incorporating larger 32" LCD panels for greater visual impact. The boards also needed to retain the existing lift call button assembly, which added a constraint that turned out to shape some of the most considered details in the final design.

Concept development

The team went through extensive concept generation before settling on a direction, exploring different materials, finishes, and approaches to integrating the various components.

The winning direction was deliberate in its restraint. Rather than a heavily stylised product, the design used premium materials simply — toughened glass back-printed black, stainless steel trim, and a fully welded steel chassis — to produce a result that would feel expensive and intentional without looking like it was trying too hard.

Core structure

Each directory board is built on a fully customised welded steel chassis. This provides the rigidity needed to support the weight of a 32" commercial-grade LCD panel and its associated hardware. It also made it possible to design with no visible fasteners on any external face.

Materials and finishes

The fascia is toughened glass back-printed black to provide a premium flawless finish, prevent scratching, and it also handles fingerprints and cleaning better than painted or powder-coated surfaces.

The trim pieces between panels are stainless steel, laser cut to fit exactly. These serve a functional purpose (covering part-lines and joints) while also breaking up the vertical run of the board in a way that reads as intentional detail rather than a gap between components.

The lift call button solution

This was an important feature both functionally and aesthetically. Each directory board had to incorporate the building's existing lift call button assembly. Rather than trying to hide it or treat it as an afterthought, the design gave it its own panel: a black textured feature panel that serves two purposes at once. The texture reduces fingerprint visibility in a location that gets touched constantly. The contrast between the textured panel and the gloss glass fascia also creates a natural visual break.

Integrating the lift call assembly onto a separate removable panel was also a deliberate detail to aid servicing. Building facilities staff can take it off for maintenance without disturbing any other part of the board.

Hardware access and maintenance

The hardware shelf inside each board sits on commercial grade drawer runners. Full-length stainless steel access doors open the full height of the unit. Together, these make it possible for a technician to reach any component without risk of damaging parts or partial disassembly.

This is easy to overlook in the design phase but is very important during the lifespan of any digital sign. Designing for serviceability from the start reduces downtime and cost over the product's life.

Installation finish

The boards were designed with no visible external fasteners. The installation methodology was worked out during the design phase specifically to produce a seamless appearance — one of the client's requirements for the entry point feel.

The result

The two directory boards transformed the entry point at Seek's St Kilda Road offices. The use of premium materials and a considered design approach produced a result that felt like it belonged in the space rather than being a generic off-the-shelf product. The seamless lift call integration, turned a functional component into a key part of the overall aesthetic of the finished product.