L’ORÉAL UNVEILS NEW FLAGSHIP TRAINING ACADEMY

L’OREAL UNVEILS NEW FLAGSHIP TRAINING ACADEMY

L’Oréal Australia’s Professional Products Division (PPD) recently unveiled its flagship Sydney Training Academy in Pyrmont, following a significant revitalisation by Melbourne design leaders Techne Architecture + Interior Design.

The multi-dimensional training facility will service the Division’s portfolio of world-class, professional salon brands – L’ORÉAL PROFESSIONNEL, REDKEN 5TH AVENUE NYC, KÉRASTASE, SHU UEMURA ART OF HAIR, MATRIX and PUREOLOGY. Showcasing a new ultra-modern fit-out, the expansive site will be utilised to train in excess of 300 aspiring students a week, and support varying education models with flexible learning spaces and state-of-the-art amenities.

PPD’s brief for the project called for a facility that would balance the Academy’s complex practical requirements with an understated, neo-elegant design aligned to the tastes of a largely millennial student enrolment. As leaders in Melbourne’s design-led hospitality scene, Techne drew upon their extensive place-making experience to deliver a design solution that responded aesthetically to the facility’s functional needs.

“There are parallels between hospitality design and commercial design, and we were able to draw upon these similarities to meet the operational needs of L’Oréal Australia’s Professional Products Division,” says Techne senior associate and project leader Gabriella Gulacsi.

A material palette comprising concrete flooring, white walls, monochromatic joinery and marble splashbacks bring a paired back aesthetic to the training rooms to create an enduring, contemporary finish. Light timber cladding, marble, brass and rich teal accents adorn the main welcome and circulation spaces, and custom features such as mirrors with marble shelving introduce luxurious focal points. A large, custom lighting installation inspired by sculptural hairpins stands out as a key feature of the spacious welcome area, creating the ideal meeting point for students, educators and PPD guests.

Designed as a flexible and cohesive space to ensure longevity and ease of use, each room accommodates the Academy’s hands-on training courses, comprehensive digital and traditional teaching methods. The multi-dimensional nature of the new space will also see it utilised for periodic brand and media events.

“We are thrilled to unveil the new PPD Training Academy and support our dynamic industry with a space that propels exceptional learning and inspires boundless creativity,” says L’Oréal Professional Products Division, General Manager, Arnaud Trevisani. “We wanted to create a destination training facility to enhance learning and pave exciting career paths, but also encourage socialisation and networking opportunities.”

– L’Oréal Professional