BLUE MOUNTIANS

Blue Mountains Artist Studio

PHOTOGRAPHY LUKE BUTTERLY PHOTOGRAPHY

This little Blue Mountains Artist Studio and its minimalist timber interiors have attracted a large amount of attention. While the exterior of the building is clad in hardwood timber that allows the building to recede into its semi-rural environment, the interiors, alternatively, stand in sharp contrast.

Architect Design King Company Year Completed 2019 Location Blue Mountains, NSW

Light pours down through an operable opening at the peak of the building, flooding the timber clad interior in a wash of light. The walls of the space are kept sparse and clean, ensuring that this light fills the space uninterrupted.

As a result, the space achieves a minimalism that creates a sense of calm and focus. Designed to be versatile, this little building contains a mezzanine level, a living level with kitchen, bathroom, laundry, and an office on the lower ground level with its own bathroom. The aim was not to create a radical building but one that speaks to domestic comfort and well-being. It will be an artist’s studio providing a muchneeded teaching and painting space.

The minimalist timber interiors are designed to focus attention of shifting lighting conditions and the windows frame certain views that take advantage of the unique aspect. The lack of ornamentation in the joinery and materials draws attention to the decorative pieces that pop on the shelves, without making the small studio feeling cluttered and overcrowded.

The project ultimately achieves a meditative space that offers a clarity in interior design, that aims to reproduce this clarity and peace within the inhabitants who use it.

The Sydney Modern Project: Turning waterproofing into art

Designed by the award-winning architectural practices SANAA, Architectus and Tonkin Zulaikha Greer Architects, the Sydney Modern Project will see the region’s muchloved cultural landmark transformed into an immersive destination that doubles the exhibiting space of the current Art Gallery of NSW building.

While the revitalisation of the existing space will celebrate the original features of the gallery, the new structure is set to sympathetically assimilate with the surrounding landscape and further augment the visitor experience. Sika, Australia’s leading specialty chemical supplier and manufacturer for the building and construction industry, was engaged to provide premium waterproofing services for this world-class development.

Apart from elevating the character of this widely celebrated art institution, the project is also set to become Australia’s first public museum to achieve the highest environmental standard: the Green Building Council of Australia 6-star Green Star design rating. As a result, it was paramount for the waterproofing roof solution to provide exceptional durability, thermal stability and long-term performance, while allowing for a large number of solar panels to be installed on top of it – without compromising the waterproofing performance of the building.

Sika worked closely with the architect and the waterproofing consultant in the initial design stages, and then collaborated with the builder to ensure that all aspects of the project requirements were captured, a comprehensive understanding of the system application was provided, and all environmental considerations were prioritised appropriately.

It also became apparent very early in the construction piece that the initial, non-Sika waterproofing solution would have to undergo a review. With the incredible cultural legacy of the gallery, it was clear that only the highestperforming and most durable system would be suitable for the new structure, and the project team selected the Sika Sarnafil® G410 system.

The Sarnafil® PVC sheet membrane system offers a 20 year product warranty and has been proven to deliver unmatched performance over decades. It boasts high solar reflectance, which helps keep the structure thermally stable, and resistant to water and environmental influences. In addition, Sika provided a selection of accessories which enabled the installation of a large number of solar panels on top of the membrane, further advancing the project’s sustainability goals. And with Sika’s trained Sarnafil® applicators, The Superseal Group, available for any ongoing site reviews, the work was carried out to budget and completed on time.

Highlighting Sika’s extensive experience with high-end developments, Sydney Modern Project is yet another example of the organisation’s continuous ability to turn the masterful application of waterproofing membranes into an art form.