GEM · 9.6 sqm

GEM Workpod

A 9.6sqm Office Pod That Keeps Work Close, but Separate

GEM creates a dedicated place for your working day just outside the house. Its 9.6sqm footprint gives you room for a practical office setup while keeping the pod compact within your backyard.

  • 9.6sqm dedicated workspace
  • Double-glazed sliding door and awning window
  • Contemporary WPC and Colorbond exterior
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GEM by Backyard Oasis is a 9.6sqm office pod in Melbourne designed to create a dedicated workspace within a compact backyard footprint. Its double glazing, WPC and Colorbond exterior, finished interior and electrical provisions make it a practical option for working or studying away from the main house.

10 YEARS

Structural warranty

9.6SQM

Compact Footprint

DOUBLE GLAZED

Door & Awning Window

WPC & COLORBOND

Exterior Finishes

Who Is the GEM Workpod Best Suited To?

GEM suits homeowners who want to stop adapting rooms inside the house around their working day and create a purposeful workspace of their own.

Its 9.6sqm footprint can work particularly well when you want:

  • A dedicated home office that stays set up between working days
  • Space for a desk, screens and storage without choosing a larger garden studio
  • A quieter place for meetings and concentrated tasks
  • A study or creative workspace separated from busy household areas
  • A compact backyard office with a distinctive contemporary exterior

GEM gives you a dedicated room for the work you actually do, without asking you to sacrifice a large section of your backyard.

Explore Our Office Pods Melbourne

What Could Change When Your Office Is Outside the House?

The value of a backyard office is not simply having another room. It is having a place where work can stay set up, interruptions can be reduced and shared rooms can return to their original purpose.

Leave Your Office Set Up

Your screens, documents and work equipment can have a permanent place rather than being packed away whenever the household needs the room.

Create Separation Without a Commute

GEM keeps your workspace only a short walk from home while giving the working day its own physical setting.

Make Room for Focus

A separate home office pod can provide a quieter environment for concentrated work, online meetings, study or creative tasks.

Keep the Backyard in the Picture

The glazed door and window bring daylight into the workspace and maintain a visual connection with the garden outside.

What’s Included in a GEM Workpod?

GEM combines a prefabricated steel structure with double glazing, distinctive exterior cladding, finished interiors and electrical essentials to create a compact workspace ready for your office setup.

Prefabricated Steel Structure

The current GEM specification includes a prefabricated steel subfloor, walls and roof, forming the structural framework of the pod.

WPC Feature Cladding

Wood Plastic Composite cladding gives GEM a timber-influenced contemporary exterior, while avoiding the need to describe the product with vague aesthetic claims.

Colorbond Exterior

Colorbond corrugated sheeting completes the remaining sides, with Colorbond gutters and downpipes positioned at the rear.

Double-Glazed Door & Window

A double-glazed sliding door and awning window bring natural light into the workspace while supporting thermal performance.

Finished Interior

Plastered and painted internal walls, 67mm architraves and skirting, timber tri-quad cornice and laminated floorboards over underlay create a finished internal space.

Electrical Essentials

Double GPOs, switches and internal and external lighting are included in the current electrical specification.

Will I Need a Permit for a 9.6sqm GEM Workpod?

At 9.6sqm, GEM is below 10sqm, but that does not automatically mean it can be installed without a building permit on every Victorian property.

Certain small non-habitable structures may qualify for a building permit exemption when specific requirements are met. Factors such as height, siting, setbacks, intended use and other building requirements need to be considered.

Your property’s planning zone, overlays and other site-specific controls may also affect what can be built and where.

Backyard Oasis can review your proposed location and intended use to help identify the requirements that apply before you proceed.

Learn more about Permits for Backyard Office Pods in Victoria.

Check What Applies to My Backyard

Is GEM the Right Office Pod for Your Backyard?

GEM can be a strong fit when you want close to 10sqm of dedicated office space, but do not need the footprint or broader functionality of a Garden Studio.

Its WPC feature cladding also gives you a different exterior choice from several other Workpods in the Backyard Oasis collection.

The decision still needs to start with your property. Available space, installation access, boundaries and setbacks, existing structures, trees, services, orientation and applicable planning controls can influence where GEM can be positioned and what is required.

Visit our Carrum Downs display location to experience Backyard Oasis spaces, materials and finishes in person and discuss what may work for your property.

Check If GEM Fits My Backyard

Want the smallest Workpod footprint?

MindHaven offers a 6.5sqm alternative when you need a focused one-person workspace and want to minimise the amount of backyard it occupies.

Explore MindHaven Workpod

Want to compare other office layouts?

Explore the wider Backyard Oasis Workpod collection to compare footprints, finishes and configurations before deciding which space best suits the way you work.

Compare Office Pods

How it works

Step-by-step with Backyard Oasis

From your first idea to handing over the keys, our six-stage process keeps things simple and locally managed.

01

Site & Project Review

Start with what’s possible. We discuss your property, intended use, site access, budget and the key factors that may shape your project.

02

Design & Quote

A practical design that works for your site. We refine the layout, finishes and specifications around your needs to clearly define the project scope.

03

Permits & Documentation

We help you navigate the approvals. The required documentation, building permit process, planning or council requirements – we coordinate everything.

04

Build & Site Preparation

Your project starts taking shape. The modular space is prepared for installation. Minimum disruption, organised process.

05

Installation & Fit-Out

Ready for final inspection. Your new space is installed and completed with the desired fittings, finishes, and service connections.

06

Handover

Ready for use. We walk you through the completed space and finalise the handover requirements before you actually move in.

Built with trusted Australian brands

Explore the range

Other office pods you might like

    Ready when you are

    Ready to see what could work in your backyard?

    Tell us about your property and what you want to create. We’ll review the details and recommend the next step.

    Book a discovery call
    Get a free quote

    GEM FAQs

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Is 9.6sqm enough for a home office?

    For many one-person setups, 9.6sqm can provide practical room for a desk, office chair, monitors and storage, depending on the furniture and equipment you use. Planning the layout around your actual working setup is more useful than considering floor area alone, particularly if you work from the pod regularly.

    What makes GEM different from other Backyard Oasis office pods?

    One of GEM’s clearest product-specific differences is its exterior specification. The current design combines WPC feature cladding with Colorbond corrugated sheeting, alongside a 9.6sqm footprint and double-glazed openings. That makes it worth comparing when both workspace requirements and exterior finish matter to your decision.

    Does a 9.6sqm GEM Workpod need a building permit in Victoria?

    Not necessarily, but being under 10sqm does not automatically make GEM permit-free. Certain small non-habitable structures may qualify for an exemption only when specific requirements are satisfied. Height, setbacks, siting, intended use and property conditions should therefore be checked before assuming an exemption applies.

    Does GEM need a planning permit in Melbourne?

    That depends on the individual property rather than GEM’s 9.6sqm footprint alone. Your planning zone, overlays, proposed siting and other property-specific controls can affect what is permitted. Backyard Oasis can review the proposed location and help identify the relevant pathway for your project.

    Is GEM double glazed?

    Yes. The current GEM specification lists a double-glazed sliding door and double-glazed awning window. These openings provide natural light while supporting the pod’s thermal performance. Other selections and final project specifications should be confirmed as part of your individual quote and agreed scope.

    Can GEM be used for something other than a home office?

    GEM may also work as a study, writing room, creative workspace or quiet hobby space, depending on your needs. If you intend to use the pod differently from a typical non-habitable workspace, discuss that use early so the design and any relevant building or property requirements can be considered appropriately.

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    Get in Touch

    Phone:
    1300 230 324

    Email:
    enquiries@backyardoasis.au

    Our Address:
    14/13 Gateway Dr, Carrum Downs VIC 3201

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