The Cambium is a Sanctuary for Professionals

Designed by Melbourne-based studio Carr, The Cambium is a considered retreat for professionals looking to recalibrate and refresh 

Tucked away in the heart of the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, The Cambium is a revelation. ‘It’s a true sanctuary,’ says Sally Marasco, who developed the business retreat with her husband Damien. ‘You come down this road and you’re wondering, “Where am I going?” And then you’re met by these beautiful buildings.’

The property is named after the layer of tissue between the bark and wood of a tree where rapidly dividing cells form new life. Having spent many years in the business strategy and conference trade, Sally had seen her fair share of uninspiring hotel rooms, high-carb lunches and florescent lighting. She’s a firm believer that places shape people and their experiences, and so she set out to create an environment where teams could come together to regenerate and create meaningful change. 

The property is made up of various spaces: The Stables are the business centre of The Cambium and include a formal boardroom, a multipurpose workshop hall and a quiet loft retreat space, The Cambium Dining Room is at the heart of the complex, with communal dining for up to 25 people and a full commercial kitchen, and the accommodation wing houses 11 private retreats, all with views out onto the 66-acre bushland reserve that frames the property. 

Led by Melbourne-based architecture and interior design practice Carr, the incredible transformation took only 12 months to complete. The team focused on stripping everything back to reveal the materiality of the building, with wood, bricks and glass dominating. The result is simple yet sophisticated, and everything has been designed to encourage communal interaction and to bring people together in both a place and a manner that encourage deep reflection and creative thinking. ‘We want people to feel calm, we want people to have a sense that they can breathe and explore,’ says Sally. ‘It’s all very simple — the bedrooms have white linen, a coffee station, lamps and a window that looks out onto the nature reserve. The nature is the art.’

In reinvigorating the property, Sally and Damien made sure to conserve and reuse as much as possible. Old wooden chairs were stripped back and oiled, and all the timber removed for the refurbishment was reused for stools, tables and other pieces. The Cambium’s aim of bringing people together has met its mark in the business community — within days of opening in late 2022 it was booked out until Christmas, and they are now taking expressions of interest for the first quarter of 2023. In this new era of hybrid workplaces, and with many people still in recovery from pandemic lock downs, The Cambium offers a place to come together to rest, recharge and envision a better future.

Text / Mitra Anderson-Oliver
Images / Tom Ross