Kellie Payne leads Bates Smart’s Workplace and Education Strategy team, overseeing the design and development of innovative large-scale fit-out designs that improve how people work, learn and collaborate. She also drives Bates Smart’s R&D and Whitepaper publications, leading a team that utilises design outcomes to analyse, track and forecast the changing nature of work and its influence on workplace design.

These initiatives have led to publications on technology in the workplace, changing dynamics and how design can support them in the legal and education sectors, and ongoing research related to liveability and wellbeing. Specific to the architecture industry, Kellie’s team is also conducting an audit of R&D methodologies deployed by different firms from around the globe, with the end goal of better understanding what architects are studying and how they’re converting this knowledge into design innovation.

Using her findings to underpin design strategy, Kellie has delivered projects for a diverse range of prestigious legal, fintech, education and commercial brands. Her clients include Corrs Chambers Westgarth, The Australian Stock Exchange, The department of Education, ING, Channel 9, the University of New South Wales and the University of Sydney, as well as many other top tier Australian and international organisations.