When Tracksuit moved into their Auckland office in October 2023, they were faced with a challenge many growing companies know well: how to transform an industrial, blank canvas space into a vibrant workplace that reflects their brand—all while maintaining a limited budget as a NZ-founded business focusing investment on expanding globally.
Starting with a Blank Canvas
No More Boring_ Let's start at the beginning. What were your goals for the space when you first moved in?
Grace: When we moved in, the bones of the office were quite industrial—lots of exposed metal, concrete, and wood. It had some really cool features, but Tracksuit is obviously quite a colourful, playful brand, and we wanted to add a bit of that into the space and put our stamp on it. We had a limited budget, so we weren’t going to do a full fit-out as we were conscious that the rate of our growth would likely mean a bigger space in a short timeframe. We needed to think of effective ways to add our personality, in a really cost effective way and that’s where Gwyn and No More Boring came in.
No More Boring_ How did you find the design process?
Grace: I loved the design stage of the project. I learnt a lot from Gwynn about space and layout. Gwynn designed a couple of floor plan options which included things like desk layout, people movement flows, creating new collaboration zones and quiet zones for focussed work. We wanted to bring our branding into the interior so Gwynn also designed wall decals for meeting rooms and other spaces. Gwynn also helped me source quiet pods and other furniture which was a huge help to have someone to bounce all our ideas with.
No More Boring_ If you were to choose a feature that has had the biggest impact on the interior what would that be?
The most striking element of Tracksuit’s transformation is undoubtedly their entrance stairway—a stunning “living wall” featuring nearly 200 plants climbing the industrial metal staircase.
Grace: Thats easy! The biggest impact was definitely creating a huge living green wall which climbs up and around our big internal staircase. I think it has over 200 plants?
It makes such a big impact when you walk in. People are blown away—not just our team, but everyone who comes into the office. It’s the first thing people comment on. It’s completely transformed the space. And because it’s on a mezzanine, it also created a bit of a screen for privacy when people are sitting downstairs, so they don’t feel like everyone’s watching them coming up and down the stairs. We call it our plant jungle!
No More Boring_ Beyond aesthetics, functionality was also a key element to the design for Tracksuit. What would be your favourite functional part of the project?
Grace: Gwyn had these beautiful movable, modular planter boxes that he’s used in other spaces, which I really love because they’re not only adding greenery—they’re actually really functional. We can divide spaces up with them. In the kitchen, they create an area where we all sit together at lunch, divided from the office. But when we have a big morning tea or team event, we can move them to the side to create more space. And knowing that if we move to another office, we can take them with us is always a plus when you’re trying to do things on a budget.
Small Touches, Big Impact
Not every office transformation requires a massive investment. Tracksuit found impact through strategic, brand-aligned touches.
Grace: Rather than traditional frosting on our glass meeting rooms, we used vinyl in our brand colours—the pink, purple, and green really pop. At the front entrance, we used some of our brand assets with fun shapes to add our Tracksuit branding. It was an easy process, low cost, but it made a huge impact. When you come in, you can see this is a Tracksuit office. Those two things alone mean we haven’t had to paint walls and do other things—it’s really brought the space to life.
Creating Zones for Different Work Styles
Understanding that their diverse team—from marketing to sales to engineering—all work differently, we created a range of zones for Tracksuit.
Grace: We have a whole range of teams here, and people like different ways of working. Not everybody wants to be in the open, loud environment where we have music playing. Sometimes you need focus. We decided to make this space downstairs into what we call the Quiet Zone. We set up eight desks, and Gwynn had the idea of adding carpet squares underneath, which added warmth and a bit of a sound barrier in this big void. It visually shows where that space is dedicated to the Quiet Zone.
Along with the movable planters and being surrounded by the huge living green wall, it made this a really nice space to sit and focus. At first some people weren’t sure how it was going to work or if people would even use it. But it’s actually a space that people really value. They’re not cut off from the team; it’s just a choice to come and sit down there when you need that quiet space.
The Philosophy Behind the Space
No More Boring_ What I loved when we first caught up about this project was how you described the importance in designing for people's natural preferences in how they work and how those can change day to day. Can you talk a little more about this?
Grace: I have now completed three office moves at Tracksuit – New York, Sydney and Auckland. Each time I’m always learning, always listening, and getting feedback. The microwave is in front of the most used drawer in the kitchen? We can move it.The concrete floors look great but are super echoey in the meeting rooms? We can add rugs & Autex sound panels
It’s always finding a balance—creating the best space for individuals while also balancing the needs of the business. As an example If someone needs a quiet space to work be it their natural preference or for what’s on their plate that day they can come down to the quiet zone. LIkewise if someone needs some energy and music we have those zones also.
We’re very tuned into the fact that we’re all humans. We’ve got to get on with our day—it is work—but you have to be comfortable, you have to feel safe, you have to feel listened to. Your environment needs to help you succeed. And that only benefits Tracksuit. Why would we not want to make it the best possible place for people to come to?
The importance of culture in all that we do
Grace: We’re quite known for having a really great culture and people loving who they work with. Having an office where people come in because it’s a cool, fun place that also caters to different needs helps build that culture. Without being together in the space physically, you lose a lot of that connection. That’s been a plus for us, and something we’ll always focus on as we grow—creating these amazing hubs for people to come in and do their best work.
No More Boring_ There’s a saying we love: if you make your office a magnet, you don’t have to have office mandates. And Tracksuit is really leading the way in that.
Grace: Thank you!. And yes, we don’t have to mandate it. This is the only place I’ve ever worked where I’ve noticed there’s true office FOMO—(fear of missing out). People will message on Slack and say, “Oh my gosh, this looks so fun, I wish I’d come in today.” That’s really natural, not forced. And I get that myself—if I’m away from the office for a few days working from home, I can feel my energy dip and I’m like, “I need to get back in our cool space, with the team and recharge.”
No More Boring_ What would you say to other businesses thinking about refreshing their office space?
Grace: I think it’s just those small moments that really speak to your brand. For example, every Tracksuit office has a tracksuit rack at the front door with colourful tracksuits hanging there. People come in, touch them and always comment on wanting one. That’s been able to be replicated in every office at very low cost. If you go to the Sydney or New York office and walk past it on the street, you’ll think, “That’s a Tracksuit office.”
Things that are movable are also really important. A lot of the design elements that Gwynn designed for us will go with us to our next space. I especially love that we can take our living green wall and our moveable planters boxes into any space because they’re so versatile. We’ll almost design the new space to make sure they work around them. We can just keep adding more. That’s smart, and those are ways to make an investment worthwhile when you can speak to the lifetime of that item. Its also better for the planet!
I’d also say that while it’s great if you have money to do a full fit-out with beautiful aesthetics, you’ll be surprised at how little you can do if you have a great culture. We’ve had mismatching dining tables and non brand colour chairs for a long time. People don’t care if the chairs don’t match—if it’s comfortable and they can sit around a table and talk at lunch with their friends, that’s kind of all that matters and it’s actually our most used space. It’s about being smart with those touches that reflect who you are.
Looking Ahead
As Tracksuit continues its global growth trajectory, they’re already starting to think about their next Auckland office space—one where they’ll be able to take their beloved movable elements with them while exploring new creative possibilities, including potential mural artwork that brings their brand to life on the walls.
The lesson from Tracksuit’s transformation is clear: you don’t need a massive budget to create a workspace that people love. What you need is thoughtful design that reflects your brand, functional elements that support different work styles, and an authentic commitment to creating a space where people genuinely want to be.
Ready to refresh your space or wondering if your space could work better?
Get in touch - we'd love to show you what's possible.
Contact: hello@nomoreboring.co.nz or get a copy of our packages and pricing guide here.
