Since its inception the organisation has placed significant focus on exhibition and retail galleries, and from 1981 occupied the Mariners' Church,[3] an historic building at the Rocks, Sydney.
[4] In 1996, under the name Centre for Contemporary Craft, the organisation joined the City West Development Corporation and the Federal Government of Employment Education and Youth Affairs in redeveloping five derelict terraces houses in Pyrmont.
The move to Customs house was supported by Australia Council, the NSW Ministry for Arts and the City of Sydney with an offer of subsidised rent.
Object currently occupies the St Margaret's Chapel building in Surry Hills, originally designed by Ken Woolley in 1958.
The curved and elevated chapel is constructed of precast concrete with steel windows and was originally linked to the Sisters' Home by way of a walkway.
As a not-for-profit organisation Object:Australian Design Centre relies on contributions from individual donors, private sector companies and a number of philanthropic trusts and foundations.
In April 2013 Lend Lease announced that it had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Object: Australian Design Centre to develop a permanent home for the organisation in Barangaroo's $6 billion Sydney harbourfront project.
This represents a fundamental shift in the organisation from curating and hosting design-focused artists and craftspeople to one that actively engages with the process of technological, digital and sustainable design.