Indesign Magazine 49 by Indesign Media Asia Pacific

L57 Uniform Factory Rio Tinto Novotel Auckland Pompei’s Commonwealth Bank Place issue 49. 2012 AUstrAliA $16.50 New ZeAlANd $17.50 siNGApore $12.95 HoNG KoNG $155 UsA $21.99

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welcomeindesign

letter from the editor issue 49, 2012

We are rapidly approaching the 50th edition of Indesign, which adds up to about 13 years of publication. In that time, the core mission of Indesign magazine – although, as I constantly need to remind people, by no means the only preoccupation – has been to showcase and analyse the very best work places. Effectively, this has meant that we have tracked the most innovative era ever in Australian workplace design. This amounts to just over a decade (since BVN’s MLC North Sydney Campus in 2000). In this time, Australia has been at the leading edge of workplace innovation – if not leading the way, then certainly up there with international best practice. The period since 2000 really has seen a revolution in the way we work. It may not be a revolution which has yet penetrated the entire economy, but it has been one led by some very high profile companies, some of them (such as banks) not the kinds of organisations we would naturally think of as embracing transparency, flexibility, workplace autonomy and wireless and paperless environments. It has also taken some time for people to realise that this is not just another fashion, but a fundamental change in approach. For example, it is not about a choice between open plan and an enclosed office, but about what best facilitates the processes and objectives of a particular organisation. It is about getting away from the one-size-fits-all approach, and embracing an inside-out, customised solution. Likewise, Activity Based Working (ABW) is not just another form of hot desking, as some people mistakenly believe. And, despite its surging popularity, it may not be for everyone. But its core principles will inform the way everyone works in the future – workplace design driven by the variety of tasks which staff carry out every day, by the diverse kinds of people who work there and their individual ways of working, by a recognition of the importance of creativity in achieving competitive advantage, by acknowledging the need to attract and retain the very best staff and, most significantly, by embracing the potential of the new wireless technology. This is a revolution which has implications for the whole future of cities. So, in this issue we take an in-depth look at Commonwealth Bank Place (page 70), which, like the ANZ headquarters in Melbourne (Indesign #43), is in every sense an integrated project. It is as much concerned with its place in the fabric of the city as it is with own internal operations. paul mcgillick – editor Above Editor, Paul McGillick with Deputy Editor, Mandi Keighran

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A Total Solution

Mention the words “living space” and you instantly think of houses and apartments. Commercial environments are “work spaces”. The hidden assumption is that people not only don’t live where they work, they don’t live while they work. At UCI, we believe that work is one of the highest and most purposeful forms of living, and our furniture is living proof.

Every single workstation, office chair, foyer suite or storage system we supply demonstrates a unique level of aesthetic design, quality of manufacture, ergonomic comfort and safety. Most importantly, we know that no workstation or chair stands alone. They, like the people they support, must work together as a team. This is why we emphasise not simply product delivery but project delivery.

At UCI our passion has been commercial furniture since 1972. Our combined national and local focus is supported through our extensive network of offices and showrooms which are located in every capital city of Australia.

Sydney Melbourne Perth Adelaide Brisbane Canberra Hobart Ulverstone Darwin 1300 824 824 uci.com.au

contentindesign

jun–aug, 2012

Issue 49 regulars

portfolio

027 evolve Bite-sized portions from the latest people, places, products, events

commercial

058 indesign luminary Director and Head of Retail + Mixed Use at Rice Daubney, Susanne Pini has been key to a shift in the approach to shopping-centre design

070 Commonwealth Bank Place, Sydney, by E.G.O. Group, Davenport Campbell, Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp, and Lend Lease 094 PTTEP, Bangkok, by HASSELL

066 art Mika Utzon Popov brings light and motion into a dark space

102 Republic of Everyone, Sydney, by Dunn + Hillam Architects

187 pulse Design icon, Marc Newson, talks about design for everday use and growing up in Australia

116 EMI, Sydney, by The World Is Round

Architect, Shane Thompson on the joys of running a small practice Israeli designer, Arik Levy, discusses his wildly varied projects 197 Zone Marg Hearn talks to Michael Trudgeon about his innovative approach to testing prototypes and design solutions for NAB Sasha Ivanovich reviews the various schemes put forward over the years for the Perth Foreshore Redevelopment 209 sustain Revisiting Le Courbusier’s Monastery of Sainte Marie de la Tourette dm2architecture rebuild a research facility destroyed by fire on remote Heron Island 216 ps ‘Aeratron’ brings the ceiling fan into alignment with nature

106 Rio Tinto, Brisbane, by Geyer

retail 124 Space Furniture Asia Hub, Singapore, by WOHA 132 Co-Op Surfection, Sydney, by Burley Katon Halliday 134 Living Edge, Melbourne, by Plot Studio 138 Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, by Landini Associates civic 146 Taronga Chimpanzee Enclosure, Sydney, by Jackson Teece education 150 Giblin Eunson Library, Melbourne, by HASSELL Hospitality 158 Pompei’s, Sydney, by Luigi Rosselli Architects 164 Novotel Auckland Airport, Auckland, by Warren and Mahoney residential 172 L57 Uniform Factory, Berlin, by Sauerbruch Hutton 180 The Garden House, Melbourne, by Woods Bagot and Hecker Guthrie

cover The green wall in the lobby restaurant of the Novotel Auckland Airport hotel (see pp.164–169) Photo: Simon Devitt

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directoryindesign IndesIgn magazIne and Its subscrIbers can be found all over the world Indesign magazine is available at newsagents and bookshops in Australia and internationally. Indesign is published quarterly. To subscribe securely online visit indesignlive.com or alternatively email subscriptions@indesign.com.au to subscribe or request a full list of locations where Indesign magazine is available.

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Abey Alternative Surfaces AMS Furniture Systems Anibou Bathe BCi Furniture Bene Big Ass Fans Caesarstone CDK Stone CFS Commercial Classic Tiles Cosh Living Designer Rugs Domayne Earp Bros Earp Bros Efficient Lighting System ERCO Everstone Feelgood Designs Fisher & Paykel Formula Interiors Gibbon Group Häfele Haworth Herman Miller Hub Furniture ILVE How We Create INSTYLE InterfaceFLOR James Richardson KLIK Systems KROSt Business Furniture Launch Pad

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Ifc 149 162 055–057 043 041 145 133 092–093 171 026 178–179 002–003 035 122 114–115 obc 196 Ibc 024–025 047 020 015 185 113 049 163 023, 104 019 144 045 004–005 033 bound insert tip on

Living Edge Locker Group Melbourne Art Foundation Miele Parisi PGH Philips Planex Precision Flooring Profile Systems Sampford IXL Saturday in Design Smeg Space Contract Staron Solid Surfaces Steelcase Stylecraft Surface Asia The Andrews Group Thinking Ergonomix Transtherm Tsar UCI Viridian Glass WE-EF Wilkhahn Winning Appliances Woven Image Yazz Youmans Zenith Zip Industries Zumtobel Silestone Café Culture

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Bene. A leading global company in solutions for New Ways of Working. More information please contact soren.trampedach@bene.com 601, 147 King Street, Sydney NSW 2000, www.bene.com

XF – Work & Meeting swiss design by Daniel Karb

Design isn’t just about making things beautiful; it’s also about making things work beautifully. Roger Martin

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In Issue #48, the 1 Bligh Street and Clayton Utz article ‘Creative Dialogue’ pp.72–91, miscredited the photography for the interiors. All interior photography for this story was by Richard Glover. See more of Richard’s work at richardglover.com

Available from suite 2a, level 2, 204 botany road, alexandria, nsw 2015 www.cfsfurniture.com.au phone 02 9698 8244

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WINNER 2010

Sleek and unique The sleek and unique IXL Tastic Neo combines cutting-edge technology with simple elegant design to create a light-filled, evenly heated, well-ventilated bathroom. Effortlessly efficient, it complements the modern bathroom without fuss or frills, and performs brilliantly with easy to control functions. When designing your own bathroom, do it right and accept only the best. A simple feature product with outstanding function, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s designed for living. Australian-made with a 5-year in-home warranty, rest assured the Tastic Neo is reliable â&#x20AC;&#x201C; leaving you comfortable, safe, stylish and satisfied.

Call 1300 727 421 or visit www.ixlappliances.com.au

people places PRODUCTS events

Type Hype Never has a typeface been launched with such fanfare as ‘Marian’, a new font available in nine weights from Commercial Type. The occasion was marked with a pop-up store and exhibition titled Thieves Like Us in collaboration with New York-based industrial designer and artist, Dino Sanchez. The ‘Marian’ typeface was showcased in neon lighting, vinyl lettering, mirrored lightboxes, alongside the more traditional and expected print samples. In a response to the stripped-back nature of the new typeface, nails hammered into the gallery wall traced out the ‘Marian’ name in large type across three-and-a-half metres. “A large part of the show is made up of neon lighting, one for each face in the collection,” says Sanchez. “We decided on neon lighting as it paralleled the flow of the strokes with the flow of gas through the tubular forms.” Commercial Type is a joint venture between London-based type designers Paul Barnes and Christian Schwartz, who have collaborated on various typeface projects since 2004. The pair are best known for their award-winning typeface ‘Guardian Egyptian’. (Photography: Paúl Rivera) [Text: Mandi Keighran] Dino Sanchez dinosanchez.com Commercial Type commercialtype.com

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evolveindesign

RECORD OF PROCESS Moleskine notebooks have been used to record the sketches and imaginings of artists and creative thinkers – including architects and designers – for more than two centuries. Imagine being able to sneak a look between the covers of some of the Moleskine notebooks that have been filled by these creative minds. To celebrate the history of the legendary notebook, Moleskine have recently launched the ‘Inspiration and Process in Architecture’ series – a collection of monographs that explores the design process, featuring some of the most recognised contemporary architects. The first four books in the series are on BOLLES+WILSON (whose work is pictured left), Zaha Hadid, Giancarlo de Carlo and Alberto Kalach. Each book features interviews, biographies and images – including sketches, plans, paintings and photographs – and aims to give readers an insight into the creative minds behind some of the most iconic buildings of our time. The ‘Inspiration and Process in Architecture’ series still embodies the legendary Moleskine features – such as the elastic band, rounded corners and expandable inner pocket – but embraces a new clothbound format inspired by a classic clothbound style first used by Italian typographer Giambattista Bodoni at the end of the 18 th Century to protect unbound books. The images and illustrations contained in the 144 pages within are printed on a glossy coated paper, allowing them to be enjoyed to their full potential. The Moleskine series is perfect for anyone interested in seeing beyond buildings and into the creative processes behind them. Over recent years, the range of Moleskine notebooks available has grown to include such varieties as watercolour notebooks, music notebooks, passion journals and even city notebooks, which essentially enable you to create your own city guide. [Text: MK]

Moleskine moleskine.com BOLLES+WILSON (49 251) 48272 0 bolles-wilson.com

Profiling the classics With a profile resembling Charles M. Schultz’s famous canine character, the ‘Snoopy’ range of sofas, designed by Iskos-Berlin for the Danish brand Versus, is a stylish and subtle nod to everyone’s favourite cartoon dog. The design of the ‘Snoopy’ is clean and simple with a strong focus on the horizontal pillow that wraps around the seat embracing the lounge chair from both sides. This form is perched atop short rounded timber legs, giving the products a weightless appearance. The series has been constructed from a belted wooden construction and polyether foam structure with supersoft foam padding, finished with piping to accentuate the great shape of this design. The design of the range harks back to classic shapes in furniture, particularly referencing the post-WW2 period. The ‘Snoopy’ furniture range offers a pouf, armchair, two-seater, two-and-a-half-seater and a three seater. The Copenhagen firm, Iskos-Berlin, is headed by designers Boris Berlin and Aleksej Iskos, both obviously Charlie Brown fans in their day. [Text: Alicia Sciberras] Iskos-Berlin (45 45) 3210 6764 iskos-berlin.dk Versus versus.as

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Grounded in versatility Leading German lighting company, WE-EF, has added the ‘ETT100’ linear inground uplight to its extensive range of quality architectural lighting. This tough light offers great flexibility to designers in urban and high passenger traffic areas, adding atmospheric and long-life luminance. In addition, it is a highly versatile product that is far more than simply an inground luminaire, having been designed with the opportunity for wall mounting and suspension. The ‘ETT100’ is available in an array of 9W to 39W LEDs and comes in a variety of sizes ranging from 500mm to 1600mm. The extruded aluminium body offers excellent corrosion resistance and is anodised after machining to offer complete surface protection. Its five-tonne toughened glass makes it vandal resistant and able to withstand the wear and tear of the busiest streets and retail thoroughfares. [Text: MK]

WE-EF (61 3) 8587 0444 weef.de

double take Rianne Koens’ recently developed intelligent design – ‘Oturakast’ – has us doing a double take. With a simple action, the cute stackable drawers are transformed from storage to stools. Inspired by the hospitality of her Turkish in-laws, Netherlands-based Koens set out to create a transformable object that caters for the masses when surprise guests arrive, but is still useful when not needed for additional seating. The Turkish word for ‘stool’ is oturak and the Dutch word for ‘cabinet’ is kast, so not only does the project embody the concept of cultural collaboration but so does the title. In its base form, the individual drawers can be stacked to form one united cabinet, and each drawer size varies. The best part is that each drawer has in-built foldable legs that can be converted into stools in a matter of moments. [Text: AS]

Rianne Koens (31 6) 27 374 468 riannekoens.com

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Design’s Lbd The wide appeal of Suzanne Trocmé’s furniture can be attributed to the same characteristics that give timeless fashion items their longevity. “I wanted the pieces to be adaptable for all, making only partial statements within a larger framework… to be able to sit anywhere and suit anyone,” she says of her ‘Little Black Dress’ range for Bernhardt Design, a series of classic, pared-back items (which includes the ‘Egalité’ bench, pictured below). “I think there is a lot of visually noisy stuff out there, and it bothers me,” she continues. “As a furniture designer, I want to augment the comfort that already exists within good architecture.” Among the places to feature her work are the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in the UK and the New York Yankees stadium – no doubt a testament to versatility. “It’s fascinating to see that these pieces are adaptable and can get into different milieus and different areas,” she says. Earlier this year, Trocmé gave a talk at the KE-ZU showroom and the Australian International Furniture Fair on her work and design approach. Trocmé’s designs, as well as the wider Bernhardt Design range, will be available from mid-2012 at KE-ZU. [Text: Ola Bednarczuk]

Bernhardt Design (1 828) 758 9811 bernhardtdesign.com KE-ZU (61 2) 9669 1788 kezu.com.au

It’s the Small things ‘Smallroom’ is a new sofa system by Ineke Hans for Offecct. Recently launched at the Stockholm Furniture Fair, the seating range can be grouped to create a variety of spaces for either individual or collaborative work. The flat armrest provides a space for laptops and other work accessories, while the high back ensures acoustic privacy. [Text: MK]

Offecct (46) 5044 1500 offecct.se Corporate Culture (61 2) 9690 0077 corporateculture.com.au

Into the Wild Designers of Note studio drew inspiration for their recent ‘Marginal Notes #2’ collection from an expedition into a Swedish forest. While there, the group of five collected samples, sketched, made notes, pursued tiny creatures with butterfly nets, and finally set up base camp for the night. When they returned to the studio, they sorted through their findings, and drew the forms, textures and colours of their collection from the margins of their notebooks. The common theme they discovered was one relating to the base camp – the simple utility of forms and durability of materials – while others related to ideas inherent in exploration. The resulting collection includes a ‘Nour’ lamp that references a butterfly net, utility-driven storage, seating that would look at home around a campfire, and lights that resemble small trees (pictured right), the ‘foliage’ of which brings to mind the notebooks and margins from which the collection was born. ‘Marginal Notes #2’ was launched at the Stockholm Furniture Fair in February. (Photography: Mathias Nero) [Text: MK]

Note (46) 8656 8804 notedesignstudio.se

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Art to eAt off Australia’s enfant terrible of painting Adam Cullen has collaborated with renowned potter Lyn Hart to create a ceramics collection. the set of 18 limited-edition pieces has been a ‘split down the middle’ collaboration, marrying utilitarian and ornamental objects, with Cullen’s fast and loose style of painting. Cullen added his signature ‘tassie Devil’ and ‘Ned Kelly Series’ artwork to the final glaze before firing, painting directly on to platters, serving bowls, cups and dinner plates. “Lyn is making the pots and then I go to work on them with the glazes,” says Cullen. “I always had my hands in clay and sculpted growing up, so I think we will do more collections. No two pieces are the same and I like that.” the ceramics collection is available through tolarno Galleries and the Cullen in Prahran – part of the Art Series Hotels – and collectors can expect new collaborations from the artistic duo during 2012 and 2013. [text: Belinda Aucott] The Cullen (61 3) 9098 1555 artserieshotels.com.au Hart Ceramics (61 2) 4784 1990 hartceramics.com.au Tolarno Galleries (61 3) 9654 6000 www.tolarnogalleries.com

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cutting-edge process In a visually overloaded world, there is very rarely a product that can stand alone and demand attention. The ‘Faceture’ series by designer Phil Cuttance, however, has changed the game. His recently developed ‘Faceture’ machine – a mobile manufacturing system that assists in creating handmade objects, such as faceted vases (pictured with the machine) and pendant lampshades – bridge the gap between craft and manufacturing processes. The simple workspace is screwed together to allow it to be flat-packed for shipping and is easily wheeled around. The process the machine facilitates is just as impressive as the resulting faceted products – watch New Zealand-born, London-based Cuttance do his thing at vimeo.com, and you will understand why. The machine is eco-friendly emitting nothing but elbow grease, with traditional hand-automated devices including the hopper and casting jig. The ‘Faceture’ machine also has shelving to store paints and freshly cast pieces. The resulting water-based resin ‘Faceture’ series really does demand attention and is a stunning accompaniment to any flower arrangement or light bulb. [Text: AS] Phil Cuttance philcuttance.com

Solid Win

dream cubby houses The Kids Under Cover Cubby House Challenge brings the industry together to build cubbies for auction to raise money for youth homelessness. All the cubbies – such as the work by Nixon Tulloch Fortey with BD Projects, pictured – demonstrates imagination and craftsmanship. The 2012 Challenge has produced incredible results with five cubbies auctioned and one raffled. [Text: AS]

Kids Under Cover (61 3) 9429 7444 kuc.org.au indesignlive.com

The winner in the Residential category of Edition 2 of the 2011 Staron Design Awards was the ‘Motif’ basin by Thomas Coward for Omvivo. The basin, which appears to hover above the vanity unit, was created in Australia using hand-etched glass fitted with thermoformed Staron surround in Bright White. “It was essential to the design that the surround could be formed around the glass,” says Coward. Hidden beneath the basin, ‘Motif’ is supported by a polished chrome spacer, which creates the floating illusion that allows shadows created by the etched pattern to be visible on the bench top. ‘Motif’ is inspired by the idea of polyculturalism – an assertion that all the world’s cultures are inter-related – and how multiple symbols can transform the significance and appearance of a product. ‘Motif’ is available in three patterns, ‘Pebble’, ‘Forest’ and ‘Kaleidoscope’. [Text: MK]

Omvivo (61 3) 9339 8130 omvivo.com Staron Solid Surfaces (61 2) 9822 7055 austaron.com.au

Variety of options.

TECTON LED One design to meet any requirement: the consistent TECTON LED continuous-row lighting system allows uniform design solutions for complex spatial requirements. High-quality LED components and a choice of four different optics ensure brilliant lighting quality and low power consumption. Environmentally compatible lighting with full flexibility. Zumtobel. The Light. Design: Billings Jackson Design

zumtobel.com/tecton

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Formica Forms Position your stinger in this ‘beehive’ designed by Graham Roebeck, a New Zealand-based architectural designer whose creative chair was the stand-out winner at last year’s Formica Formations competition. The ‘Beehive’, a chair constructed from medium-density fibreboard polished with beeswax and laminated with white Formica, is Roebeck’s response to a world that is exposed to a “highly portable art and media” scene. The resulting shape takes inspiration from the egg, guitar pick and water gourd; all three are rendered immovable, or as Roebeck further explains, the ‘Beehive’ is an analogy of sculpture as “frozen music”. The tonal palette of white and beige allows the clean-cut design of the chair to be the central focus, also making it perfect to work with any interior setting. [Text: AS]

Spain’s solid surfaces giant, Cosentino, has teamed up with Swedish designers, Form Us With Love, in a project that explores the qualities of Silestone, the market leader within quartz surfaces. The resulting ‘Slab’ vases break away from the familiar slab form of Silestone and showcase the tactile qualities of the material. Form Us With Love created the sculptural vases by slipping rings of Silestone in various shades of grey over a metal bracket, and each vase is different. “We gave Form Us With Love an open brief, and the result is overwhelming,” explains Pierre Wernlundh, CEO at Cosentino Scandinavia. The ‘Slab’ vases were shown at the Form Us With Friends exhibition at the Swedish Museum of Architecture during Stockholm Design Week earlier this year. Silestone is of Iberian origin, and contains more than 90 per cent natural quartz – one of the world’s hardest natural stones. Its surfaces are resistant to stains, scratches and acids, and come in more than 60 different colours. Cosentino recently launched in Australia, so there is hope an Australian design collaboration in the works! [Text: MK]

Form Us With Love (46) 821 8002 formuswithlove.se Cosentino (61 2) 8707 2500 silestone.com/oceania

Formica Formations formicaformations.co.nz

Hybrid design ronan & erwan bouroullec’s debut luminaire for Flos is a combined light and tray titled ‘Piani’. Two flat elements are elegantly overlayed – the top providing a direct light source, the lower becoming either a tray or a shelf, with the light illuminating any objects placed here. The light – which doubles as an elegant ‘valet tray’ – was originally developed for the bouroullec brothers’ ‘Wajima’ collection during a trip to Japan to explore traditional crafts. For this collection, it was made from timber and lacquered using traditional artisan techniques. ‘Piani’ for Flos, however, comes in injection-moulded plastic, as well as Oak or basalt stone. it offers a range of colours, and is available in Australia from euroluce. [Text: MK] Euroluce (61 2) 9380 6222 www.euroluce.com.au indesignlive.com

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New Look why hasn’t this been done before? No two heads are the same, so why should glasses be the same? These were the questions posed by Ron Arad when developing the inaugural collection for PQ eyewear, a collaboration between the designer and New eye London. Arad turns away from the popular retro aesthetic and looks for a completely new language for eyewear. ‘A-Frame’ is a new kind of glasses that puts an A-shaped wire structure in the middle of the frame. The bar in the centre can be raised or lowered, moving the lenses and frames closer together or further apart, allowing the frame to perfectly fit a particular head. [Text: Mk] PQ Eyewear pq-eyewear.com

The Cure In Peruvian culture, icaro are medicinal songs that access the doctor spirits, but the new ‘Icaro’ suspension light, envisioned by Italian architect and product designer Brian Rasmussen for the Italian brand, ModoLuce, is more like an aid for symptoms of repetitive bad design (or RBD). The ‘Icaro’ collection of lighting has recently been launched in Australia by the Perth-based company, Halo Lighting. The versatile range is available in four different dimensions (22cm, 50cm, 75cm and 100cm) and three finishes – painted transparent, matt white and black steel wire (pictured at right). This variation within the collection means the ‘Icaro’ is sure to meet a range of design needs and be at home in nearly any contemporary living space. The graphic steel wire frame around the central lumiere throws striking linear patterns of shadow and light on surrounding surfaces, making the ‘Icaro’ suspension the perfect centrepiece to any setting. If your space is suffering from RBD, find the cure at Halo Lighting. [Text: AS]

Brian Rasmussen brianrasmussen.org ModoLuce modoluce.com Halo Lighting (61 8) 9221 5544 halolighting.com.au

CelebriTy Chef The new ‘Flexinduction’ cook top by Neff exudes intelligence and efficiency, however there is more to this cook top than its looks. The flexible cooking zones offer maximum flexibility for pot and pan positioning and the snazzy automatic ‘Flexinduction-Zone’ detection locates where pans are positioned and heats them exactly. The ‘Flex Induction’ operates quickly and accurately while simultaneously saving energy through the controllable induction system that leaves little residual heat once the pan is removed. From its elegant and durable flat non-porous surface to the effortless tip-and-twist ‘TwistPad’ controls, the ‘Flexinduction’ turns every home cook into a celebrity chef. The ‘Flex Induction’ is available from Sampford IXL in two sizes. [Text: AS]

Sampford IXL 1300 727 421 sampfordixl.com.au indesignlive.com

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cup noodle keepsake a favourite snack of millions around the world, the cup noodle, is as close to being iconic as fast food can be. Japanese founder of nissin Food products, Momofuku ando revolutionised eating customs around the world when he came up with the idea of instant ramen in 1958 and cup noodles in 1971. It’s not surprising that he and his inventions have developed a cult following over the years. cup noodle devotees can make the pilgrimage to the cup noodle Museum in Yokohama, Japan. Here, design studio nendo has transformed the throwaway packaging into something to treasure by way of lacquerware artisans who paint lacquer directly onto the plastic cups. ‘cupnoodle urushi’ is a fresh perspective on an often-overlooked icon of easy dining. (photography: Hiroshi Iwasaki) [Text: Mk] Nendo (81 3) 6661 3750 nendo.jp

Hot off tHe press

raw Luxury

In this issue of Indesign, you will find the latest issue of Boiling Point magazine – a custom publication that delves into state-of-the-art projects that feature Zip instant boiling and chilled filtered water products. Boiling Point #18 includes major projects from around Australia and the South-East Asia region. This issue covers such projects as the Ecosciences precinct in Brisbane (also featured in Indesign #48) designed by HASSELL, and Eastspring Investments in Singapore by Geyer Design. It also investigates the specification of the product in the EMI fit-out featured in this issue of Indesign. Alongside these cutting-edge project stories, you will meet 2010 NAWIC Businesswoman of the Year, Mia Feasey of Siren Design. Feasey talks about why Zip was the right choice when choosing an instant boiling and chilled filtered water product for her own home as well as how she specifies Zip products in Siren Design projects. [Text: Nicky Lobo]

‘Sezz’ is a collection of aluminium chairs, stools and swivel chairs designed by French designer Christophe Pillet for US manufacturer Emeco. “The ‘Sezz’ chair is a little story about Emeco and what Emeco has become, the capacity of the best of the best. It is a specific story, an interpretation of the Emeco way,” says Pillet. The range was designed for the Sezz Hotel in St. Tropez, with the aim to create a contemporary classic – a piece of furniture to stand the test of time. The result is an elegant combination of raw industrial strength and sophistication. “The look is very subtle, but holds an unbelievable quality,” says Pillet. “You don’t see the welding, the recycled aluminium, the indestructibleness; they are all real but invisible values, the hidden territory of a luxury product.” [Text: MK]

Zip Industries 1800 638 633 zipindustries.com indesignlive.com

Emeco emeco.net Corporate Culture (61 2) 9690 0077 corporateculture.com.au

Moroso Spa Cavalicco, Udine/Italy T +39 0432 577111 e-mail: info@moroso.it www.moroso.it

Moroso Available exclusively at hub furniture lighting living Melbourne 63 exhibition St Melbourne T +61 3 9652 1222 Sydney 66â&#x20AC;&#x201C;72 Reservoir St Surry Hills T +61 2 9217 0700 www.hubfurniture.com.au

Redondo sofa by Patricia Urquiola

Carpet reloaded for Moroso

Klara armchair by Patricia Urquiola

photo Alessandro Paderni / ad Designwork

Kub table by Nendo

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Sitting Pretty the ostentatious nature of the male peacock tail was the initial inspiration for Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola to create her recognised cane chair. recently, she revisited the design with ‘Pavo real’. the modern-day interpretation of the classic has been updated with new colour variations and new materials that make it suitable for outdoor use. the ‘Pavo real’ has been re-released by Driade in tubular aluminium with braided plastic details that scream gypsy-day-dreamer. the large chair is available in white, black or red with African-inspired woven details and intricate meshwork. Although the updated ‘Pavo real’ range has been designed as an outdoor chair, the whimsy nature of it can be interpreted for plush interior spaces, particularly greenhouses, observatories or boudoirs. the ‘Pavo real’ collection for Driade is available in Australia from Space Furniture. [text: AS] Patricia Urquiola (39 2) 87 381 848 patriciaurquiola.com Driade (39 5) 23 818 660 driade.it Space Furniture (61 2) 8339 7588 spacefurniture.com.au

Breath of fresh air Designed by Karim Rashid for Talenti, the ‘Breez’ collection of outdoor lounges is ideal for outdoor environments and is now available in Australia from Café Culture. Finished with nano-ceramic, tubular iron wires and powdercoated with specialised technology to resist abrasive seaside elements, this sunbed will keep everyone lounging long after the sun goes down. The ergonomic contours of the lounge allow the body to slip into the frame, and the optional clip-lockable cushion with washable cover offers additional comfort. [Text: AS]

Café Culture (61 2) 9699 8577 cafeculture.com.au

suBtle shift Launched at IMM Cologne earlier this year, ‘Shift’ is a new cabinet unit by Dutch designers Scholten & Baijings for Pastoe that employs shifting colour gradients to create a dynamic piece of furniture. “When the doors move across each other, the colours mix, fade or are strengthened,” says Carole Baijings. This play of interacting colours ensures the form of the design remains expressive, bringing colour and movement to even the most minimal of interior spaces. The translucent doors are made from acrylate, and the handles have been recessed in the material, to maintain a sleek appearance. ‘Shift’ is available in two widths and can be either freestanding in a frame or wall-mounted, giving the product added flexibility. It is available in six standard colour combinations, as well as all the basic lacquer combinations from the Pastoe collection. It goes to prove that minimal design doesn’t have to be static. Pastoe is available in Australia from Great Dane. [Text: MK]

Scholten & Baijings (31 20) 420 8940 scholtenbaijings.com Pastoe (31 30) 258 5555 pastoe.com Great Dane (61 3) 9510 6111 greatdanefurniture.com.au indesignlive.com

Vibrant

It’s Time to Have Fun! Finished with a full ceramic glaze, the Vibrant collection’s palette of colours is fun, funky and creates a whole new perspective on bricks and the way they are used. Perfect for internal or external use, the collection consists of seven extraordinary colours – Cosmic, Fizz, Paris, Wasabi, Rhapsody, Tango and Watermelon. The ‘Add to My Scrapbook’ app allows you to add inspiring images and ideas for your new home to your PGH Bricks Scrapbook.

Be warned though – Vibrant bricks will make you stand out!

Call us on 1800 984 077 or visit www.pghbricks.com.au

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power of two

Catherine the Great Indulge in timeless luxury and quality with the ‘Catherine’ freestanding bathtub – the most recent release from Dado, designed by Jacques van der Merwe. Known for its longevity, finish and warranty, the bath is manufactured in DADOquartz, which comprises resin and quartz aggregates. The material is hardwearing, smooth to the touch and lasts the test of time. The material is resistant to stains, scratches and bacterial growth, and has been designed to retain the heat of the water temperature for longer. ‘Catherine’ measures just 1600 by 820mm, and thus offers a luxurious bathing experience in a smaller space. The straight, contemporary lines mean the ‘Catherine’ can be placed directly against a wall. [Text: AS]

Dado (61 7) 5665 7345 dadoaustralia.com.au

Conceiving, developing and manufacturing a variety of products from their Collingwoodbased studio-cum-workshop, Alex earl and Gerard pinto have recently launched a new range of furniture. products include a giant orb-like pendant light, ‘orb on a wheel’, and the colourful thatched ‘Bull’ chairs and stools (pictured). “we’re currently prototyping a new range which has re-invented the way traditional CNC technology is used,” says pinto. “By creating 3D forms with 2D technologies, we’ve made a low buffet unit with an integrated curved door handle detail.” they are also working on their first leather upholstered dining chair for the ‘Birchland’ collection. Already popular with the A&D community, earl pinto’s custom ‘Kink’ high bar stools can be found in the Steel Bar & Grill in Melbourne. Soto Dining room, also in Melbourne, recently commissioned earl pinto to create lighting features for their interiors. their in-house manufacturing capabilities mean the design duo can customise joinery and products to fit a project’s needs. recent custom commercial fit-outs have seen them produce long line filing cabinets with a twist, sculptural desk units and feature wall panels. “we’re also working on an entire suite of living room furniture including a large rectangular dining table, side and coffee tables and custom lighting pieces,” says pinto. the theme of this new collection is an interplay of wood and metal. [text: Alice Blackwood] Earl Pinto (61) 420 883 583 earlpinto.com.au

Write on Made from 6mm toughened glass, Glass Whiteboards can be customised to any size or colour. They were the obvious choice when the Bullet Creative agency of Surry Hills, Sydney, needed to inspire ideas at the Centre Management of Wintergarden and Broadway on Brisbane’s Queen Street Mall. The brief was to inspire expanding creativity. The result draws staff to write on the glass surface, which is quickly and easily cleaned, keeping the creativity flowing. It’s a perfect match between creativity and beauty. (Photography: Roger D’Souza) [Text: MK]

Glass Whiteboards (61) 411 187 007 glasswhiteboards.com.au indesignlive.com

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famous friends When looking for a creative mind to partner with for a collaborative project, it certainly helps to have friends like French architect Jean Nouvel. Swedish flooring company Bolon, have teamed up with Nouvel for the inaugural collaboration of the company’s ‘Architect Friends’ series. Nouvel’s spectacular interpretation of Bolon’s 2012 collection, titled ‘Create’, was launched in February at the Stockholm Furniture Fair. The exhibition stand, designed by Nouvel, challenges both gravity and traditional ideas of flooring by blurring the edges between floor, walls and ceiling. “We are a cutting edge company and we are always looking for partners that think outside the box and dare to challenge,” says Annica Eklund, managing director for Bolon. “Jean Nouvel is a creative force. He pushes the envelopes of both design and archcitecture and sees great potential in our flooring.” Bolon is distributed in Australia through The Andrews Group. [Text: MK]

Too often kitchens are cluttered spaces, creating visual noise and stress. Studio Becker’s innovative Concealed Elevation System (CES) has been designed to return the kitchen to a beautiful showpiece. When lowered, the island bench is a clean, unimpaired space. When raised, the CES allows full access to a storage space. Other storage is equally integrated. Deep drawers feature Studio Becker’s fine bone china and stemware inserts, and the hidden pantry with exterior art niches houses the refrigerator, ovens and dry storage. The CES is shown here in the ‘Portofino’ kitchen, named after the way the profile of the joinery emulates the Mediterranean waves rolling into Italy’s Portofino Harbour. (Photography: Paul Gosney) [Text: MK]

Dutch designer Jólan van der Wiel has used magnetic power and gravity to shape his ‘Gravity’ stool’ and render the normally invisible natural forces visible. the concept, which was developed from a desire to visualise what is invisible to the natural eye, employs a machine invented by the designer that uses magnets and a mould to shape a mixture of iron filings and plastic. “recording is all I have done in this work, and by doing so capturing the invisible natural power in a material form,” says van der Wiel. “these are the kinds of techniques I can imagine us exploiting more in methods of production and the quest for shapes within these processes. Sometimes, it is good to contemplate what nature has already supplied and try to build upon what is given.” the ‘Gravity’ stool won first prize at IMM cologne’s 2012 [D3] talents program. (Photography: Jac van der Wiel)[text: MK]

Studio Becker (61 2) 9698 8870 studiobecker.com.au

Jólan van der Wiel (31 6) 3397 4751 jolanvanderwiel.nl

Bolon (46) 321 53 04 00 bolon.com The Andrews Group (61 3) 9827 1311 theandrewsgroup.com.au

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see forever The Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA) in Brisbane recently hosted an exhibition of work by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, titled Yayoi Kusama: Look Now, See Forever. It featured key works by Kusama, who is recognised for her polka dot-covered artworks. Works included The Obliteration Room, which was developed by Kusama in collaboration with the Queensland Art Gallery for the 2002 Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art. The installation, in which visitors cover a white room with millions of colourful dot stickers, received a huge response. following the exhibition at GoMA, the artwork was recreated at London’s Tate Modern as part of a career retrospective of Kusama. The Gallery has also acquired a rare flower sculpture by Kusama thanks to a generous benefactor, Win schubert. (Photography: ota fine Arts, Tokyo / © Yayoi Kusama) [Text: MK] Queensland Art Gallery (61 7) 3840 7303 qag.qld.gov.au

LIfe’s A pICNIC The classic function of the sewing box and the form of the picnic basket have undergone a contemporary interpretation by GamFratesi. ‘Picnic’ is a bold and playful storage unit that doubles as a small occasional table, which the Danish design studio conceived for French luxury brand, Ligne Roset. The top opens on both sides to reveal storage, while the short legs and looped handle make ‘Picnic’ easy to move around. Soft curves and confident lines give ‘Picnic’, like much of GamFratesi’s work, a cartoonish appeal. ‘Picnic’ is available in black-stained Ash. Ligne Roset is available in Australia through Domo. [Text: MK]

GamFratesi (45) 5190 0117 gamfratesi.com Ligne Roset ligneroset.com Domo (61 3) 9277 8888 domo.com.au

MIX ’N’ MATCH There seems to be a trend in the design world of naming products after Olympian deities. In the case of this pendant lamp, it is only fitting that it be named after Apollo, the god of light and the sun. The modular system of light shades, designed by UK-based studio International, can be arranged in various configurations to create a variety of forms. The best part is that the shades have been designed around the standard screw cup lamp holder. The anodised aluminium shades replicate an industrial feel but the rich colours offer a more modernist approach. In recognition of the playful yet sophisticated design, ‘Apollo’ was short-listed for the 2012 Interior Innovation Award at the IMM Cologne’s [D3] contest. [Text: AS]

International (44 797) 335 3435 international-studio.co.uk indesignlive.com

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the green revolution

RoCK ‘N’ Roll Several years ago, while studying furniture design at Melbourne’s Swinburne University of Technology on exchange, Swedish designer Fredrik Färg was tasked with making a full-scale model of a chair. As he was an exchange student, he was unable to make full use of the wood workshop – a frustrating situation for the trained cabinetmaker. So, he decided to go back to the basics. “In a way it gave me some new energy to make it simple,” says Färg. “I decided to use no other tools than a jigsaw and plywood as the construction.” The result was ‘Hedda’, a chair which, upon return to Sweden, won the award for Wood Chair of the Year. Fast forward to today and Färg is one part of Studio Färg & Blanche and ‘Hedda’ has become ‘Rock’ – an elegantly simple rocking chair presented by Färg for Design House Stockholm at this year’s Stockholm Design Week. “The new chair had to be more simplified than its previous edition,” explains Färg. “It had to have a more refined look, also making a more solid expression when you have more than one chair next to each other.” [Text: MK]

Ftyogreen helps architects, landscape architects, property developers and urban designers to create stunning, environmentally sustainable gardens integrated into the architectural form. The Australian company offers its clients solutions tailored to suit each individual project, and is Australia’s largest supplier to the roof garden industry. Through Fytogreen’s offerings, it is easy to introduce verdant greenery into projects, making spaces feel dynamic and alive, and creating a calm and more relaxed environment. The services offered by Fytogreen – including green roofs, vertical gardens and green façades – are not only aesthetic, but work to improve a building’s environmental performance, thermal insulation and climate responsiveness. Since 2002, Fytogreen has supplied proprietary roof garden media components to around 55,000 per square metres of roof gardens throughout Australia – it’s time to join the green revolution. [Text: AS]

Fytogreen (61 3) 5978 0511 fytogreen.com.au

Studio Färg & Blanche fargandblanche.com Design House Stockholm (46 8) 509 08 100 designhousestockholm.com

Shooting Star Illuminating the entrance to the new State Theatre Centre of Western Australia (Indesign #48) is an installation by artist Matthew Ngui that plays with the idea of fleeting fame. The work, titled falling from heaven to earth; the shooting star, is a walkway of sorts that stretches 24.5 metres across the floor of the theatre. As visitors enter the theatre and walk across the glass surface of the artwork, it lights up and fades in their wake – a sparkling reference to shooting stars and the brevity of fame. Alongside this interactive component are four video installations that operate in a pre-programmed cycle and explore fire/ heat, ice/cold, psychedelia and white/ architectural themes. Throughout the process of developing the artwork, Ngui worked closely with electronic and software engineers Ole Hansen and David Veerman from Design Feats, and Hong Xiangrong from Bluerainstudios for the computer generated videos. [Text: MK]

Matthew Ngui artsource.net.au indesignlive.com

More froM leSS The ‘Tremillimetri’ showerhead for Gessi has been awarded ‘Best of the Year’ in Interior Design magazines 6th annual product competition. The stainless-steel showerhead impressed with its super slim blade that measures just 3mm and signature ‘cascade waterfall’ mode, which offers water distribution that covers the entire body. ‘Tremillimetri’ is wall-mounted with round or square profiles that extend between 56cm and 60cm from the wall. Gessi also offers an LED white light option. The razor-thin blade showerhead makes a big impact with its minimal design and is perfect for modern bathrooms. Gessi is available through Abey. [Text: AS]

Abey 1800 809 143 abey.com

Time for a new classic.* Graph. Wilkhahn.

* The choice of premium-design conference chairs is small and has hardly changed for decades. Graph offers a refreshing make-over. Distinctive, trend-setting design combined with innovative and energising comfort. And top quality, down to the smallest detail. Graph, designed by Jehs + Laub. For more information visit www.wilkhahn.com /graph

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LINE Up For linacre Melbourne based designer Ed Linacre is riding a pretty serious wave of international acclaim right now, designing lighting, furniture and jewellery. The designer was also awarded the international James Dyson Award for his ‘Airdrop’ irrigation system (Indesign #48). His ‘Weave’ lamps (pictured), which are inspired by a “sacred geometrical structure”, are already making their way into commercial fit-outs. They were recently commissioned by JDA Architects for a lobby in the St Vincent’s Hospital. Linacre’s lamps were born through experimentation with reclaimed timber veneers, and aim to give new life to the ancient process of weaving. Linacre is currently negotiating with Australian manufacturers. “I’d like to keep it in Australia if I can,” he says, “to support Australian innovation and manufacture.” [Text: AS ] indesignlive.com/edlinacre

design heavyweight Gregor Jenkin is one of South Africa’s most prominent furniture designers. Manufactured in his Cape Town-based workshop, Jenkin’s ‘Cape’ table is his most iconic product to date – a cut steel design with a striking edge profile. Recently, the ‘Cape’ table was bought by the Conran Shop, where it has gone onto become one of their best sellers. As a result, his career has been catapulted onto the international stage. [Text: OB]

indesignlive.com/gregorjenkin

head south Turning a series of historic cargo sheds into Melbourne’s new riverside hospitality precinct involved looking to the past as well as the future. Six years in the planning and restoration, South Wharf Promenade has breathed new life into a series of cargo sheds on the banks of Melbourne’s Yarra River. The historic cargo holds have been transformed into hospitality venues that promise to turn the area into a contemporary dining hotspot. Heritage architect Bruce Trethowan was brought on board to advise on the restoration process of the historic site, which was to keep many of its original features while accommodating modern design elements to facilitate long-term use. This is definitely a must-visit dining experience for all sightseers and local Melbourne residents alike. [Text: OB]

indesignlive.com/southwharfpromenade indesignlive.com

tune the light

Cantax LED

The launch of the newest gener ation of Cantax LED spotlights: equipped with a selection of different beam characteristics, as well as sizes and wattages that open up new applications for LEDs. Maintenancefree, compact and energyefficient, LEDs represent the ideal light source for art and exhibition lighting: gentle light without

IR or UV radiation. Cantax spot lights, equipped with the latest highpower LEDs in warm white or neutral white versions, now provide luminous flux packages of up to 2160lm with a con nected load of only 27W. The highly efficient LED lighting technology featuring collima tors and Spherolit lenses is only available from ERCO – with six

light distribution patterns from narrow spot through to wide flood, oval flood and wallwash: for creative lighting concepts with efficient visual comfort. www.erco.com/cantax

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Simone Leamon a recent three-month residency in new York reminds me of the value of taking time out for professional and personal development portrait James Geer illustration Collage by Frances Yeoland

It’s tempting, as a diligent designer and small business owner, to become completely immersed in the daily and weekly demands of one’s practice – liaising with clients and consultants, researching new ideas, managing workflow and meeting seemingly incessant deadlines. But a recent trip reminded me how important it is to come up for air, to step back from everyday realities of work, and invest time and energy into an invaluable side-project: professional development, or “PD”. In October last year I embarked on a three-month residency in the design mecca of New York, at the Australia Council’s Greene Street Studio. Running since 1979, Greene Street’s alumni include such Australian visual arts luminaries as Rosemary Laing, Jon Cattapan and Constanze Zikos. As a recipient of a skills and development grant through the Australia Council for the Arts (Visual Arts Board), I was grateful to walk in their footsteps. This was a precious opportunity to immerse myself in a rich and vibrant creative culture. Living and working in an unfamiliar environment helped me to expand my personal and professional horizons – to soak up inspiration, appreciate different perspectives, adapt and synthesise new information and test new approaches. I also picked up practical skills – navigating a huge city, tackling bureaucratic hurdles and communication obstacles (apparently my Australian accent is very thick) – and enjoyed less formal activities – seeing how other creatives work, making new friends and sampling delicious cuisine! Now I’ve returned to Australia fired up with fresh ideas and enthusiasm for the possibilities of design – both for my own practice, and for our local design community. Supporting Australian creatives since the 1970s, the Australia Council recently undertook to invest more deeply and widely in nurturing

the careers of object, craft and design practitioners. This reflects a growing recognition of design’s cultural value. This is our time! As designers, we must make the most of it. Residencies are wonderful, if relatively rare opportunities, but are by no means the only avenues for designers to invest in their own futures. So let’s consider the role of PD – what does it mean, and how can we incorporate it into our practice? Professional development is about building career expertise and capacity through ongoing learning, and is thus distinct from day-to-day workplace activities. It can take many forms: from formal tuition and training to enhance one’s skills within a given area; to a selfdirected research program, affording the space to re-evaluate and enrich the methodologies, hypotheses and principles underpinning one’s practice. PD is vital for creatives as being a creative thinker requires constant reflection. To evolve, creatives must constantly probe their understandings of their own practice; to test their knowledge, and re-think the ways in which they speak of their work. To avoid self-reflection is to risk stagnation – the very antithesis of creativity. At a 2006 TED talk, UK-based creativity expert and author Sir Ken Robinson said: “Being creative is not only about thinking; it’s also about feeling.” Why don’t we get the best out of people? Sir Ken argues that we’ve been educated to become good workers, rather than creative thinkers. Students with restless minds and bodies, rather than having their energy and creativity nurtured, are often ignored or even stigmatised. “We are educating people out of their creativity,” he warns. His talk has been circulated widely on the web. It’s a message with resonance. It’s no surprise, then, that PD also involves personal development. Before I hear you groan, I don’t mean scented

candles or meditation, although this works for some! “Personal development” means evolving as a person. It’s about honing your thinking and awareness, challenging assumptions, developing your identity and potential, building your “human capital”, enhancing quality of life, and working to realise your dreams and aspirations. But the real key to any professional development program – especially a self-guided one – is to set clear objectives. Ask yourself: what do I want to investigate, what do I hope to learn – and why? In what areas do I wish to develop? Technically speaking the learning process can occur in a variety of ways: including knowledge gained via direct or indirect observation and experience (i.e. empirical research); the reflexive process of problem-solving, undertaken as part of a “community of practice” (i.e. action research); and an immersive engagement with local surroundings. On a residency program, there are specific learnings to be gleaned from the place you are visiting. My own PD objectives for New York were relatively simple: to explore career opportunities; identify a network of peers; and acquire new experiences to enrich my thinking and creative practice. Interestingly, while overseas, I was struck by how much easier it is to let go of those entrenched self-perceptions that can box you in, limiting what you believe you are capable of. My “community of practice” was also vital: I met peers from around the world, including many

expat Australians. All shared a palpable enthusiasm for living and working in New York. They were engaged mentally and emotionally with this energetic city; they rarely limit themselves, and they think BIG! We compared experiences and understandings of our local creative industries. These connections and conversations were some of the most valuable outcomes of my residency. At the heart of PD is a commitment to lifelong learning. Opening up to new opportunities is an art in itself; one we would all do well to cultivate, and one that promises to repay the investment many times over. As an individual you owe it to yourself to ‘tap’ your potential and evolve – but as a design professional you owe it to your clients, community and industry.

Simone LeAmon is a designer, artist and the director of O.S INITIATIVE design and creative strategy studio.

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EERO SAARINEN: SHAPING THE FUTURE

MICHAEL O’CONNELL: THE LOST MODERNIST

TRAVELS IN THE HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE

Edited by Eeva-Lusa Pelkonen and Donald Albrecht Published by Yale University press 464pp softcover, AUD$65.00 yalebooks.co Reviewed by Philip Drew

By Harriet Edquist Published by Melbourne Books 256pp softcover, AUD$49.95 (61 3) 9662 2051 melbournebooks.com.au Reviewed by Paul McGillick

By Robert Harbison Published by Reaktion Books 287 pp softcover, AUD$49.95 reaktionbooks.co.uk Reviewed by Philip Drew

Australia is disgracefully profligate with its cultural history. After their 15 minutes of fame, our most creative people are largely consigned to the trash. Harriet Edquist, however, has done a phenomenal job in recording and interpreting our cultural history. As Professor of Architectural History at RMIT she has published significant books on architects Frederick Romberg and Harold Desbrowe-Annear, on artist George Baldessin, on the archaeology of the Western District and on the Arts and Crafts movement in Australia. This book on Michael O’Connell is part of her ongoing project to illuminate the sources of contemporary Australian culture and explore the origins of Modernism in Australia. O’Connell was born in the UK in 1898 and emigrated to Melbourne in 1920. He remained in Australia for 17 years before returning to the UK. During his time in Australia he became a major influence. O’Connell came to prominence with his concrete garden furniture – an aesthetic developed during the building of his own house at Beaumaris on the coast. After a visit back to England in the late 1920s, O’Connell returned to Melbourne and started working with textiles. In 1931 he married Ella Moody who worked with him on the fabrics that quickly gave O’Connell a high profile. As Edquist points out, O’Connell saw textiles as “a way of introducing Modernism to a resistant public”. In 1930, O’Connell commented: “Textile decoration is the most important art apart from the movies, in the world today. Other arts, such as painting and ceramics, have had their golden age in the past. Now it is the turn of textiles.” The O’Connell’s returned to England in 1937 where they were delayed indefinitely by their project to build a house in the countryside outside of London and the War. O’Connell’s career continued in Britain until his death by suicide in 1976. It is a fascinating story that reveals new layers to the history of modern art showing it to be a rich cultural tapestry which extends far beyond the conventional media of painting and sculpture.

Robert Harbison purports to take the reader on a personal journey through Western architecture, but this book is actually a survey beginning with the Egyptians through to Modernists, negotiating Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Romanesque and Historicist architecture along the way. The idea of travel is a ruse for what amounts to a personal and idiosyncratic take on architectural history. Harbison makes no pretence at objectivity or a comprehensive account. Instead, he meanders, ignores obvious high points and visits fascinating, if little known, examples in a discursive, pragmatically driven manner. This has it rewards. Harbison is unpredictable, engaging, and at times surprising in his esoteric insights. We learn how he interprets Mannerism and Historicism. The Erechtheion is “three buildings in one, ingeniously joined to each other to make a diverting variety rather than confusion”. He is interested in seeing history not as a determined process driven by unseen forces, but as an empirical artifact driven by human inconsistency on its wayward journey of discovery. Architecture is not progressive; it does not advance and is not a stream gathering force. He describes the first Greek archaeologists removing every trace of Ottoman from the Acropolis site, including the mosques erected in the Parthenon and Erechtheion, and the remains of Christian churches that preceded them. There are numerous sidelights: his account of Romanesque takes us to Durham, ignoring the French triumphs at Vézelay, Fontrevrault, and Poitiers. For Harbison, Mannerism began prior to the Sack of Rome, and makes its appearance in Bramante. He resists tying Mannerism to a single cause, suggesting it arose from impatience with the harmony of the Renaissance. He concludes with the speculative question: will the explosion of a certain number of western architects onto the whole earth come to seem like earlier phases of Western imperialism, a curious interim phase? One is inclined to agree: the vast facility released by the computer is not accompanied by the maturity and restraint needed to apply it wisely. Architects today are like children who have stumbled into the magician’s workshop.

Eero Saarinen has been largely ignored since his early death in 1961. This book supplies a new, wideranging and comprehensive look at the architect’s career. It is a collaborative effort involving the architect’s network of clients, friends, and colleagues and coincided with a comprehensive Helsinki exhibition in December 2006 organised by the Finnish Cultural Institute in New York and The Museum of Finnish Architecture. Saarinen is now seen as epitomising the mood of optimism and belief in technology at the high point of American world power, which was defined by its rivalry with Soviet Russia. His best buildings are the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial Gateway Arch at St Louis, the TWA and Dulles terminals, and a number of lesser but nonetheless influential works. It is easy to forget how influential Saarinen was. He belonged to the second generation of the modern movement, which included the likes of Philip Johnson, Minoru Yamasaki, and Paul Rudolph. He played a decisive role in the Toronto City Hall and Sydney Opera House competitions in choosing the Finn, Viljo Revell, and Dane, Jørn Utzon. One of the intriguing mysteries is Saarinen’s relationship with Utzon after the pair first met in 1949. Saarinen obviously found Utzon a congenial and inspiring individual. It is hardly an accident that Saarinen’s flying winged TWA terminal showed up in a more elaborate form in the Opera House. Later, in 1970, Utzon again turned to Saarinen for inspiration for his Kuwait National Assembly complex which took a backward glance at the hanging roof of Saarinen’s Dulles Airport terminal. This is the first comprehensive survey of Saarinen to encompass his furniture, domestic, religious, corporate, institutional and religious work. One is impressed by Saarinen’s Promethean creativity. He worked simultaneously on projects, each of which demanded his full attention. His life was so intensely concentrated, so prolific, so filled with landmark achievements, that the only real question is how he managed to keep so many balls in the air for as long as he did. indesignlive.com

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susanne pini Director and Head of Retail + Mixed Use at Rice Daubney, Susanne Pini has been key to the shift in shopping-centre design around australia, putting the emphasis firmly on community and human connectedness

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hen architect Susanne Pini introduces herself to her peers as a retail architect, a designer of shopping centres, she is invariably met with withering looks and stifled gasps of sympathy. As Pini admits, retail is the abyss of architecture. “It’s a typology that’s hated by the public and by the architectural profession alike,” she says cheerfully. She always enjoys the quick turnaround in the tenor of the architects’ responses when she starts describing her work. As Director and Head of Retail + Mixed Use at Rice Daubney, one of Australia’s leading commercial architectural firms, Pini has delivered a series of highly acclaimed and awarded projects through her nearly 20-year career with the company. From Sydney’s Chatswood Chase (1996), she followed up with Erina Fair on the NSW Central Coast (2002) – one of the first retail projects in Australia to consider a shopping centre as a piece of urban design. The project not only won the NSW AIA’s Premier’s Award but became the first retail project ever to receive that honour. Then came Orion Springfield, in Queensland,

which also attracted a string of awards for planning, design and sustainability, and attracted a Six-Star Green Star rating. Following that, and garnering even broader acclaim, was GPT’s Rouse Hill Town Centre, NSW, designed in conjunction with Allen Jack + Cottier and GroupGSA, which won the NSW AIA Lloyd Rees Award and the National AIA Walter Burley Griffin Award, both for outstanding urban design, along with UDIA awards, landscaping awards and the Banksia People’s Choice environmental award. By this stage the architects are re-thinking their prejudices. Not retail as we know it Having built her reputation for innovation by continually creating new benchmarks, Pini has found herself at the forefront of a dramatic change that is overtaking retail development as a whole – a change that has seen the transformation of the enclosed and isolated shopping mall into the towncentre model in which retail provides structure and focus. Pini believes this is where the future of retail lies: in sensitively planned, mixed-use town-centre

Previous Pages Susanne Pini with models of the Wollongong Central project Below Rendering of Wollongong Central, which Pini is currently working on Right GPT’s Rouse Hill Town Centre (2010) Far Right Outdoor chess at Erina Fair (2004)

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developments set around existing infrastructure cores, successfully integrating retail precincts into the range of amenities that are required for people to fulfil what she calls “the live/work/play equation” in a sustainable way. A hallmark of Pini’s work, and that of Rice Daubney, is to expand the interface between public and private space, and it is the way people experience that space that engages Pini. Her aim, she says, is to create centres “that work specifically for their communities; that bring meaningful life back into the places where people actually live, providing them with a richness and a complexity, and a very strong sense of place”. She promotes the benefits of this new paradigm in crusading fashion. “It’s an exciting time to be in retail design,” she says. She speaks at national and international conferences on retail and urban design. She acts as a spokesperson for the industry on radio. She writes articles and reviews for the mainstream press, and regularly publishes articles in industry journals. “I love to talk and I love to write,” she says. Potential to make a Difference From the first retail project Pini took on when she began with Rice Daubney – Kelapa Gading Mall in Jakarta, Indonesia, completed in 1995 – she recalls, “I loved the way people were so scornful of this typology, because we would sit there and think, ‘We’re going to do really great things here.’ ” Over time she came to regard retail as a pocket of great possibility that had been completely ignored. “When people think of architects, they think of bespoke houses, art galleries, museums and iconic works of art, and I always felt that as architects, if we weren’t going to make the ordinary things better, the normal things we find in our suburbs, then who would?” Most people don’t go to galleries and museums, she says. “We know statistically that the national pastime is shopping. If you look at most suburbs, the shopping centres are often the only piece of social infrastructure around.” In retail, Pini believes architecture can make a real difference to the real world, where it’s most needed.

“ A s architects, if we weren’t going to make the ordinary things better... then who would?” SUSANNE PINI

While Pini has always defiantly enjoyed the pariah status of retail, it was not a field she chose so much as fell into. Growing up in Wollongong, NSW, the daughter of Italian immigrants, she had decided on a career in architecture even before high school because, to her mind, it was the perfect blend of her two main talents, art and science. Embarking on her degree in 1987, she chose to study part-time at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) and work part-time in the industry because she reasoned it was the best way to understand the profession. Through university she worked at Edwards Madigan Torzillo Briggs (now HBO+EMTB), which she describes as an “unbelievably formative experience”. From this time, she recounts the late Col Madigan’s advice to “think about every building as if it were a piece of joinery”. Opportunity at Rice Daubney In 1992, Pini joined Rice Daubney – a firm known for its large-scale, commercial projects in the health, defence, commercial and aged-care sectors along with retail and mixed-use. She found the experience so stimulating that she remains there 20 years later.

Always wanting to do ‘big work’, she enjoys the corporate energy, excitement and diversity of major projects. “The firm is amazing,” she says. “I’ve been able to grow with the people that I’ve worked with, and I’ve had the luxury of developing my ideas.” Because there’s no ‘house style’ she has a free rein creatively, and she feels she has been fortunate in being nurtured in her career by managing director John Daubney. Clearly her talent, optimism, drive, tenacity and selfproclaimed ‘big personality’ have fuelled her progress. Pini doesn’t see problems, only challenges and opportunities, and challenge is something she thrives on. “A lot of architects wait for the right project to do their best work, but I wasn’t going to wait for the right project, I was going to create it in anything that I was given,” she says, and what was given at Rice Daubney was the shopping mall. throwing out the formula The modern shopping mall evolved in America after World War II in response to the increasingly car-based society and suburbanisation. In 1956, Viennese-born architect Victor Gruen created the Southdale Center indesignlive.com

in Edina, Minnesota – the first multi-level, inwardlooking, fully enclosed and air-conditioned shopping centre with a ‘big box’ anchor store at either end and many ‘small box’ shops in between. Gruen’s formula was popular with shoppers, retailers and property developers alike and has been repeated around the world with such prevalence that Malcolm Gladwell has suggested Gruen as the most influential architect of the 20th century. When Pini started working on shopping malls in the 1990s she was horrified by the design reality of Gruen’s formula. The core principles of architecture she had learnt in first year at university – to design a building with regard to place, scale, site, light and climate – were not even up for discussion. “People would only talk about the pragmatics: the boxes, the site-lines, the width of malls, the width of trolleys, the heights of spaces, which are all programmed by the tenancies and the shops.” She remembers drawings going to council as outlines of the ‘boxes’ only, with no detail, no material information at all. “The attitude was, ‘It’s a shopping centre, what can you expect?’” Delivering these pragmatics led to the proliferation of what she calls “the vanilla mall” – white terrazzo, white gyprock, 12-metre-wide malls, aluminium everywhere and blank external facades to the streets – which was pushed out in a cookie-cutter approach across the suburbs. Pini regards these ‘pragmatics’ as mandatory considerations, much the same as downpipes or fire stairs. She sees the commercial modelling and aspirations of a project as givens in the same way. Instead, she says, “We tend to re-frame those pragmatics in a way that talks about people and place. As an architect it’s really fundamental, but in this arena it’s revolutionary. We talk to our clients about good architecture being a blend of art and commerce.” By making sure clients’ commercial and practical concerns are taken care of, Pini then creates the freedom to address the aesthetic and experiential issues, or the art. Satisfying clients’ concerns also means buildings she designs almost always get built.

The proof is in the building “Architecture is about building, not drawing,” says Pini. “The most salient thing about the work is the way people feel about it; that’s the real test.” And without people’s responses she would never know whether the philosophies and ideas she proposes actually work. Fortunately, retail clients do an enormous amount of research, so Pini gets closer than most architects to knowing just how well her work has been received. By the same token she says, “There’s no point in doing a beautiful drawing if it doesn’t end up as a beautiful building,” and to ensure the built outcome requires diligent attention. As a company director, Pini has the unusual luxury of overseeing her projects from conception to completion. A mixed-use future “Every good piece of work sets the benchmark higher, and then that’s where you start from with the next project,” says Pini. She remembers working on Chatswood Chase in 1996 with an enlightened client who questioned the five-year refurbishment plan that was standard practice in retail at the time. He suggested a re-think involving a more timeless approach with high-quality finishes, and Pini was thrilled to be able to shake up the process. At Erina Fair, the client, Lend Lease, had envisaged this first town-square project as an Italianate affair, but Pini’s understanding of the casual beachside culture and local environment steered the design towards a much more Australian outcome. At GPT Group’s Rouse Hill Town Centre, these ideas were carried further and Pini conducted an intensive study of how people would move around the site, what she calls the “ant-tracks”. Imagining those journeys through the streets and alleyways, Pini likes to put herself in other people’s shoes, attributing her fascination for retail and mixed-use work to it being as much about psychology as it is about architecture. Over the years, projects like these have shifted expectations of retail design, a change that has intensified in the past five years. A groundswell has

Above Left Pini’s own

house, which she designed with her husband in 2009 Left Sketch of town-centre concept for retail and mixed use spaces Opposite Rendering of Wollongong Central, which Pini is currently working on

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SUSANNE PINI – TIMELINE 1966 Born in Wollongong, NSW 1987 –1992 Studied architecture part-time at University

of Technology, Sydney (UTS)

1988–1992 Worked as undergraduate architect at Edwards

Madigan Torzillo Briggs, Sydney (now HBO+EMTB)

1991 Awarded the inaugural Jessie Mary Vasey

Travelling Scholarship

1992 Graduated from UTS with a Bachelor of

Architecture (Hons); joined Rice Daubney

1994 Studied Master of Philosophy (Architecture)

and travelled to Europe and USA

1995–2002 Visiting Lecturer at UTS and University of Sydney 1996 Became Associate Director, Rice Daubney;

research tour of Berlin, Barcelona, Paris, and NY

1996–1997 Worked as Design Director for mall spaces of

Chatswood Chase, and completed detailed design of food court 2000 Research tour of Greece and Turkey, studying the organic nature of public spaces 2001 Made a Director of Rice Daubney 2001–2002 Directed town-centre design of Erina Fair, NSW Central Coast, from concept through to the project’s completion 2002 Lived in Italy for six months studying the social morphology of small towns 2004 Directed design of town-centre development at Orion Springfield, Queensland 2005 Erina Fair, NSW, won the Australian Institute of Architects (AIA) NSW Premier’s Award 2005–2007 Directed design of Rouse Hill Town Centre, Western Sydney 2007 Won AIA (NSW) Commendation for ‘Almost House’, together with husband John Wilkin for their own home; the project attracted broad media attention 2008 GPT’s Rouse Hill Town Centre awarded the AIA (NSW) Lloyd Rees Award and AIA Walter Burley Griffin Award, both for outstanding urban design 2010 Promoted to Rice Daubney’s Director of Retail + Mixed-Use; Rouse Hill Town Centre won an Urban Land Institute Global Award for Excellence; directed design of Home HQ in Artarmon, NSW, adaptive re-use of heritage building to bulky goods store

developed, led by the planning regime in response to sustainability and densification that is demanding much more from retail developers than the malls of old. The emphasis now is firmly on the town-centre model and mixed-use developments. “We don’t have a building that we’re working on today that only has shops in it,” Pini says, describing new centres being integrated with existing strip shopping centres, thus increasing the benefits both ways, and offering the community greater diversity. Community and connection At present, Pini is involved in town-centre developments in the northern suburbs of Sydney, in Eastlakes in south-east Sydney, and in northern Victoria, along with GPT Group’s Wollongong Central development, a project with deep emotional connections for her as it is located in her home town. Ironically, the town-centre model promoted by Pini and her team is not dissimilar to Gruen’s original plan for the shopping mall, which was to be surrounded by apartment buildings, schools, medical facilities, a park and a lake, and was intended as the focus for a

whole community. While his plan was never realised, Pini’s ideas are fast gaining ground. Motivated by a fundamental concern about humanity, about our physical and emotional connectedness to each other and to where we live, Pini says, “If we continue to build cities that are only enclaves, with no street life, no activity, people will continue sitting in their houses looking at their plasmas, and I think that’s not a good thing”. Statistical evidence shows Australians live in the biggest houses in the world, and Pini suggests that putting the emphasis on ‘community’ is the best way to get people re-connecting. This understanding lies at the heart of every commercially sound mixed-use and town-centre development she designs – a desire to create richly layered, dynamic and inspiring places – places where people can feel they belong.

Rice Daubney (61 2) 9956 2666 ricedaubney.com.au

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First Movement artist Mika Utzon Popov brings light and motion into a dark space in Sydneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kings Cross

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words PAUL MCGILLICK pHOTOGRAPHY MIKA UTZON POPOV

he former Hampton Court Hotel has always been quintessentially Kings Cross – the inner-city suburb of Sydney known for its colourful nightlife and history. Now, the building’s beautifully preserved façade, complete with neon signage, acts as a reminder of the Cross’s past glory. Recently refurbished by Marchese Partners for the Toga Group, the hotel – which has now been turned into apartments – has made a virtue out of a feature of these pre-War blocks that was previously regarded as an unavoidable eyesore, namely the central light well. Artist Mika Utzon Popov was commissioned to create a work which would draw brightness into the light well – and therefore into the apartments which looked into it – and give this otherwise dead space an aesthetic lift and give the residents a reason for looking out of their windows. The result is a dynamic and almost hypnotic installation entitled First Movement, a series of cutout stainless-steel doves which spiral up towards the light. The light well is 32 metres high, with windows on three sides, and the doves are set at different depths and angles to the windowless wall. The effect mimics the ritual release of a flock of doves, with sunlight flashing randomly off their wings. Instead of instinctively looking down into the depths of the light well at Hampton Court and reinforcing a sense of enclosure, the installation means the viewer now looks up towards the sky with a sense of liberation. “What was important to me,” says Utzon Popov, “was to create a sensation of light more than creating actual light, the notion that light is present within the space even when it is not. By mimicking a flock

of birds taking flight, it became a natural movement for the eye, allowing for a unique composition of elements on each level. Each dove is placed not only according to the angle of the light from above and how it best conveys the light to the level below, but how it is best viewed from each level and sides.” Altogether there are 173 doves, each laser-cut from 1.2mm marine-grade stainless steel and mounted on 8mm marine-grade stainless steel rods that have been ChemSet into the rendered wall. Each dove has been individually angled by hand. Like watching the release of a flock of doves, viewing First Movement is more an experience of movement and reflected light than a case of looking at individual birds. At the same time, light is drawn into the heart of the building, not in an obvious way, but almost subliminally – a reminder that light is not a static phenomenon, but a constantly changing source of emotional and physical energy. The work was produced with Mark Williams from Wilstain Fabrications and installed on site in conjunction with Simon Sweetapple, Andrew Harrington and Troy from Beebo Constructions.

Paul McGillick is Editorial Director at Indesign. mikautzonpopov.com australiangalleries.com.au Find out more about Mika Utzon Popov at indesignlive.com/mikautzonpopov

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CBA Unplugged The Commonwealth Bank Of Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new headquarters at Sydneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s darling walk are a dramatic statement on the future of the workplace indesignlive.com

CIVIC CONNECTION Commonwealth Bank Place shows how a commercial building can be perfectly functional and still be a good citizen

he main challenge with the development of Commonwealth Bank Place was to activate the Darling Walk precinct in South Darling Harbour and make it more permeable to Sydney’s CBD. Prior to this project, people had little reason to be there; it was difficult and inaccessible. After being awarded preferred proponent for the precinct through a design competition, Lend Lease undertook development of the site. Not long after the agreement was gained with the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) was engaged as the anchor tenant, and FrancisJones Morehen Thorp were briefed to design the base building. Richard Francis-Jones’ solution provided 59,000m2 of office floor in four blocks: two six-storey blocks fronting Tumbalong Park on the west, each connected to an eight-storey block on the eastern side fronting Harbour Street. The benefits of this stepped, low-rise campus-style solution are immediately obvious. Horizontal communication is enhanced internally and there is a more natural relationship between the two buildings and their external context. The stepped form dealt with the change of scale between the higher city buildings in the CBD to the east and Tumbalong Park. Instead of the domineering monolith of the Sega Centre, which it replaced, Commonwealth Bank Place has a 20-metre-wide opening that invites the city into Tumbalong Park. The volume left between the higher and lower blocks is enclosed by a graceful curved glass canopy to create an atrium space, with the roof of the front building utilised as a terrace. Triangular leaves in the ridge reduce the amount of light and set up a satisfying rhythm in the canopy of alternating light and shadow that is forever changing during the day. The atrium also breaks up the deep office floor plates. Along its edge, informal break-out areas isolate the work areas from noisy activities around the atrium. Glass, with irregularly spaced timber mullions, strengthens the visual transparency and connection to the park outside, allowing passers-by glimpses of the office interior, while permitting employees to open windows to let fresh air inside. The permeability of the

western façade breaks down feelings of isolation from the real world. On the roof, overlooking trees and the community green, the informal terraces supply a focus for informal social gatherings and celebrations. The glass shoots past at the corners of the blocks and is supported on horizontal sills that work to further accentuate the continuity of the façade plane that carries on into empty space in defiance of the box. Below, timber screens above the food terrace add warmth and an organic quality. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) recently predicted that Sydney would become a “green powerhouse” and a hub for climate-related jobs resulting from its plan to build a network of trigeneration power plants similar to the six-star Green Star-rated Commonwealth Bank Place. Such fulsome praise from a prestigious international organisation confirms Commonwealth Bank Place as a building where the future is realised in the present. The premise for Commonwealth Bank Place was a flexible building that was openly inviting and which widened human potential. The permeability of the two building forms reaches out to the city, drawing Commonwealth Bank Place into Darling Quarter, establishing physical and visual connections with the city and honoring Tumbalong Park. At the same time, the façade is opened up, making it more permeable, while on the inside, the floor plates open to and act in a permeable manner in response to the atrium. LED lights are located in the façade that transform it at night and allow low-resolution imagery to play across the park façade. This replaces what otherwise would have been an anonymous corporate blankness at night by an animated display of colour and movement that is at once interactive and creative. In addition, an ‘environment board’ is situated in the foyer off the Day Street lobby (located in the northern building) that updates the building’s energy use so users can make changes that lower energy use. In The Image of the City, Kevin Lynch talked about paths and edges as being crucial to the ‘imageability’ of cities. Legibilty, Lynch insisted, was an important attribute, since it enhances our capacity to recall

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words PHILIP DREW photography TYRONE BRANIGAN architect FJMT Developer Lend Lease location SYDNEY | AUS PROJECT Commonwealth Bank Place, Base Building

Previous The city façade with pedestrian

connection to Tumbalong Park

Above The western façade Far Left Public amenity in Tumbalong Park Left The children’s water playground

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This Page The curved

western faรงade with its gallery of retail and hospitality spaces Below Right The rooftop entertainment terrace

I t goes about the task of creating a gentle, healthy building with dexterity and ingenuity Philip Drew

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the city. Clear imageability assists us to orientate ourselves, and find our way about. Psychologically we feel more comfortable in a city with legibility. Commonwealth Bank Place contributes to Sydney’s legibility, acknowledging and extending existing paths, making them work better and sharpening their definition. The generous 20-metre-wide break at ground level between the two buildings allows the city to flood through and connect with the park beyond. The existing pedestrian bridge connection has been re-designed, glazed barriers on the sides jut inwards protectively and hold the pedestrian while creating a dramatic vista in front that leads the eye to the park. Existing pathways at Bathurst and Liverpool Streets into Tumbalong Park have been accentuated. In Darling Quarter, Darling Walk has been recognised as an important thoroughfare from Cockle Bay through to Chinatown and now forms a treed boulevard or ‘Peoples Promenade’ next to it. A new children’s playground with exciting water play activities has been added with kiosks to reinforce community involvement and a children’s theatre. Architecture has lost direction. Architects are no longer content with ordinary rectangular forms and ‘loud architecture’ is the result. It shouts at us to get our attention, afraid it will not be noticed amongst the cacophony of shapes around it. It strives to look fantastic with weird, structurally irrational forms that, often as not, are unsatisfactory even as sculpture. Commonwealth Bank Place is the opposite of this. It is quietly and subtly executed. It achieves a richness through thoughtful choice of materials and precise detailing. Its forms are straightforward, almost commonplace: a simple curved outline with details that radiate warmth. Behind the irregularly spaced timber mullions, timber louvres control the sunlight and the windows adjust automatically. The Harbour Street façade facing the city is deliberately less transparent to shut out distracting traffic noise. Commonwealth Bank Place is ‘quiet architecture’. It opposes sensationalism with subtlety and does not seek to stand out or be different at all costs. It goes about the task of creating a gentle, healthy building with dexterity and ingenuity, reducing energy use, maximising amenity, making people feel privileged and enhanced in its enriching work spaces that facilitate interactions between people. We hardly notice the architecture it works so well. Like a good butler working behind the scene, Commonwealth Bank Place functions naturally and inconspicuously, anticipating needs before they arise. It is a building that enhances and facilitates the user without intruding.

Philip Drew is a Sydney-based architecture critic.

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words PAUL MCGILLICK photography TYRONE BRANIGAN Interior Design E.G.O. GROUP and DAVENPORT CAMPBELL Project Manager LEND LEASE location SYDNEY | AUS PROJECT COMMONWEALTH BANK place, Workplace Design

COLLABORATIVE CULTURE

Commonwealth Bank Place Celebrates transparency and connectivity

ommonwealth Bank Place, which sits on the western edge of the CBD linking it with Darling Harbour, completes a seven year accommodation strategy for the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA). The aim of the strategy was a more effective use of the bank’s property and an alignment of their operational, cultural and property requirements. Originally, there were no less than twelve CBD locations. These have now been consolidated into two campuses – Darling Park (completed in 2010) and Commonwealth Bank Place – with the aim of providing campus-style buildings offering a quality work environment. The executives of the CBA appointed E.G.O. Group as interior designers for Commonwealth Bank Place in July 2007 with a brief to re-define the CBA’s corporate identity and create a best-practice work environment. E.G.O. then established a partnership with Davenport Campbell, who had designed the CBA’s interiors at Sydney’s Olympic Park – a centre of excellence outside the CBD and home to the insurance division of the bank, a call centre and technology teams. E.G.O. acted as Creative Directors with Davenport Campbell as Collaborating Architects bringing their experience from Olympic Park to the table. So, E.G.O Group were contracted by CBA, and in turn introduced Davenport Campbell to the project. Likewise, Veldhoen + Company were contracted directly by CBA. Other designers and consultants were engaged by Lend Lease, who also had a long-standing relationship with CBA going back ten years. This approach ensured everyone worked together toward the brief on such a highly integrated and complex project. Although both Olympic Park and Darling Park were outstanding projects, all parties were agreed that it would be worthwhile exploring world’s best practice

Left The atrium space,

designed by FJMT, creates a genuine campus feel Above Right The ground floor provides a variety of informal meeting areas Right The expansive ground floor space

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Right Informal meeting and break-out

areas are placed around the atrium edge

Below An informal meeting area on the

top floor

Another way of seeing an atrium-driven work space like this is to see it as a theatricalisation of the workplace Paul McGillick

before proceeding. “We just wanted to make sure and test the global environment to see whether other organisations were creating anything better,” says Head of Property Strategy and Delivery for the CBA, Jennifer Saiz. So, a study tour of the UK and Europe was organised by Lend Lease which identified Interpolis and Microsoft in the Netherlands as benchmark workplaces with their implementation of the Activity Based Working (AWB) philosophy developed by the Dutch workplace consultancy, Veldhoen + Company. ABW argues that a one-size-fits-all work environment ignores the reality that in any organisation there will be many different kinds of activities requiring a variety of work settings and accommodating a mix of work styles. So, instead of the traditional model where workers had to adapt to an inflexible workplace, the workplace is custom-designed to meet the specific needs of individual organisations and the varied needs of the workforce. This kind of flexibility has now been enabled by new wireless technology. Armed with a mobile phone and a laptop, a worker need no longer be tied to a desk, but can work wherever it is suitable. Accordingly, Veldhoen + Company, led by Australian Director, Luc Kamperman, were retained as consultants, helping determine the specific needs of the Bank and how ABW could be implemented at Commonwealth Bank Place. This customised approach became known as ‘CBA Unplugged’. The strategy for this new workplace involved dropping the idea that

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â&#x20AC;&#x153; A dynamic arrangement of sculptural furniture with a... kaleidoscope of colours, textures and formsâ&#x20AC;? Carlo Poli, E.g.o. group

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â&#x20AC;&#x153; If you look at the benefits of this kind of environment, it all makes senseâ&#x20AC;? Neill Johanson, DAvenport Campbell

portfolioindesign Previous A dynamic meeting space on the

ground floor

Far Left The building offers a variety of

group and individual meeting places

Left Work areas are pushed back from the

atrium space

Below Left The expansive ground floor Below Right The IT help desk with

graphics by Frost Design

everyone should own a desk, and the strategy had its own motto: ‘Space is ours to share, not mine to own’. The strategy is made possible by wireless technology and frees up space which becomes more organic and free-form. As a result, the work environment is opened up to become more flexible, visually more interesting, accommodating both individual and collaborative activities, and leading to higher levels of employee well-being and ultimately higher levels of productivity. Architects, FJMT, had provided two buildings which lent themselves to the free-flowing and varied spaces the design team were looking for. The project team worked with FJMT to add elements – stairs, pods and bridges – to generate an organic interior form and the sense that it was a ‘built for purpose’ building. CBA, in collaboration with a number of consultants, set up a pilot site for over 200 people at their Martin Place building, where they identified the different work styles and tested ABW with staff. At the conclusion of this pilot project, surveys were overwhelmingly positive with 95% of participants saying they would not want to go back to the old way of working. Apart from the immediate workplace benefits, the other advantage of introducing ABW was space saving, with an estimate that over time the bank could save 25% on its real estate (a study had revealed that at any one time only 55% of the seats in the bank’s buildings were occupied). In the end, the ratio was eight desks for every ten people. The fit-out in both buildings are essentially the same, if not mirror images of one another (the main difference being that the south building has most of

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the client-facing facilities and the main reception). Arriving at reception in both of the buildings there is an immediate visual link to the atrium beyond which has a strong campus identity as it spreads out into a variety of spaces. The atrium base contains a plaza flanked by ‘club houses’ which are dynamic arrangements of furniture with various settings for different activities, from informal meeting spots to quiet work spaces to locations for relaxation. A Help Desk is also located close to the plaza for technological support. The plaza and club houses are a mix of colours, textures and shapes and act as visual focal points, whether viewed from ground level or from above. The visual impact is enhanced by Frost Design’s environmental graphics. A key strategy was to activate the atrium edge with ‘sub-plazas’ – interactive public spaces. These breakout spaces serve a variety of purposes, such as eating, relaxation, informal meetings and include privacy modules where people can simply get away from it all to think. The sub-plazas link to the ‘home zones’ through transitional spaces containing a variety of settings for small, informal meetings, services and staff lockers, before morphing into the work areas. Bridges link the floor plates on either side of the atrium, open stairs provide vertical connection between floors with their meeting pods – some of these cantilevering into the atria – and a balcony on Level 6 offers terrace gardens overlooking Tumbalong Park. Given that ABW is a customised approach to workplace design, it follows that furnishings will also need

portfolioindesign Left Each floor has a distinctive palette Below Transparency ensures that natural

light penetrates throughout the building

â&#x20AC;&#x153; Coming together to collaborate, to innovate and respond to changing business needsâ&#x20AC;? Jennifer Saiz, Commonwealth Bank of Australia

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portfolioindesign Left Interactive public

spaces on the top level

Below Left Enclosed

meeting pods allow for acoustic privacy Below Right Even the enclosed rooms have a bright palette and transparency

to be customised to a large extent. At Commonwealth Bank Place, this applies especially to the club houses and plazas. E.G.O. Group have designed furnishings to complement the flexible, self-organising and collaborative needs inherently required for the functioning of ABW. One example is the ‘Chat’ chair (which is now in production by Unifor) which is designed to provide acoustic privacy in an otherwise open space and the ‘Ned Kelly’ series of collaborative modules. Environments such as these need high attention to detail in the interface between furniture and technology. While architects like to talk of ‘activating’ spaces, another way of seeing an atrium-driven work space like this is to see it as a theatricalisation of the workplace. But this is a participatory kind of theatre because here, in this highly transparent environment, everyone is simultaneously an observer and a participant. Saiz speaks of creating spaces “to support our teams coming together to collaborate, to innovate and respond to changing business needs”. This interior does just that because it is constantly stimulating and providing the opportunity for people to come together within a varied, yet legible, workplace. At the same time, though, that variety of spatial opportunities also provides the necessary quiet and private spaces, and a range of different work spaces to suit a wide range of personal work styles and tasks. Likewise, it is an environment that encourages and provides flexibility – acknowledging and accommodating a contemporary business environment which is itself dynamic and constantly changing. Commonwealth Bank Place is a collaborative environment brought about by a collaborative process where the design team, CBA executives, CFO David Craig and CBA’s Head of Property, Jennifer Saiz, all worked together. In the end, however, it all comes down to the client. As Director of E.G.O. Group, Carlo Poli says: “Good design requires a receptive client.”

An environment that encourages and provides flexibility

Paul McGillick is Editorial Director at Indesign. Discover more about this project at indesignlive.com/commonwealthbankplace

Paul McGillick

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In discussion the key players IN THE commonwealth bank place project TALK ABOUT THEIR INNOVATION AND VISION Davenport Campbell was brought on for the Commonwealth Bank Place project by E.G.O. Group, and the two worked collaboratively on the workplace interiors. Director, Neill Johanson, talks to Paul McGillick about their approach.

his building is actually the end game for an accommodation strategy that the CBA has had in place for about seven years, which is all about how to use their property more effectively and how to line up operations and culture with their buildings so that they all, basically, hum. The initial brief was really to follow well-established workplace principles and to accomodate as many people as we could into as few buildings as possible. We commenced a process of designing and documenting Commonwealth Bank Place based on similar lines to Olympic Park. Everybody had a seat. We had gone a long way in the process of documenting a 55,000m2 job, basically to tender stage. Then came the visits to Interpolis and Microsoft and the discovery of ABW Initially, the idea of not owning a desk was confronting. But, at Microsoft’s head office at Schipol it all fell into place. If you take away the concerns around ‘I don’t own a desk’ and look at the benefits of this kind of environment, it all makes sense. Microsoft wanted to re-energise and realise efficiencies and productivity gains, which CBA was also interested in.

Richard Francis-Jones led the FJMT team for the design of the base buildings. Here he talks with Philip Drew about the process.

he project was collaborative in nature, with a dedicated team of designers working closely with the development and construction team at Lend Lease and also the team at the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority. A key challenge was how to place a large office building adjacent to one of Sydney’s most loved parks. Our approach was to develop a building which, through its geometry, its form and its materials had a soft presence that could give definition to the open space, while also creating connections back into the city. The building is about the same size as a medium office building tower laid on its side and moulded into a form that defines streets, open spaces, and parkland. You can move out of the building into the public domain, get a coffee, meet informally. You are in a pedestrian precinct, in a true campus environment. We lifted the forms in order to be able to develop the ground-plane as a series of

defined open spaces. People move into the building through relatively modest lobbies up escalators and arrive at the floor of the atrium. Using the two different heights of the building forms we created the sweeping canopy that joins them, allowing sunlight in in an asymmetric way. The roof is a series of vaults having leaf-like timber forms which introduce daylight in a very controlled way, adding life and character. Our strategy for the building was to create an architectural form comprised of pairs of linear work platforms with generous natural light and access to views. Each pair of these work platforms is connected via a central collaborationatrium which allows natural light to penetrate deep into the floors. These separate but connected workspace volumes allow the scaling of the interior spaces into manageable and flexible spaces, and were integral to creating an architectural form that could create

For CBA, the main reason for ABW was to shift the culture of the organisation. It was about CBA wanting to present as a market leader, the employer of choice, attracting fantastic people and keeping them, of creating a culture of self-leadership and trust. All those values are reinforced and communicated in a positive way through this kind of environment, much more effectively than we could have in a conventional, static one. With ongoing positive feedback from a pilot site, we continued to spend time researching the technology aspect of ABW. If you’re going to say you don’t own a seat, you’ve got to be able to provide people with places to sit to suit different activities. Veldhoen became involved and helped us determine that. It is not a case of saying you can turn up to work and sit wherever you like. We developed a home zone concept, so people belong to a particular area and business groups. Then we worked through the metrics to determine how big those home zones should be. We continued getting feedback from the pilot, whilst engaging with the various business groups until the project had been fully developed.

a transition from the central city to park edge. The lower curved forms to the park relate to the human scale of these spaces and height of the tree canopy, while the built form to Harbour Street is more elevated, rising towards the city. This concept was developed by using a different material quality to face the park; high transparency glass and a veil of timber louvres to filter and control the daylight. The predominant material in this project is natural timber. Through the contemporary detailed expression of this eternal and sustainable material the architecture is given warmth and a life.

The E.G.O. Group design team, Robert Gazzola, Karen Plant and Carlo Poli talk about leading the design of the interiors.

.G.O. Group embarked on establishing the design process necessary for ABW’s practical adaption within the workplace of CBA. Customisation is essential as ABW discards conventional models of reference and all areas of expertise are inherently meshed together. This research developed an approach which became known as ‘CBA unplugged’. This provided us with a canvas on which to implement our creative, almost theatrical approach to workplace design within the context of pure functionality. Essential to achieving a stimulating, collaborative environment is the amalgamation of technology with design innovation. The project motto – ‘space is ours to share, not mine to own’ – combined with modern wireless technology indulged us with free space. Thus, space became organic and free form. This allowed us to create visually exciting spaces with energising use of colour and textures. The spaces are flexible, dynamic and stimulating and above all functional. We analysed the activities carried out every day to design furniture concepts and prototypes that functionally support these actions. Each ‘club house’ provides a dynamic arrangement of sculptural furniture with a stimulating and exciting kaleidoscope of colours, textures and forms. The philosophy of ABW complements our commitment to sustainable design. It is the largest reducer of the corporate carbon footprint because of the reduced build and associated energy savings. The flexibility inherent to ABW minimises churn, giving the fit-out longevity. We worked collaboratively with Green Star consultants to ensure a rating of 6. In achieving this nothing was exempt. This rating recognises Commonwealth Bank Place as a World Leader in sustainable and environmental performance.

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Lend Lease were developer and project manager for the project. Here, Rod McCoy, Executive Project Manager, Strategic Projects, Commercial Project Management & Construction, Stephen Brookes, Project Director, Development, and Bernadette Keating, Senior Project Manager, talk about their role.

ver a period of ten years we went from solving a single floor for the CBA to solving how you work in a whole building. We went on this huge, fantastic journey with them as they grew in sophistication about their workplace. What we brought to the table is what we call ‘the glue’ – we brought everyone together. To try to make the right decisions at the right time, and to make sure that the decisions being made were to the brief and the expectations of the Bank. For us it is exciting to know that we were integral to getting it there and making sure it worked and that the detailing is consistent with the base building. It actually got there on time and on budget. It was all about facilitating that process. The pivotal thing was that we were half-way through when Jennifer Saiz said “We haven’t solved mobility yet”, because we had just started designing it as a static design, a standard workplace, working off the same template that we had established at Olympic Park. When we decided we needed to look into this quickly, the Lend Lease global network was pivotal in organising the

tour. We were on the phone to London saying “What’s the hottest and greatest things out there?”. Being able to get into buildings that you would not normally get into was important. One of the key things to come out of the trip was not seeing what worked, but what didn’t work. Darling Quarter is on public land owned by the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority. So, it was important that we created a successful public realm, which is why we spent as much time on the playground and the retail interface as we did on the buildings. We were concerned about the potential for being seen as big greedy developers pushing the city into public space. The design of the two buildings was gauged against that. On one side, where it faces the public domain, it has been crafted to respect the playground and bring a softer element, with a low-scaled timber awning. On the CBD side, it is all glass and aluminium. The brief to FJMT required a building that changed scale and came down to Tumbalong Park and built up to the city skyline behind it. Lend Lease was keen to actuate the playground. We thought it would be a great idea to provide a water zone that becomes a piece of play equipment for children. There is a view in Europe that is starting to be accepted in Australia that removing risk from playgrounds deprives children of the opportunity to learn about risk and risk-taking. The water-play area is unique and is less about risk than it is about interaction. They can create pools and dams, divert the water flows in a safe environment. Our aim with the project was to make Darling Quarter a magical precinct.

Jennifer Saiz, Head 0f Property Strategy and Delivery for the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, talks to Paul McGillick about the importance of change management in adopting Activity Based Working.

e hadn’t known about Activity Based Working at the time Sydney Olympic Park occurred and from a technology perspective we would not have been able to support it. But with each building we continued to evolve and improve on our operating model. The original design we had on the table was an improvement on Sydney Olympic Park. But it wasn’t a steep change and we wanted to test the global environment to see: Are organisations doing anything better? Can we optimise our workplaces and our work environments through that? Then we went overseas and went to Interpolis, met Veldhoen + Company and discovered ABW. They unpacked the concept for us. We also saw examples of ABW in the Netherlands. We came back to Australia and did a pilot for over 200 people at 48 Martin Place applying those concepts. It was a huge success with 95% of the people saying they wouldn’t want to go back to the old way of working. With that endorsement and the endorsements of the leaders of the businesses that were moving into the building we made the decision to proceed with ABW. For us this was a significant change program, so we had the head of HR and Change within one of our business groups, Anna Sparkes, lead that. We had a focussed and detailed change management program for each one of our businesses. That covered things such as: What are the appropriate leadership

behaviours from our leaders who were going to have to focus on outcomes instead of the presence of other people. You needed to have a sense of trust and teamwork for working in this way. There was also change management in terms of an individual working here who is not a leader. How are they going to work here? What does this mean to me as a member of a team? So, there was a series of learning modules, training and activities that would unpack this for people and make it real before they moved into the building. From a change management point of view the technology is a significant shift. There was a lot of training on moving to a laptop that has soft phone and video phone features, moving much more to an electronic means of sharing information. That was also a big portion of our change management. Reinforcement is also a significant part of our program – and it doesn’t have an ending. It’s constantly reinforcing what the appropriate leadership behaviours are. When people move here, the first three months are just getting used to it. We have engagement sessions with our businesses in a joint form so that people can learn from each other, but also challenge each other. It is a case of: ‘OK, we’re doing that well, what’s the next thing? Where else can I stretch myself? What am I not comfortable with? What can I focus on?’ So, those open forums are actually quite helpful.

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ARCHITECT (BASE BUILDING) FrancisJones Morehen Thorp (FJMT) PROJECT TEAM (FJMT) Richard FrancisJones, Jeff Morehen, Jonathan Redman, Sean McPeake, Adam Guernier, Peter Russell, Sahar Koohi, Martin Hallen, Stephen Pratt, Soenke Dethlefsen, David Haseler, Annis Lee, Karina Kerr, Simon Lee, Samuel Faigen, Gareth Morgan, Ian Brumby, Joey Cheng, Prudence Ho. WORKPLACE CONSULTANT Veldhoen + Company LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Aspect Studios STRUCTURAL ENGINEER Arup ESD CONSULTANT Arup MECHANICAL SERVICES CONSULTANT Arup ELECTRICAL SERVICES CONSULTANT Aurecon HYDRAULIC SERVICES CONSULTANT AND FIRE SERVICES Warren Smith and Partners QUANTITY SURVEYOR Lend Lease FIRE ENGINEERING Defire DEVELOPER, BUILDER, PROJECT MANAGER Lend Lease INTERIOR DESIGN E.G.O. Group in collaboration with Davenport Campbell CREATIVE DIRECTOR (E.G.O. GROUP) Carlo Poli DESIGN TEAM (E.G.O. GROUP) Karen Plant, Robert Gazzola, Kate Richard PROJECT Director (DAVENPORT CAMPBELL) Neill Johanson DESIGN MANAGER (DAVENPORT CAMPBELL) Oscar Iturra DESIGN TEAM (DAVENPORT CAMPBELL) Jane Alexander, Saskia Arief, Sorrel Fielding, Toula Papas, Suzana Keca PROJECT MANAGER Lend Lease SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER (LEND LEASE) Bernadette Keating PROJECT MANAGERS (LEND LEASE) Betissa Ryan and Keely Poon BRANDING AND GRAPHICS Frost Design BUILDING SIGNAGE Diadem ACOUSTICS Norman, Disney & Young MECHANICAL AND STRUCTURAL ENGINEER Arup HYDRAULIC AND FIRE Warren Smith ELECTRICAL AND COMMUNICATIONS Cardno ITC SECURITY IPP Consulting

AUDIO VISUAL Innova-Tech Consulting BCA AND PCA Davis Langdon PLANNING JBA Urban Planning Consultants TRAFFIC ENGINEERING GTA Consultants DDA Morris Goding Accessibility Consultants ESD Lend Lease Design and Cundall hydraulic BUDGET $500 million TIME TO COMPLETE 2 years and 3 months (construction and fit-out) TOTAL FLOOR AREA 68,000m2 FRANCES-JONES MOREHeN THORP ARCHITECTS (61 2) 9251 7077 fjmt.com.au E.G.O. GROUP (61 2) 8823 9400 DAVENPORT CAMPBELL (61 2) 8233 5600 davenport-campbell.com.au LEND LEASE (61 2) 9236 6111 lendlease.com VELDHOEN + COMPANY (31) 43 363 8989 veldhoen.nl FURNITURE Herman Miller ‘Aeron’ and ‘Mirra’ task chairs from Living Edge. ‘No.18’ side chairs and Tolix ‘Tabouret 65’ stools from Thonet. ‘Solis F’ and ‘Ceno’ chairs from Wilkhahn. Eames Aluminium Group chairs from Work Arena. ‘Catifa 53’ and ‘Lerod’ chairs and ‘Barbar’ barstools from Stylecraft. ‘Chat’ and ‘Ottomania’ ottomans, ‘Ring’, ‘Collect-A-Billiard’, ‘Spiral’, ‘Elan’ tables and ‘Milani’ credenza from Interstudio. Emu ‘Re-Trouve Ottoman 575’, ‘Heaven’ ottomans and tables, Artifort ‘Lilla’ stools, ‘Sancal’ chairs, Andreu World ‘Valeria’ and ‘Smile’ chairs and fussball tables from KE-ZU. ‘Zofa’ lounges and tables, ‘Hemisphere’ coffee tables and Dedon ‘Orbit’ love seats from Domo Collections. ‘Little Albert’ chairs and Moroso ‘Bloomy’ chairs from Hub Furniture. ‘Uki’ lounges and ottomans, ‘Arana’, ‘Kelly’ and ‘Kano’ armchairs and ‘Flynn’ tables from Jardan. ‘Quadrant’

Robert Gazzola inciunt Net voloreperum Associate, E.G.O. Group aut at et lis maximagni core,

voloria Roberterendist Gazzolaofficia talks about why the Knoll Saarinen executive chairs (pictured above) were specified in the Commonwealth Bank Place interior.

The Knoll Saarinen executive chair was selected for its incredible comfort, organic style and timeless aesthetic appeal. The quality of the Knoll Saarinen chairs is of the highest order and in time could be reused in a future environment. A wise investment! The space is generally used for dining overlooking the Darling Harbour Chinese Gardens. The chair provides a visual link to the custom designed vine wall panelling and the free-form dramatic pendent light. The Knoll Saarinen executive chair is available in Australia from dedece. dedece (61 2) 9360 2722 dedece.com

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lounges and ‘AC’ tables from Koskela. ‘Polder’ sofas, Vitra ‘Alcove’ highback lounges, ‘Naos’ system, ‘Nest’ and ‘Satellitis’ tables and custom chairs from Unifor. ‘Pinu Pagoda’ chairs from Terrace Outdoor Living. ‘Gubi’, ‘Louis 1’, Cappellini ‘New Antiques’, Cassina ‘Caprice’ and ‘Passion’, chairs, Magis ‘Chair One’ and ‘Table One’ and Arnold Lane ‘Chest’ lounge, all from Corporate Culture. ‘Hiroshima’ chairs from SeehoSu. Moooi ‘Smoke’ chairs from Space Furniture. ‘Tub’ chairs from Schamburg+Alvisse. ‘Ear’ chairs from PROOFF. Knoll Saarinen executive chairs from dedece. ‘i.am’ tables from Thinking Ergonomix. ‘Bubble’ stools and ‘Drum’ tables from KORBAN/FLAUBERT. ‘Frog’ coffee tables from Fuse Furniture. ‘Geneva’ tables, custom ‘Toro’ tables and Vertical Planting from Schiavello. Compactus and freestanding cabinets from CSM and Diami. Magazine rack from KFive. Pool table from Abbott & Doyle. Hex structure custom design by E.G.O. Group. In Reception, custom desk by Civardi Furniture, timber to desk from Briggs Veneers, Verner Panton ‘Onion’ rug from FY2K, and collaborative lounge also by Civardi Furniture. LIGHTING Dark ‘Franjes’ pendant and floor lamp, ‘Drum’ pendant and custom ‘Marset’ pendants and floor lamps from Inlite. ‘Maderawood’ pendants and floor lamps from ECC. Sconfine ‘Sfera’ from Zumtobel. Flos ‘Tribe’ pendants and floor lamps from Euroluce. Tom Dixon ‘Felt Shade’ pendants and floor lamps from dedece. Foscarini ‘Twiggy’ floor lamps, ‘Daddy Long Legs’ floor lamps, Kartell ‘Neutra’ and Moooi ‘Random’ pendants from Space Furniture. ‘Metalarte’ floor

lamps for LPA. Custom ‘Bill’ floor lamps from Interstudio. Table lamps from Erco. General lighting and Modular ‘O’leaf’ table lamps from JSB Lighting. FINISHES Generally throughout Commonwealth Bank Place fit-out, carpet tiles from InterfaceFLOR and Shaw Contract Group. Rugs throughout from Whitecliffe Imports and The Andrews Group. Tiles to walls and floors from Academy Tiles. Upholstery fabrics throughout from Rim Fabrics, Kvadrat Maharam, Woven Image, Mokum Textiles, Instyle, Macquarie Textiles, Woven Image, Unifor, and Signature Prints. EchoPanel from Woven Image. Laminates from The Laminex Group, Corian and Halifax Vogel Group. Paint throughout from Dulux, Wattyl and Bristol. Solid surfaces from Corian, Quarella and Dotmar Plastics. Re-constituted stone from Smartstone. Sheet vinyl from Tarkett, Forbo Flooring, and Regupol. Access floors from Tasman Access Floors. Wallpapers from Woven Image and Baresque. Acoustic panelling from Corporate Culture. Timber veneers throughout from Briggs Veneers. VM Zinc from Liquid Metal Technologies in Colorpact black. Floor tiles throughout from Skheme. In Atrium, timber veneer to balustrade from Briggs Veneers. Metal cladding and equal perforated panels from Alucobond Architectural. Finish to white Mahogany handrails and Atrium timber screens from Feast Watson. Rubber flooring from Activa Rubber Flooring. Generally throughout Commonwealth Bank Place Base Building, paint

portfolioindesign Below Personal lockers in staff home zones Opposite An area used for dining while

overlooking Darling Harbour

from Mikor and Wattyl. Nuway-Tuftiguard mat and Marmoleum flooring from Forbo Floors. Stone floor from CDK Stone. Ceramic tiles from Color Tile. Carpet from EC Group and InterfaceFLOR. Blackbutt timber cladding from Dulux Intergrain. Glazing from Viridian. Aluminium-faced composite panels from Alpolic. Marble reception desk and granite skirting from Deemah Stone. Tactile indicators from DTAC. Powder coating from Interpon. FIXED & FITTED Generally throughout Commonwealth Bank Place interior fit-out, Fisher & Paykel fridges and freezers. Vintec bar fridge. Panasonic microwaves from Winning Appliances. Zanussi dishwashers from J.L. Lennard. Mixers and HydroTaps from Zip Industries. Whiteboards and pinboards from CFS. Recycling baskets and handles from Häfele. Blinds from Vertilux. Curtain tracks from Silent Gliss. Joinery handles from Style Finish. Hand towel dispensers from Metlam. Sinks from Suprema and Clark. Reception wall screen in stainless steel manufactured by KORBAN/FLAUBERT. North Building Atrium structure custom design in black and white Laminex designed by E.G.O. Group, from Civardi Furniture. Joinery cabinet units from Superhub, splashbacks by Abet Laminati, bench tops in Corian ‘Glacier White’. In Atrium, exposed structural steelwork, steel stanchions and steel balustrade from International Protective Coatings. Structural steel work from International Protective Coatings. Generally throughout Base Building, aluminium window framing system from Capral. Shower and toilet partitions from HDallas Commercial Joinery Systems. Toilet doors from Briggs Veneers. Benchtop and mirror surrounds from Laminex. Handrails from International Protective Coatings.

Abbott & Doyle (61 2) 9412 4188 abbottanddoyle.com.au Academy Tiles (61 2) 9436 3566 academytiles.com.au Activa Rubber Flooring (61 2) 9671 6900 rubberflooring.com.au Alpolic alpolic-usa.com Alucobond Architectural (Dibond) (61 2) 8525 6900 alucobond.com.au Baresque (61 2) 9966 8470 baresque.com.au Briggs Veneers (61 2) 9732 7888 briggs.com.au Bristol 13 16 86 bristol.com.au Capral 1300 366 517 capral.com.au CDK Stone (61 2) 9822 5155 cdkstone.com.au CFS (61 2) 9698 8244 cfsol.net Clark 13 14 16 clark.com.au Color Tile 1300 265 678 colortile.com.au Corian 1300 795 044 casf.com.au Corporate Culture (61 2) 9690 0077 corporateculture.com.au CSM 1300 656 946 csm-office.com.au dedece (61 2) 9360 2722 dedece.com Deemah Stone (61 2) 9758 9299 deemahstone.com.au Diami (61 2) 9773 0599 diami.com.au Domo Collections (61 2) 8354 6222 domo.com.au Dotmar Plastics (61 2) 8848 5000 dormar.com.au DTAC 1300 793 478 dtac.com.au Dulux 13 23 77 dulux.com.au EC Group ec-group.com.au ECC (61 2) 9380 7922 ecc.com.au Erco (61 2) 9004 8801 erco.com Euroluce (61 2) 9380 6222 euroluce.com.au Feast Watson 1800 252 502 feastwatson.com.au Fisher & Paykel 1300 650 590 fisherpaykel.com.au Forbo Flooring 1800 224 471 forbo-flooring.com.au Fuse Furniture (61 2) 9552 1888 fusefurniture.com.au Häfele (61 2) 8788 2200 hafele.com Halifax Vogel Group (61 2) 9556 6000 halifaxvogel.com.au HDallas Commercial Joinery Systems (61 2) 9771 4200 hdallas.com.au Hub Furniture (61 2) 9217 0700 google.com.au Inlite (61 2) 9699 3900 inlite.com.au Instyle (61 3) 9427 9055 instyle.com.au InterfaceFLOR (61 2) 8332 2400 interfaceflor.com.au International Protective Coatings (61 2) 49 64 2044 international-pc.com Interpon (61 3) 9313 4555 interpon.com.au Interstudio 1300 785 199 interstudio.com.au J.L. Lennard (61 2) 9475 9000 jllennard.com.au Jardan (61 2) 9663 4500 jardan.com.au JSB Lighting (61 2) 9571 8800 jsblighting.com.au KE-ZU (61 2) 9669 1788 kezu.com.au KFive (61 2) 9690 7100 kfive.com.au Korban/Flaubert (61 2) 9557 6136 korbanflaubert.com.au Koskela (61 2) 9280 0999 koskela.com.au Kvadrat Maharam (61 2) 9212 4277 kvadratmaharam.com Laminex 132 136 laminex.com.au Living Edge (61 2) 9640 5600 livingedge.com.au LPA (61 2) 8339 1933 lpaust.com.au Macquarie Textiles (61 2) 9667 0177 macquarietextiles.com.au Metlam (61 3) 5428 4618 metlam.com.au Mikor (61 2) 8748 4848 mikor.com.au Mokum Textiles (61 2) 9357 0555 mokumtextiles.com Panasonic (61 2) 9491 7400 panasonic.com.au PROOFF (31 10) 311 00 80 prooff.com.au Quarella 1300 726 469 quarella.com.au Regupol (61 2) 982 1233 regupol.com.au Rim Fabrics (61 3) 9551 8722 rimfabrics.com.au Schamburg+Alvisse (61 2) 9212 7644 safurniture.com.au Schiavello (61 2) 9211 3311 schiavello.com.au SeehoSu (61) 413 707 123 seehosu.com.au Shaw Contract Group 1800 556 302 shawcontractgroup.com.au Signature Prints (61 2) 8338 8400 signatureprints.com.au Silent Gliss (61 2) 9810 4300 silentgliss.com.au Smartstone 1300 888 607 smartstone.com.au Space Furniture (61 2) 8339 7588 spacefurniture.com.au Style Finish (61 2) 9957 6344 stylefinish.com.au Stylecraft (61 2) 9355 0000 stylecraft.com.au Suprema (61 2) 9608 0388 suprema.com.au Tarkett (61 2) 8853 1200 tarkett.com.au Tasman Access Floors (61 2) 9728 4111 tasmanaccessfloors.com.au Terrace Outdoor Living (61 2) 9362 5196 terraceoutdoorliving.com.au The Andrews Group (61 3) 9827 1311 theandrewsgroup.com.au The Laminex Group 13 21 36 thelaminexgroup.com.au Thinking Ergonomix (61 2) 9726 7177 thinkingergonomix.com Thonet (61 2) 9332 1600 thonet.com.au Unifor (61 2) 9552 9552 unifor.it Vertilux (61) 109 092 742 vertilux.com.au Vintec (61 2) 9360 3199 vintec.com.au Viridian viridianglass.com Wattyl (61 2) 8867 3333 wattyl.com.au Whitecliffe Imports (61 2) 8595 1111 whitecliffe.com.au Wilkhahn (61 2) 9310 3355 wilkhahn.com Winning Appliances (61 2) 8767 2300 winningappliances.com.au Work Arena (61 2) 8570 5700 workarena.com.au Woven Image (61 2) 9913 8668 wovenimage.com Zip Industries 1800 638 633 zipindustries.com Zumtobel (61 2) 8913 5100 zumtobel.com.au

Oscar Iturra Associate, Davenport Campbell Oscar Iturra talks about why the PROOFF ‘Ear’ chairs (pictured on page 84) were specified for the Commonwealth Bank Place interiors. The ‘Ear’ chairs are an integral component of an Activity Based Working (ABW) environment. They were used in the main collaboration zone or ‘plaza’ areas to create a distinct work setting for small meetings of three to four people. Their unique design, in particular the extended ‘wing’ at seating eye level creates a visual and acoustic barrier. ‘Ear’ negates the need for walls, providing the same function as a traditional meeting room. An added benefit is that the chairs provide a more ‘architectural’ feature. PROOFF (31 10) 211 00 80 prooff.com

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Sending a Message HASSELL’s fit-out for a major petroleum company in Bangkok confirms the growing sophistication of commercial interiors in the region

hink the oil and gas industry, and the mind does not instantly revolve around the idea of cutting-edge design. But one man and a vision can make even the unlikely possible. Commercial interior design in South-East Asia has been swiftly evolving benchmark levels of sophistication and vigour. The workplace environments of many international firms across a variety of industries who are establishing headquarters in the region aspire to reflect the global brand of the company and rival or better the workplaces of their European, American or Australian counterparts. Thailand is a prime example of this fast evolution of commercial design. But the change is not limited to international firms, as local organisations increasingly fuse form and function in the strategic design of their offices. Locally based studios of world-class architecture and interior firms, such as HASSELL, are also paving the way with state-of-the-art solutions to commercial requirements. However, without the willingness of clients to adopt, invest and understand the big picture, HASSELL’s creativity would remain drawing-board sketches. Winning the design competition for the new PTT Exploration and Production Public Company Limited (PTTEP) headquarters fit-out, HASSELL hit the proverbial jackpot, with the client decisionmaker and visionary leader of the project, Executive Vice-President Mr. Luechai Wongsirasawad (Khun Luechai). “We were very fortunate having him as the

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words Nikki Busuttil photography Owen Raggett architect HASSELL location Bangkok | THA PROJECT PTTEP

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project stake-holder,” says HASSELL Principal, Tanya Suvannapong, “Khun Luechai was very supportive, and took a strong lead. His influence and assistance, plus his belief in our team, made a huge contribution to the successful outcome.” PTTEP is Thailand’s national petroleum exploration and production company. They are globally active, with around 3,000 employees. Their vision and mission statements highlight value creation, safety, sustainability, and reliability, while their corporate values emphasise adaptability, collaboration and open communications. All of these notions have been well represented in the new 46,000m2 headquarters, which occupies 18 floors of the Energy Complex (ENCO) building in Bangkok. Consolidating three previously disparate business units, in time for the company’s 25 th anniversary in June 2010, PTTEP staff moved from traditional, boxstyle offices. “Nobody talked to each other,” says Khun Luechai. “Staff would email one another from small, increasingly squashed, closed offices. This was not merely a physical move, but an opportunity to change our working culture for future generations.” Following PTTEP’s strategic goals and meeting their technical criteria, HASSELL’s proposal for the fit-out was a clear winner. The design and layout are a veritable triumph of function, form and creativity, providing a physically and visually connected openplan workspace for PTTEP. The interior is linked in part vertically via a stairwell that connects all levels, and is also connected horizontally via low-screen clustered workstations in close proximity to natural light. For PTTEP, security was paramount to the new fit-out, as was an innovative, aesthetically pleasing environment. And, the resulting workplace leaves a lasting impression on visitors, instils a strong corporate identity, and enables enhanced communication, improves productivity and a unifies the workforce.

Previous Page The levels

are connected via an internal stairwell

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The workplace is flexible and able to be adapted to a variety of new work styles Above Staff are encouraged to interact away from their desks Left Plans (from left to right) Hi-tech client floor, Level 19 Right Staff break-out area Far Right Presentation room showing how colour has been used throughout the fit-out

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“ This was not merely a physical move, but an opportunity to change our working culture for future generations” KHUN LUECHAI, Pttep

Above right The green roof garden on the 23rd floor is used for staff functions and as a break-out space, reinforcing the idea that work does not have to happen in a traditional office environment above The fit-out is designed to encourage collaboration and knowledge sharing, with a variety of break-out spaces throughout

Distinct and complementary, two pertinent themes engendered the design concept: ‘Layers of the Earth’ and ‘Colour of Flame’. The former was applied to spaces with a variety of coded materials and finishes, figuratively depicting the earth’s core in cross-section, from inner core at the lowest level, up to the earth’s crust and finishing with the atmosphere at the tower’s peak. The latter theme – inspired by the colour spectrum of a luminous gas flame – provided the colour coding for the workplace and was used to generate a unique identity both vertically and across the floors. The lift lobbies serve as gallery spaces throughout the workplace, displaying artifacts, ancient rock samples and model drilling rigs to visitors. Khun Luechai’s brainchild, the 19th floor, serves as a dedicated hi-tech client floor, including reception, entertainment and large-scale meeting facilities. This impressive space also prevents visitors from freely accessing staff work areas, underlining security. Each of the workspace floors have multiple communal and relaxation areas, resulting in an environment that is conducive to knowledge sharing. A regular staff hotspot is the 23rd floor green roof garden, which has already played host to many a staff party, aligning perfectly with the overall intent, to improve communications and reinforce the mantra ‘work does not have to happen at your desk’. Although reluctant at first, even the long-serving employees at PTTEP have come to appreciate the paradigm shift in corporate culture that the new fit-out is a part of. “From the beginning,” says Khun Luechai, “the HASSELL team understood our requirements and turned them into a practical design, where both function and aesthetics balance. We are very proud of the achievement.” As a result, public perception of the brand, as well as the company’s standing within the industry, have already been elevated to new heights. “With these headquarters, we are taken very seriously and convey a sense of reliability.” HASSELL and PTTEP attribute the success of the project to their close and collegiate relationship, built on trust and shared values. “Great outcomes start with a determined and articulated client vision, realised by a dedicated and professional team of designers and collaborators,” says Suvannapong. “The new office environment has enabled PTTEP to implement their workplace change with the flexibility of adapting to emerging work-styles.” As a testament to this, PTTEP have retained HASSELL’s services for a new multifloor training centre in the adjacent building.

Nikki Busuttil is a freelance writer on architecture and design based in Bangkok.

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PttEP DESIGNER HASSELL DESIGN TEAM Tanya Suvannapong (Principal), Matthew Blain, Catherine van der Heide, Dianne D’Alessandro, Chayanan Phanuamphi, Anjalee Arora, Lalana Phumdorkmai, Kesinee Wattanaveerachai, Khomkham Khamgrajang, Somprattana Numto, Suttipun Lertsatianchai, Tossaworn Muttamara, Chanantaphol Poochotinan, Wattanavit Nilaphanpitak Client PTT Exploration and Production Public Company Limited (PTTEP) MECHANICAL, ELECTRICAL & STRUCTURAL ENGINEER Meinhardt LIGHTING DESIGNER Meinhardt GRAPHIC DESIGNER Designconscious AV CONSULTANTS Nirund Tungpaiboon

ID MAIN CONTRACTOR Yoohui (Phase I & Phase III), Creful (Phase II) LANDSCAPE CONTRACTOR Art Green Gardening VOID CUTTING & STAIR STRUCTURE Hammersmith TIME TO COMPLETE 2.5 years (design and construction) TOTAL FLOOR AREA 45,000m2 HASSELL (66) 2207 8999 hassellstudio.com FURNITURE In General Office Area, ‘Ultra’ workstations by Mitr Phairach & Son. Storage and mobile pedestals by Practika. Haworth

‘Zody’ chairs from Creative Office Solutions. Cabinets from Modernform Group. Compactus from Tellus Systems. In Private Office, Steelcase chairs from Modernform Group. Bene desking system from BW Furniture. In Front of House, Wilkhahn chairs from Mitr Phairach & Son. Meeting tables from Practika. On Training Floor, chairs and boards generally from MTM Solutions. LIGHTING Compact fluroscent and metal halide downlights, LED linear light in cove ceilings from ENDO Lighting. In Lobby, standard T5 batten illuminated ceiling lights from OSRAM, and underwater fiber-optic water feature side glow from CCSE. In Executive Lounge, wall recessed lights from

Klik Systems. In Meeting Rooms and Boardrooms with perforated ceilings, ‘Reflekto’ downlights from L&E lighting. In Meditation Area, downlights and colour changing LEDs from Philips. On Level 35 Roof Garden, under the feature table, ‘Palmlite’ lights and decorative lighting from Neoz. FINISHES Generally throughout, InterfaceFLOR carpet from Modernform Group. In Front of House, wall covering and upholstery by Woven Image, available in Thailand through Mitr Phairach & Son. FIXED & FITTED In General Office, partitioning system by Builder Smart and Jeb Asia.

BLV Ushio Group blv-licht.de Builder Smart (66 2) 683 4900 buildersmart.com BW Furniture (66 2) 664 1722 bwfurniture.com Chingchai and Sons Engineering Co. (66 2) 392 2200 ccse-group.com Creative Office Solutions (66 2) 262 1490 creativeoffice@pacific.net.th ENDO Lighting (81 6) 6267 7056 endo-lighting.com Iguzzini 0039 071 7588 1iguzzini.com Jeb Asia (65) 6535 3886 jebasia.com Klik Systems (61 2) 9851 3300 kliksystems.com.au Megaman (66 2) 5095 7278 megaman.co.th Mitr Phairach & Son (66 2) 234 6717 mitrphairach.co.th Modernform Group (66 2) 708 9800 modernform.co.th Motion Tech (66 2) 267 4568 motion-tech.co.th MTM Solutions (66 2) 610 3969 mtmsolution.com Neoz (61 2) 9810 5520 neoz.com.au Osram (49 8) 962 130 osram.com Philips (61 7) 423 9999 colorkinetics.com Practika (66 2) 533 3955 practika.com Tellus Systems (66 2) 643 8044 tellus.co.th indesignlive.com

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InterfaceFLOR: Leading the way in design INTERFACEFLOR has been a leader in design since 1973, applying design thinking to every aspect of their business – from product design to their leading sustainability programs. The company has emotional design at its core and design thinking at its heart – an approach that sets their products apart in the global market. In turn, these innovative products allow designers to create cutting edge interiors that push the boundaries of how carpet tile is used as a design tool. One of the latest design innovations introduced by InterfaceFLOR is Tapestry technology, which enables complexity and clarity previously unachievable in carpet tiles. The use of this technology in the new ‘Raw’ collection expresses the beauty found in the patina of aging materials. The effect is both striking and soft, creating a floor surface with depth and volume but without repetition. The visually stunning ‘Raw’ collection also showcases how InterfaceFLOR utilises innovative design thinking across the company – especially their approach to sustainability. ‘Raw’ is the first carpet tile made from 100% recycled nylon yarn, and is part of the company’s Mission Zero – an ambitious commitment to be completely carbon neutral by the year 2020. This kind of design-focussed technology appeals to the sensibilities of designers, and InterfaceFLOR products have been specified in key projects globally. Recently, InterfaceFLOR tiles were used in Rio Tinto’s

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Brisbane office (pictured above) by Geyer. “There needed to be an obvious departure once you entered the rooms as it is a place for conceptual thinking and removed from the activity on the work floor,” says Global Design Leader at Geyer, Simone Oliver. “InterfaceFLOR product was used to create a theme in the room that represented this shift.” Perth design studio MKDC saw their new design studio (pictured right) as an opportunity to practice what they preach. A sustainable initiative to reuse furniture meant the floor had to have impact – InterfaceFLOR’s ‘Colourspace’ collection was the solution. “The complex and striking design creates depth and interest,” says Senior Designer, Tenille Douglas. “It reinforces to our clients that design innovation is paramount and MKDC are pushing the design boundaries with a creative drive to be at the forefront of our industry.” Joel Sampson from HASSELL is another designer whose perceptions of carpet tile have evolved. “Working with the InterfaceFLOR modular flooring system gave me an enriched experience that changed the emphasis of what I originally registered as a flat floor tile, to something deeper.” The final instalment of this three part series will feature in Indesign #50. Keep an eye out for this feature, which will celebrate the truly global nature of the InterfaceFLOR brand in 2012.

For more inFormation about interFaceFlor please visit interfaceflor.com.au sales enquiries (61 2) 8332 2400

Meet Very side chair. With options for tablet arms and storage racks, this is the latest addition to Haworthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Very Seating Family. A sustainable, multi-dimentional seating range born out of global design and science-led comfort, Very's profile includes a broad application range, fantastic scope of colour, essential ergonomics and comfort. This awardwinning family is sure to inject life into any space.

AustrAliA Sydney Unit 4, 37 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 69 Union Street Pyrmont NSW 2009 T. 61 2 8586 7777 haworth-asia.com

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Perth Suite 5, 531 Hay Street Subiaco, Perth WA 6008 T. 61 8 9380 8366

Canberra INO Contract Furniture Level 1, 42 Mort Street Braddon ACT 2612 T. 61 2 6230 5466

TRASH TO TREASURE A unified vision from architect and client has resulted in a fit-out that places the emphasis on re-use

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words TRISH CROAKER photography MICHAEL NICHOLSON he Salvation Army store at Tempe in Sydney’s inner west is home to one of the charity chain’s largest second-hand furniture selections. It’s unlikely the store features regularly on architects’ specifications and suppliers lists. It’s also unlikely that architects send commercial clients everywhere, including here, with a shopping list for second-hand furniture. For Sydney’s Dunn + Hillam Architects, however, the Salvation Army was an obvious resource worth mining, and client involvement an essential ownership tool, when faced with a small-budget studio fit-out for a rapidly expanding firm of sustainability strategists and communicators. Their client was the Republic of Everyone, a small Surry Hills-based company with a growing international reputation as sustainability thought leaders. Not surprisingly, their brief was to ensure that the fit-out of the new premises was as green as possible; to re-use as much as was possible from the fit-out at the client’s previous office (including pieces originally from Sydney’s Norman + Quaine); and, to keep new materials at an absolute minimum. Republic of Everyone also needed the new space to be as elastic and flexible as the creative company’s ideologies and working conditions – to operate, as Ashley Dunn says, “as a base camp to which people would want to return” and to physically reflect their beliefs and motivations. All had to be achieved within an eight week turn-around, on a budget of $50,000. “This was a small, uncomplicated project, for an interesting client with an interesting palette handed over,” says Dunn. Dunn + Hillam came to the task of designing the space abhorring the concept of fashion in architecture. They were not interested in using flashy materials, but in using standard materials in an interesting way, and they are firmly committed to sustainability as integral to architecture. The brief presented no new or difficult challenges in terms of the physical space. The well-maintained, 1930s light industrial building in Chalmers Street, Surry Hills, faces west and looks over Prince Alfred Park, and features big floor plates, a herringbone floor and good natural light. Dunn + Hillam’s response was a simple open-plan design using healthy materials. Water-based paints were chosen for floors and ceilings, and oil-based floor finishes were used to avoid polyurethanes and other nasties. No attempt has been made to gentrify or conceal the building’s workings or structure, ensuring it has an honesty and rawness reflective of the occupants’ philosophy, and to keep materials and costs to a minimum. An ornate baroque chair and other flamboyant articles from the old premises sit comfortably next to exposed air- conditioning ducts. A single cabling spine for all electrical and lighting needs has been pressed along the office’s long elevation. Running perpendicularly, five generously long desks each accommodate three team members. The desks throughout are existing from Republic of Everyone’s previous fit-out and have been

re-finished with linoleum, a material that was used for its durability and because it doesn’t off-gas. Two brainstorming/break-out areas, a boardroom with windows built from roughsawn recycled hardwood, bicycle parking facilities, to encourage cycling and the use of public transport, and a full shower bathroom complete the lay-out. The black floor finishes, red ceilings and white walls have been chosen to create invigorating spaces that showcase the client’s logo colours. The whole office is greenpowered, carbon measured, managed and offset. Dunn credits a motivated, interested client and team with the end result. The Republic of Everyone studio feels like the result of a truly sympatico clientarchitect fit, with both parties bringing similar philosophies regarding environmental responsibility to the table.

ARCHITECT Dunn + Hillam Architects HBO+EMTB location SYDNEY | AUS PROJECT REPUBLIC OF EVERYONE

Trish Croaker is Associate Editor of Steel Profile magazine and a freelance writer on design.

Opposite Bike racks in the entry encourage cycling to work, while the secondhand desks have been given a new lease on life Left The black floors, white walls and red ceiling reference Republic of Everyone’s logo

REPUBLIC OF EVERYONE ARCHITECT Dunn + Hillam Architects Directors Ashley Dunn, Lee Hillam Project Team Linden Thorley (Associate / Project Architect), Vesna Trobec (Architectural Assistant) Client Republic of Everyone BUILDER CNC Building Professionals (Craig Niven) BUDGET $50,000 (approx.) TIME TO COMPLETE 8 weeks (design and construction) TOTAL FLOOR AREA 210m2 DUNN + HILLAM ARCHITECTS (61 2) 9316 7715 dunnhillam.com.au

FURNITURE In Office Area, desks are Hoop Pine plywood desktops on recycled furniture from the Salvation Army. Recycled task chairs bought from eBay. In Store Room, second hand Dexion shelving. In Shower Rooms, lockers also from Dexion. Other furniture from Salvation Army or existing from client. Other furniture existing from Norman + Quaine. FINISHES Forbo Furniture linoleum tops to existing meeting tables from Duroloid. FIXED & FITTED In Kitchen, Bosch dishwasher from Winning Appliances. In Waiting Area, bike hooks from Cycloc, available in Australia through Everest Sports.

Dexion 1800 100 050 dexion.com.au Duroloid (61 3) 9555 8299 duroloid.com eBay ebay.com.au Everest Sports (61 3) 5755 2227 everestsports.com.au Norman + Quaine normanquaine.com.au Salvation Amy (61 2) 9834 9030 salvosstores.salvos.org.au Winning Appliances (61 2) 9938 4733 winningappliances.com.au

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ad Woven Image collaborates with Matt Sheargold Woven Image have recently collaborated with award-winning Australian designer and HASSeLL Principal, Matt Sheargold as part of their Imagination Partners series. For the collaboration, titled ‘Muralithic’, Sheargold was challenged to artistically reinterpret the echoPanel® Mura Tile, an innovative acoustic wall cladding that is design driven, cost effective and easy to install. Sheargold has released the tile’s creative side in a series of concepts designed to inspire designers to unleash their own creativity. ‘Muralithic’ plays with the lightweight nature of Mura Tiles, transforming them into a series of bold, dramatic, ethereal and memorable works of art. each of the concepts, which show Mura Tiles being used in monolithic applications, is completely different yet unified by an element of the unexpected. “I’ve approached this exercise from the point of view of an artist, not a designer,” says Sheargold. “Using Mura Tiles as the medium, I’ve looked to bring a new perspective to the product. I’m interested in exploring what it could do outside the usual challenges and limitations we encounter on projects from building codes to the laws of physics!” wovenimage.com

Whilst the tile cannot be used in outdoor applications, the concept presented by Sheargold is designed to stimulate imaginative thought by showing Mura Tiles in unexpected ways. The collaboration aims to inspire designers to get creative either using the 2D Mura Tile online tool or the 3D CAD files available from Woven Image. Woven Image and its echopanel® brand are well respected across the design, manufacture and distribution market throughout Australia and overseas. As an Australian company serving designers, architects and customers worldwide, Woven Image are committed to being at the forefront of innovative design. Since early 2011, their Imagination Partners series has been engaging designers to explore Woven Image products and stretch their possibilities to the limit. In fitting with this forward-thinking approach, ‘Muralithic’ showcases the endless possibilities echoPanel® Mura Tiles offer to designers and encourages them to think outside the box. Mura Tiles are available in two designs across eight colour ways, so get creative and start designing.

For more inFormation about woven image please visit wovenimage.com sales enquiries 1800 888 650

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words Paul McGillick photography Christopher Frederick Jones architect Geyer location Brisbane | AUS Project Rio Tinto Brisbane Regional Centre

Community Building Geyer’s fit-out for Rio Tinto’s Brisbane Regional Centre is all about making connections io Tinto is one of Australia’s biggest mining companies, but its operations in Brisbane had been spread over six locations, and lacked a single, signature building that could embody the brand and clearly position the company as part of the wider community. This building at 123 Albert Street in Brisbane’s CBD proved to be the solution. It offers Rio Tinto roughly 31,000m2 (from a building total of 38,000m 2) enabling it to consolidate a significant majority of its locations into the Rio Tinto Brisbane Regional Centre. An additional two buildings will house the remaining Rio Tinto teams, in close proximity to 123 Albert Street. Although not the sole tenant, Rio Tinto occupies all but six floors of the building, accommodating a large part of their 2,500 Brisbane employees. It also has naming rights with a branded foyer and concierge desk at street level, establishing a clear public identity for the company. The foyer and concierge – plus state-ofthe-art check in and site induction – facilitate an easy transition as people make their way to visitor floors – Level 2, used predominately for smaller meetings with

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Rio Tinto has an impressive range of amenity and work environments with a high degree of connectivity Paul McGillick

Rio Tinto staff, and Level 27, the main client meeting floor whose larger meeting areas can be connected to accommodate up to 200 people. The new workplace had a number of clearly defined objectives. Apart from building Rio Tinto’s identity in the Brisbane CBD – they employ more than 8,000 people in Queensland alone and spend $2.8 billion on goods and services per annum in Queensland – the aim was to embody the core values of the company and provide a flexible work environment that would encourage high levels of collaboration. As a mining company, Rio Tinto places enormous emphasis on safety and well-being. It has extended this concern to its new Brisbane Regional Centre where, apart from an emphasis on safety, there are generous amenities to promote fitness, good health and well-being, including the ‘Lab’ for various fitness classes, a health clinic, a family room and a mothers’ room. Geyer’s fit-out for Rio Tinto has an impressive range of amenity and work environments with a high degree of connectivity. This connectivity works not just in plan, but vertically as well. For example, the entire fitout is designed as a vertical experience with a gradual evolution from earth to terrain to summit to sky, which is expressed through materials, finishes, palette and graphic treatments (by Frost Design). Level 2 is an earth element finished with rougher and more natural materials and a warm, earthy palette. Level 27, on the other hand, is in the sky and is characterised by more refined materials using Rio Tinto’s own end products, such as the custom designed aluminium ceiling and fine glazing sections defining meeting spaces, along with an elegant, warm grey palette. The vertical experience is reinforced by the internal connecting stairway, which runs from Level 13 to 27, making it probably the longest continuous internal connecting stair in Australia. The stair is like a spiral, and its design – featuring a wrap-around fine steel

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Previous Page Left

Level 27 features a custom aluminium ceiling, bringing Rio Tintoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own products into the fit-out Previous page detail

Staff break-out area Far Left A mesh-enclosed staircase runs from level 13 to level 27 Left A display on level 2 showcases raw materials Below Timber portals wrap the visitor waiting area and concierge desk on level 2

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Above Left Glass

enclosed meeting rooms promote visual connectivity Above right Custom acoustic pods allow staff to listen to their own music Opposite The Green is a relaxed space for work outside the traditional office

mesh screen – is derived from the form of a drill bit. It acts as a pivot because it links to the hub areas and communal zones and is a vertical spine linking the activity zones on each floor. On every floor there is a similarly-sized, organically-shaped room which links directly off the stairway and which changes function every three floors, becoming a meeting room, project room or brainstorming room. Key to activating the vertical experience is Level 16, the transitional floor where the high- and low-rise lifts meet. It is given over entirely to staff amenity, and a central area, called The Green – namely, the village green – is focussed on an externally catered café. There is also a refresh area known as The Club, a lounge area with ottomans, reclining chairs, and bean bags – a kind of chill-out and informal meeting area – and ‘mix and refresh’ areas. The space is broken up into different zones by curvilinear, transparent timber elements. Also on this floor is the Lab Space, a series of multifunctional rooms that open on to the lounge area. These bookable rooms are used for meetings and training, as well as activities such as Pilates and yoga. The central stair also activates the fit-out plan. As it interacts with the plan of the building, it generates different-sized neighbourhoods, or work areas which, in a centrifugal fashion, are thrust out towards the perimeters of the floor plates. The location of internal built form and support spaces helps to break up the floor plates, generating a human scale to the fit-out by effectively circumscribing the size of work teams. The design was part of a four-year process. Site tours of fit-outs Rio Tinto had recently completed at Paddington in London and Salt Lake City in the US were organised. Both had been predominately open

plan, but feedback suggested that some minor changes to accommodation standards might offer an improved experience for the user groups. As a result, 123 Albert Street in Brisbane offers a mix of work environments, including some private offices. The overall feel is that of a campus, especially given the high level of staff amenity. Level 2, for example, has an L-shaped floorplate and, as a visitor floor, has its own concierge, as does Level 27. The reception space on Level 2 features a series of timber portal elements that suggest a mine shaft. This floor also provides two visitor suites – like small hotel rooms where visiting staff can rest and refresh themselves – the business resilience recovery room, and a display of vitrines that feature engraved information about displays of raw materials, such as salt, coal, diamond, titanium dioxide, copper, gold, and alumina. Geyer’s use of natural materials and the refined end products of Rio Tinto’s mining endeavours, along with the elegantly elaborated palette of finishes throughout generate a unity to the fit-out. But it also aims to support the strategy of drawing a much closer relationship between the corporate headquarters and the staff at the ‘coal face’ – the mining sites. Unity and connection are further expressed by Frost Design’s environmental graphics, which have derived a visual language from the images of mining.

Paul McGillick is Editorial Director at Indesign Group.

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112 portfolioindesign Left The Green is an

externally catered café on Level 16 – a floor given over entirely to staff amenity and divided into various break-out spaces by curved linear timber elements

Rio Tinto Brisbane Regional Centre ARCHITECT Geyer PROJECT TEAM Simone Oliver, Sally Macnaughton, Alice Haworth, Graeme Bowie, Pablo Albani, Iva Durakovic, David Withers, Kahn Yoon, Sally Finlay, Ramoncito Siccion, Ella Lee Cansdell, Angela Sampson Client Rio Tinto PROJECT MANAGER Paragon Project Management BUILDER Laing O’Rourke stair fabricator Arden MECHANICAL, HYDRAULIC, LIGHTING & ACOUSTIC Aurecon FIRE ENGINEER, STAIR Arup STRUCTURAL ENGINEER (STAIR) Robert Bird Group ENVIRONMENTAL GRAPHICS Frost Design ESD CONSULTANT Cundall Audio Visual CONSULTANT Innova-Tech Consulting

TIME TO COMPLETE 4 years 3 months TOTAL FLOOR AREA 31,000m2 GEYER (61 7) 3211 9889 geyer.com.au FURNITURE Generally throughout, furniture from Aspect Furniture, bernabeifreeman, Blok Furniture, Corporate Culture, CSM, dedece, Eco Outdoor, Envoy Furniture, Fuse Furniture, FY2K, Haworth, Interstudio, Jardan, KE-ZU, KFive, Koskela, Living Edge, Schiavello, Space Furniture, Thonet (available in Queensland from Innerspace), Vitra (available in Australia from Unifor), Wilkhahn, and Zenith Interiors. Upholstery from Instyle, Textile Mania, SvenskaKJ, Luna Textiles, Kvadrat Maharam, Woven Image, Pelle Leathers, NSW Leathers, and Contemporary Leathers.

LIGHTING Generally throughout, lighting from Artemide (available in Queensland from Image Lighting), Austube, Corporate Culture, Digilin, Eagle Lighting, Erco, Fanuli Furniture, Hub Furniture, Inlite, ISM Objects, JSB Lighting, Koda Lighting, LED Innovations, Light2, Space Furniture, Sylvania Lighting, Targetti, Xenian, Yellow Goat Design, Zumtobel,

Eco-resin from Hunter Douglas Group. Tiles from Skheme. Akril Panelling. Plexiglass from Plastral. Stone from Lincoln Group. EchoPanel from Woven Image. Recycled timber floors from Kennedy’s. Paint from Dulux. Plywood from Austral Plywoods. Steel mesh from GKD. Zinc paneling from VM Zinc Australia. Render rock from Parchem.

FINISHES Generally throughout, flooring from Alternative Surfaces, Altro, Forbo Flooring, Gibbon Group, InterfaceFLOR, Ken Sparks Carpets, Rephouse, and The Andrews Group. Corkboard from Portgual Cork Co. Laminate from Wilsonart International, Laminex, Halifax Vogel Group and Abet Laminati. Glass from DecoGlaze, Grosvenor Glass, and James Glass. Timber veneers from Global Ventures Australia, George Fethers, and Briggs Veneers.

FIXED & FITTED In Kitchens, fixtures and fittings from Abey, Astra Walker, Clarke, Electrolux, Gaggenau, Haier, and Winning Appliances. Hardware from Häfele, Hettich, Solu and IKEA. Magnetic whiteboards from CFS. In Bathrooms, fixtures and fittings from Astra Walker, Bradley, Caroma, JD Macdonald, RBA Group, and Reece. Lockers from Interloc. Silent Gliss panel glides and curtain track system from The Emporium. Electrical fittings from Elsafe and Ronstan.

Abet Laminati (61 7) 3802 7988 abet.com.au Abey (61 7) 3805 7000 abey.com.au Akril (61 3) 9768 3747 akril.net.au Alternative Surfaces 1300 760 877 alternativesurfaces.com.au Altro (61 3) 9764 5666 asf.com.au Aspect Furniture (61 2) 9929 2200 aspectfurniture.co.nz Astra Walker (61 2) 9912 8888 astrawalker.com.au Austral Plywoods (61 7) 3426 8666 australply.com.au Austube (61 7) 3252 2911 austube.com.au bernabeifreeman (61 2) 9716 4401 bernabeifreeman.com.au Blok Furniture (61 7) 3876 4422 blokfurniture.com.au Bradley 1300 364 561 bradleyaustralia.com Briggs Veneers (61 2) 9732 7888 briggs.com.au Caroma (61 7) 3131 5999 caroma.com.au CFS (61 2) 9698 8244 cfsol.net Clark 13 14 16 clark.com.au Contemporary Leathers (61 7) 3254 4788 contemporaryleathers.com.au Corporate Culture (61 7) 3852 4220 corporateculture.com.au CSM (61 2) 9540 2111 csm-office.com.au DecoGlaze (61 2) 9624 7099 decoglaze.com.au dedece (61 2) 9360 2722 dedece.com Digilin (61 7) 3899 1267 digilin.com.au Eagle Lighting (61 7) 3891 0744 eaglelighting.com.au Eco Outdoor 1300 131 413 ecooutdoor.com.au Electrolux 1300 363 640 electrolux.com.au Elsafe (61 7) 3399 7099 elsafe.com.au Envoy Furniture (61 3) 9029 3161 envoyfurniture.com.au Erco (61 2) 9004 8801 erco.com Fanuli Furniture (61 2) 9908 2660 fanuli.com.au Forbo Flooring 1800 224 471 forbo-flooring.com.au Fuse Furniture (61 7) 3216 1683 fusefurniture.com.au FY2K (61 2) 8399 1644 fy2k.com.au G.James (61 7) 3877 2333 gjames.com Gaggenau 1300 727 421 sampfordixl.com.au George Fethers (61 3) 9646 5266 gfethers.com.au Gibbon Group (61 7) 3881 1777 gibbongroup.com.au GKD (61 2) 9571 8700 gkd.com.au Global Ventures Australia (61 2) 9457 7171 ecocore.com.au Grosvenor Glass (61 2) 9758 2400 grosvenorglass.com.au Häfele (61 7) 3307 8900 hafele.com.au Haier (61 2) 9003 0000 haier.com.au Halifax Vogel Group (61 7) 3718 2300 halifaxvogel.com.au Haworth (61 2) 8586 7777 haworth-asia.com Hettich (61 7) 3251 8600 hettich.com.au Hub Furniture (61 2) 9217 0700 hubfurniture.com.au Hunter Douglas Group (61 2) 9638 8000 hunterdouglas.com.au IKEA (61 7) 3380 6800 ikea.com.au Image Lighting (61 7) 3394 2200 imagelighting.com.au Inlite (61 7) 3335 3400 inlite.com.au Innerspace (61 7) 3252 1461 innerspace.net.au Instyle (61 7) 3254 4788 instyle.com.au InterfaceFLOR (61 7) 3512 8200 interfaceflor.com.au Interloc (61 2) 9742 5855 interloc-lockers.com.au Interstudio (61 7) 3252 1633 interstudio.com.au ISM Objects 1300 888 646 ismobjects.com.au Jardan (61 7) 3257 0098 jardan.com.au JD MacDonald (61 7) 3363 6400 jdmacdonald.com.au JSB Lighting (61 7) 3324 0222 jsblighting.com.au KE-ZU (61 2) 9669 1788 kezu.com.au Ken Sparks Carpets (61 2) 9938 2577 kensparkscarpets.com Kennedy’s (61 7) 3293 0528 kennedystimbers.com.au KFive (61 2) 9690 7100 kfive.com.au Koda Lighting (61 2) 9699 6007 kodalighting.com.au Koskela (61 2) 9280 0999 koskela.com.au Kvadrat Maharam (61 2) 9212 4277 kvadratmaharam.com Laminex 13 21 36 laminex.com.au LED Innovations (61 2) 9948 8234 ledinnovations.com.au Light2 (61 2) 9698 9221 light2.com.au Lincoln Group (61 7) 3244 3200 lincolngroup.com.au Living Edge (61 7) 3137 2900 livingedge.com.au Luna Textiles (61 3) 9009 3971 NSW Leathers (61 2) 9319 2900 leatherco.com.au Parchem (61 7) 3808 8133 parchem.com.au Pelle Leathers (61 2) 9460 9222 pelleleathers.com.au Plastral (61 7) 3623 2455 plastral.com.au Portugal Cork Co (61 2) 9676 8400 portugalcork.com.au RBA Group 1300 788 778 rba.com.au Reece (61 3) 9274 0000 reece.com.au Rephouse (61 7) 3281 0088 rephouse.com.au Ronstan 1300 131 520 ronstan.com.au Schiavello (61 7) 3368 3388 schiavello.com Silent Gliss (61 7) 3252 4194 silentgliss.com.au Skheme (61 2) 8755 2300 skheme.com Solu (61 2) 9519 4618 solu.com.au Space Furniture (61 7) 3253 6000 spacefurniture.com.au Stylecraft (61 7) 3244 3000 stylecraft.com.au SvenskaKJ (61 2) 9698 5859 svenskakj.com.au Sylvania Lighting (61 7) 3034 8600 sla.net.au Targetti (61 2) 9437 6066 targetti.com Textile Mania (61 3) 9427 1166 textilemania.com The Andrews Group (61 3) 9827 1311 theandrewsgroup.com.au The Emporium (61) 448 942 900 theemporium.com.au Unifor (61 2) 9552 9552 unifor.it VM Zinc Australia (61 2) 9358 6100 vmzinc.com.au Wilkhahn (61 7) 3369 2088 wilkhahn.com Wilsonart International wilsonart.com Winning Appliances (61 7) 3852 0000 winningappliances.com.au Woven Image (61 7) 3257 7737 wovenimage.com Xenian 1800 888 863 xenian.com.au Yellow Goat Design (61 7) 5532 8659 yellowgoat.com.au Zenith Interiors (61 7) 3170 0000 zenithinteriors.com.au Zumtobel (61 7) 3854 7000 zumtobel.com.au indesignlive.com

Lighting

Urban Spaces

Light for habitat. Memories of a place come from what we sense and what we see. WE-EF street and area lighting luminaires fitted with LEDs provide ideal roadway illumination at Mers les Bains. Lighting design by CITELUM Nord (Villeneuve dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Ascq).

RFL540 street and area lighting luminaire fitted with a 109 W LED array at 3000 K. IOSÂŽ Innovative Optical System featuring S70 streetlighting distribution from an illuminance-optimised lens.

WE-EF LIGHTING Tel +61 3 8587 0444 Fax +61 3 8587 0499 info.australia@we-ef.com www.we-ef.com

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100 DREAMS 100 MINDS 100 YEARS ad Celebrating 100 years at Steelcase SteelCaSe is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. From small beginnings manufacturing metal office furniture in Grand Rapids, U.S.a., Steelcase has grown to become the largest office furniture manufacturer in the world. to mark this impressive milestone, the company is looking to the past to shape a vision for the future. the lessons Steelcase have learnt from extensive research throughout the years have been re-visited, giving the company a clear direction going forward. as leaders in the industry, they are committed to unlocking human promise, bringing humancentred design to the marketplace, and creating an interconnected workplace. Steelcase take seriously their responsibility to provide knowledge, insight and understanding of the way people work and the environments in which they work. In doing so, the company is also committed to responding to the changing social and economic environment. thus, the theme of the 100th anniversary is to ‘Unlock Human Promise’. 100.steelcase.com

In keeping with this theme, Steelcase is dedicated to collating the insights, knowledge and expertise they have grown across generations to inspire a vision of the future. For Steelcase, this vision comes down to the simple aim of inspiring people to love how they work, and the company are generating insights into this complex area by studying how and where people work. the result is an ability to help organisations around the world achieve a higher level of performance by creating work environments that unlock the potential of people. Key to generating spaces like this, that support the various ways that people work, is creating humancentred designs that focus on the user. Steelcase products answer the ever-changing demands revealed by their extensive research. as Generation Y enter the workplace, for example, they have varied needs that differ from those of previous generations. these include the need to collaborate across locations, time zones, and cultures as the global economy becomes ever

more integrated. thus, the workplace needs to be re-imagined at the ‘Interconnected Workplace’ – a space that rethinks the traditional office space and harnesses the workplace to create, innovate and drive growth, maximise assets, cut costs and build brands. Steelcase’s extensive research of changing needs in the workplace means they have a unique understanding of the Interconnected Workplace, and they have created award-winning furniture to satisfy these new demands. the Interconnected Workplace supports the agility and collaboration required by today’s highly connected workers who are doing business in a global and mobile business environment. Steelcase has designed the tools to support this. Products include ‘media:scape’ with HD videoconferencing, which enables real-time access and sharing of digital information; the ‘Manifesto’ system, which was designed to meet the needs of Generation Y workers; and ‘i2i’ – named for the eye-to-eye engagement it encourages – which was designed to foster

collaboration. Both ‘Manifesto’ and ‘i2i’ received merit recognition in the Design for Asia Awards, while ‘media:scape’ was a Good Design winner at the Australian International Design Awards. These award-winning products are the tools used for success in workplaces which are defined by diverse settings and different styles of working. They give people options to sit, stand or move throughout their day, and control over when and how they work. Steelcase have chosen to celebrate their 100 years, not by simply looking to the past, but by learning from the past and creating a unique vision of the future workplace. Taking what they know, they will continue to create products for the changing workplace and the people who work within this dynamic environment. Their aim is to understand and satisfy the desires and needs of the next generations as they enter the workplace, and support new ways of working.

For more inFormation about SteelcaSe pleaSe viSit 100.steelcase.com enquirieS (61 2) 9660 5511

Urban Culture A new headquarters for EMI Australia is the perfect embodiment of the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inner urban culture

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words Paul McGillick photography Tyrone Branigan architect The World is Round location Sydney | Aus PROJECT EMI Australia

he project to find and fit out a headquarters for music company EMI Australia was very much driven by its Chairman, Mark Poston. Stuck in a building in Cremorne that everyone hated, but tied to a lease, there was plenty of time to search for a new location. The building in Flinders Street, Surry Hills, came up on the radar very early and, despite looking at many other sites, Poston was convinced from the beginning that Flinders Street would make the ideal home for EMI. To begin with, he felt this was where EMI belonged, if only because many people in the music industry lived in the area. And, despite a certain coldness to what is essentially a concrete box, Poston loved the industrial rawness of the place, which he felt gave it a very contemporary feel. He also loved the ‘retail presence’ afforded by large windows looking out onto busy Flinders Street. He saw the possibility of showcasing EMI and their artists. In the event, this evolved into the EMI ‘Art Projects’ which presents up-and-coming artists and local street art. Part of Poston’s plan for the building was changing the street address from Flinders Street to Hutchison Lane, effectively the rear entrance. Not only would this generate a certain mystique to the building, but it would also allow a degree of privacy for the artists and clientele entering and leaving the building. Finally, the building brought with it quite a lot of history. This had effectively begun with a makeover by the legendary Burley Katon Halliday (BKH) for Space Furniture (the building was later occupied by ECC and Gelosa). BKH had stripped the building back to its concrete shell, sandblasting the concrete back so that you could see the aggregate. They had also installed two stairways which set up an intriguing spatial dynamic which Andrew Cliffe – Director of The World is Round, who were commissioned to design the fit-out for EMI – describes as a “kind of figure of eight” and which he was keen to exploit to generate a constantly interesting spatial experience with continuously emerging views and the feeling that everything and everyone was integrated into an exciting whole. Determined to respect the original BKH makeover, Cliffe says, “There was a component there of making sure you didn’t wreck what was already there. It was important to figure out what not to do as much as what to do. The idea was not to fix anything into that slab that didn’t need to be there, to keep it as honest and raw and as clean as possible. Also making sure that we didn’t inhibit the flow of the space and to respect the light and the views.”

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This approach also reflected EMI’s image in the marketplace as an open, relaxed and inviting organisation, epitomised by Poston, who has an industry-wide reputation for being approachable and hospitable. The brief required ten offices, one for each department head. Otherwise, it was to be a free-flowing space. The offices are pushed to the core, maximising natural light and views for people at workstations. Cliffe also made optimal use of the ‘figure-of-eight’ to break up the open plan and create a variety of spaces – and surprises. Hence, the space unfolds as a series of mixed intimate and more expansive spaces. Moments of relaxation – for informal, small-scale meetings or simply to lounge – punctuate the work areas and, by pivoting the plan (and section) around the stairways, Cliffe ensures that people need to move through the space, sustaining animation and community. Visitors, after entering through the reception area, then need to go up the stairs to the Level 1 boardroom, which not only gives them the feeling that they are a part of the organisation, but also sustains a mood of energy. The spatial dynamic is supported by an emphasis on transparency. In this way, even private meeting rooms remain connected to the bigger picture. Transparency is maintained by a variety of strategies. The elegant boardroom, for example, has a glass wall, while elsewhere Cliffe has used glass louvres and timber-slatted walls to balance transparency and privacy. The palette is surprisingly restrained, presumably out of respect to the raw originality of the building. But, alongside some whimsical furnishings, yellow and ‘EMI red’ are used to animate the space and signal destinations along pathways Cliffe has engineered. In addition, the space is eco-friendly and energy efficient with lower utility bills and greenhouse emissions than the company’s previous North Sydney home Given the urban context – note the ‘Hernando’s Hideaway’ entry to the building off part of Surry Hills’ still grungy network of laneways – this is an urban work environment and, as such, totally appropriate for the client. The fit-out generates a self-contained world with views out to a wider, urbanised inner-suburban world, which is a welcome surprise to any visitor.

Paul McGillick is Editorial Director at Indesign Group.

The palette is surprisingly restrained, presumably out of respect to the raw originality of the building Paul McGillick

Previous Pages The entry features the cover artwork of The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album Above left Break-out space with television for staff and visitors Above Right The reception features splashes of ‘EMI red’ Right One of the two stairs installed by BKH, which create an intriguing ‘figure eight’ spatial arrangement

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Right The Knoll ‘Antenna’

workstations contribute to the openness and flow of the space. They have been positioned around the perimeter of the workplace, in close proximity to windows for access to natural light

ANDREW CLIFFE inciunt Net voloreperum Principal, aut at et lis maximagni core, The World Round voloria is erendist officia

Andrew Cliffe talks about why he specified the Knoll ‘Antenna’ workstations in the EMI fit-out. The ‘Antenna’ workstation system is modular, allowing for individual or team work, for private or shared space and is characterised by openness and transparency even when it is used to define specific work areas. ‘Antenna’ has the same honesty and simplicity as the EMI space. The Knoll system has a retro feel that others don’t. It was about keeping the surfaces warm. There are no screens and it’s very open. The Knoll ‘Antenna™’ workstation is available in Australia from dedece. dedece (61 2) 9360 2722 dedece.com

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EMI ARCHITECT The World Is Round PROJECT TEAM Andrew Cliffe (Director), Felice Carlino (Senior Designer) CLIENT EMI (Mark Poston, Ed Calleja) BUILDER MPA Construction Group (Ben Ritchie, Adrian Romeo, Alex Cordina) Services Engineer Medland Metropolis WORKSTATIONS dedece (Tim Engleen) GRAPHICS Wholesome Display Technology (Adam Cairns) JOINER Ambry Furniture (Frank Valher), Formfitout (Barry Mason) ELECTRICIAN RW Palmer AV All Audio Visual Installations (Luis Tozanis) MECHANICAL CONTRACTOR PJS HYDRAULIC CONTRACTOR Cronulla Plumbing Services FIRE Force Fire PCA Building Certificates Australia (Peter Antcliffe) BUDGET $1.7 million TIME TO COMPLETE 14 months TOTAL FLOOR AREA 1,549m2

THE WORLD IS ROUND (61 2) 9365 1414 theworldisround.com.au FURNITURE Generally throughout, Herman Miller ‘Aeron’ task chairs and Eames chairs and tables from Work Arena. De Padova ‘Pouf Capitonne’ ottoman, ‘Brno’ chairs and Knoll ‘Pollack’ chairs from dedece. ‘Ghost’ chairs from Space Furniture. ACTIU table from Desking Systems. Tolix stools from Thonet. Hanging chairs from The Market Collections. All other furniture throughout is existing from client. LIGHTING Generally throughout, floor lamps, suspended fluorescents, downlights, wall washers and Jielde ‘Augustin’ pendants from Euroluce. Fluorescent battens from Eagle Lighting. Moooi floor lamps, Tom Dixon ‘Copper Shade’, ‘Pipe’, ‘Beat’ and ‘Fluoro Shade’ from dedece. Moooi paper light pendant from Space Furniture. Table lamps throughout are from Moonlighting.

FINISHES Generally throughout, carpet from Feltex. Vinyl flooring from Forbo Flooring. Plaster cornices from Unique Plaster. Glass and mirrors from Float Glass Industries. Paint from Dulux. Timber from Bunnings and Precision Flooring. Laminates from Laminex and Formica. EchoPanel from Woven Image. Anodised aluminium louvre frames from Australian Aluminium Finishing. FIXED & FITTED In Kitchen, Electrolux fridge and Fisher & Paykel underbench fridge both from Winning Appliances. Fisher & Paykel dishwasher, Smeg microwave from Harvey Norman Commercial. Häfele accessories also from Harvey Norman Commercial. Bin from Willow. Drawer system from Blum. In Bathroom, sink from Abey, tap set from Astra Walker, and shower head and all accessories from Reece. ARTWORK In Reception, artwork is by Dion Hortmas.

Abey (61 2) 8572 8572 abey.com.au Astra Walker (61 2) 9912 8888 astrawalker.com.au Australian Aluminium Finishing (61 2) 8787 3999 aafonline.com.au Blum (61 2) 9612 5400 blum.com Bunnings (61 2) 9330 3800 bunnings.com.au dedece (61 2) 9360 2722 dedece.com Desking Systems (61 2) 9690 2733 desking-systems.com.au Dulux 13 23 77 dulux.com.au Eagle Lighting (61 2) 9420 5799 eaglelighting.com.au Euroluce (61 2) 9380 6222 euroluce.com.au Feltex 1300 130 239 feltex.com Float Glass Industries (44 161) 946 8000 floatglass.co.uk Forbo Flooring 1800 224 471 forbo-flooring.com.au Formica 13 21 36 formica.com.au Harvey Norman Commercial (61 2) 9710 4155 harveynormancommercial.com.au Laminex 13 21 36 laminex.com.au Moonlighting (61 2) 9305 0000 moonlighting.com.au Precision Flooring (61 2) 9690 0991 precisionflooring.com.au Reece (61 3) 9274 0000 reece.com.au Space Furniture (61 2) 8339 7588 spacefurniture.com.au The Market Collections (61 2) 9365 5050 themarketcollections.com Thonet (61 2) 9332 1600 thonet.com.au Unique Plaster (61 2) 9550 5440 uniqueplaster.com.au Willow (61 3) 8346 0400 willow.com.au Winning Appliances (61 2) 8767 2300 winningappliances.com.au Work Arena (61 2) 8570 5700 workarena.com.au Woven Image (61 2) 9913 8668 wovenimage.com

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Staron® design award winner

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signage. and to ensure a seamless visual integration of all design elements, two LCd monitor displays (located at either end of the design), are installed within a Staron® box and frame. “Staron® was chosen as the ideal material for this project as it allowed us a flexibility to create something sculptural and eye catching that was in keeping with the client’s original brief from Westfield to maintain a ‘lightweight elegance’ to the additions; whilst providing the strength and durability required to withstand a high traffic and damage prone area,” says Maria. “additionally Staron® allowed us the ability to run services throughout the design discreetly without detracting from the overall aesthetic.” Special thanks go to the professional Staron® fabrication skills of Smart Marine Services, which were essential in the execution of this project. Congratulations to NOSUCHStUdIOcollective for this outstanding design. If you are a designer, architect or design student and have a Staron® project that you would like to enter into the Staron® design awards, visit staron.com.au and enter one of the categories – Commercial, Residential or Concept.

For more inFormation about staron please visit staron.com.au sales enquiries (61 2) 9822 7055 photography: scott burrows

Staged within the wide, sweeping thoroughfares of Westfield shopping centre in Chermside, Queensland, the gallery Café by NOSUCHStUdIOcollective (NSSc) was recently named Winner of the Staron® design awards Commercial Category, (edition 2, 2011). In executing this award-winning project, designers Maria gavriel and al Brennan overcame multiple challenges of branding, ambience and visibility, to create an alluring and intimate café, set within the busy mall of one of Brisbane’s major shopping destinations. Integral to the success of the project was new sculptural perimeter signage made from Staron® Solid Surfaces in Bright White. Inspired by the café’s existing logo, the signage created a defined boundary around the café – not to mention a distinctive design element. Here, the gallery Café logo was sculpted from thermoformed Staron®, and individually fixed into a Staron® base which follows the curving line of the café’s licensed seating area. the letters themselves spell out the word ‘gallery’ with a dropcap ‘g’ and ‘y’. Below the Staron® base, a 100mm-high clear Perspex allows the ‘g’ and ‘y’ to hang suspended, the letters’ descenders dropping effortlessly through the Staron® base. Further increasing the visibility of the café from long distances, NSSc installed multiple twin-set light beacons – also in Staron® Solid Surface – along the

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words PAUL MCGILLICK photography PATRICK BINGHAM-HALL architect WOHA location SINGAPORE PROJECT SPACE Furniture ASIA HUB

More Than a space

Space Furnitureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new Asia Hub showroom in Singapore sets an unparalleled standard in presenting quality product

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A four-storey contemporary glass pavilion links the two heritage buildings Above One of the internal courtyards with a glass wall to amplify the space Far Left Another courtyard cooled by a green wall Left Visitors are welcomed at the entry by a bar and coffee shop Opposite top A floating gallery emphasises the industrial aesthetic Opposite bottom The restored original brick wall lends texture to the space

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n Singapore it is known as the arts precinct – a concentration of key institutions including the Singapore Art Museum, the National Museum, the Peranakan Museum and the School of the Arts, together with a variety of architecture and design studios. Close by are the Esplanade theatre complex, and Asian Civilisations Museum and the Victoria Theatres, which are both currently undergoing restoration. For the Director of Space Furniture, Katie Page, there was never any question that this was the area for the new Space Asia Hub showroom. When a site became available, she grabbed the opportunity. Likewise, there was never any question as to which architects would be asked to do the job – the School of the Arts building, designed by WOHA, is Page’s favourite building. “I liked the fact that they knew this precinct so well,” she says. “This is their area.” Previously based in Millennia Walk, Space was looking to escape the mall location and have its own street frontage. The Bencoolen Street site offered two heritage buildings and what was initially thought to be another heritage building in the middle. But this building turned out not to be heritage, and they were able to demolish it, resulting in the unique street frontage the showroom now has. Given this site, WOHA have inserted a four-level ‘glass block’ which acts as the entry to the complex and as a link between the villa and the conservation shophouse on either side. This glowing, transparent pavilion – especially with a colourful Kartell chair stack behind the façade – is an irresistible lure for visitors, an intriguing contrast to the more enclosed and reserved colonial buildings that flank it. The marriage of old and new has some other benefits as well. Firstly, from the street, a clear signal is sent that the products in this showroom combine a contemporary aesthetic with a long tradition of craftsmanship and quality. Then the serendipity of the two heritage buildings having different ceiling heights generates spatial variety throughout the showroom. WOHA have taken full advantage of this to create some genuine Wrightian ‘prospect’, with enticing views through to spaces that are never quite revealed until

The aspiration was to make this a destination store with... a synergistic collection Paul McGillick indesignlive.com

128 portfolioindesign LEFT The heritage aesthetic

provides an attentiongrabbing contrast to the contemporary products

you enter them. An important result of this spatial variety is that each of the more than 20 brands stocked by Space Furniture has its own space and is able to present its products in its own way. For General Manager Syddal Wee, the aspiration was to make this a destination store with what he terms a synergistic collection. Unlike a monobrand store, Space Furniture offers multiple premium brands, giving clients the opportunity to mix and match and to personalise their preferences. This implies presenting the product in what Syddal calls a “lifestyle manner”, an experience that really begins outside, where the architects have created an “urban plaza – a woven tapestry of terracotta and pebblewash strips in varying hues reminiscent of traditional materials and regional ‘sarong’ textiles”, which leads the visitor into the building. Inside, the spaces have been opened up by removing walls and inserting free-spanning timber ceilings to enable column-free interiors. Timber floors have been restored, original brickwork exposed and a variety of industrial detailing employed to give the interiors rich textural variety. Any sense of enclosure is broken down by the use of skylights and courtyards, notably the green wall in the conservation shophouse. Lured in by complimentary coffee and wine at the bar in the glass entry foyer, Space Furniture’s Asia Hub is not just a destination, but an irresistible magnet.

Paul McGillick is Editorial Director at Indesign Group.

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SPACE ASIA HUB ARCHITECT WOHA CLIENTS Harvey Norman Yoogalu Pty Ltd, Bencoolen Properties Pte Ltd PROJECT TEAM Wong Mun Summ, Richard Hassell, Chan Ee Mun, Chou Mei, Chris Lohavaritanon, Ellaine Ponce, Graham Hogg, Lai Soong Hai, Samantha Seet, Tan Szue Hann, Teo Zi Tong, Veronica Lee, Yang Han MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL ENGINEER AE&T Consultants CIVIL AND STRUCTURAL ENGINEER Rider Levett Bucknall LANDSCAPE CONSULTANT SALD LANDSCAPING contractor Nature Landscapes MAIN CONTRACTOR Shanghai Chong Kee Furniture & Construction FIRE CONSULTANT FitterLab Engineering GLASS FAÇADE Lital Materials & Contracts Engineers BUDGET SD$12 million TIME TO COMPLETE 2 years (design and construction) TOTAL FLOOR AREA 38,866m2

WOHA (65) 6423 4555 woha-architects.com FURNITURE Generally throughout, furniture from Space Furniture. LIGHTING Generally, lighting from Space Furniture and Lighting Partners Australia. FINISHES Conservation roof by Pacific Forest. Façade shading by Vantage Concept. Generally throughout, Epoxy flooring from Sika Singapore. External flooring from Intersurface and ABK. Timber flooring from Supreme Lion Marketing. Metal roof by BlueScope Lysaght Singapore. Paint from SKK. FIXED & FITTED Generally throughout, ACMV from B&W Air Conditioning Services. Electrical by AMP Systems. Doors by CV Building Services. Ironmongery from Glutz Singapore. Lift from KONE. Plumbing by Twin Notch Engineering Construction. Sanitary fittings from W Atelier and Johnson Suisse. Signage by Ultimate Display System.

ABK (65) 6897 9939 abk.com.sg AMP Systems (65) 6542 9116 B&W Air Conditioning Services (65) 6846 4075 BlueScope Lysaght Singapore (65) 6264 1577 bluescopesteelasia.com CV Building Services (65) 6272 5306 cvbuilding.com Glutz Singapore (65) 6554 4111 glutz.com Intersurface (65) 6284 7227 intersurface.com Johnson Suisse (65) 6333 4080 johnsonsuisse.com.sg KONE (65) 6258 5388 kone.com Pacific Forest (65) 6368 6675 pacificforest.com.sg Sika Singapore (65) 6777 2811 sika.com Supreme Lion Marketing (65) 6555 5522 Twin Notch Engineering Construction (65) 6749 7477 Ultimate Display System (65) 6741 2828 ultimatesign.com Vantage Concept (65) 6748 9496 vantageconcept.com W Atelier (65) 6735 6546 watelier.com

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It comes from finding that hand-written recipe and bringing to life an amazing meal in your Fisher & Paykel kitchen. It’s sharing that meal with friends you haven’t seen in forever, and condensing the history of their absence into a single evening. And it’s knowing that, at the end of the night, your guests don’t want to leave.

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Klik Systems – A visual experience Bringing a unique visual experience to Sydney’s Daring Quarter precinct is the recently completed Darling Quarter Animated Façade. Conceived and developed by Lend Lease’s Senior Lighting Designer, Mike Sparrow, the concept behind the façade was to supplement the new public domain lighting scheme, with renowned lighting effects specialist, Bruce ramus, recruited to provide visual animation and video content. The animated façade is indeed a sight to behold, formed by 557 windows arranged in small and large sizes. While the small windows contain one pixel powered by four rgBW LEDs, the large windows contain two pixels powered by 10 rgBW LEDs. The LED linear luminaires sit in each window, positioned between the building’s glass line and timber louvres. Crucial to the success of the project was the development of the luminaire to fit the exact specifications required. The positioning of the luminaires, as well as the optics within each luminaire, were of equal priority. Australian linear lighting manufacturer, Klik Systems, was awarded the contract based on their ability to build and produce a fitting to the specifications required. “Prototypes were manufactured and night testing conducted over a six month period,” says Cliff Hadley, Sales and Marketing Manager of Klik

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ad Systems. “The prototyping was to establish exactly the sort of optics that would work within the space, with various lens types, pixel arrangements and LED driver combinations tested.” The application called for a minimal design, so that the fitting could be seamlessly installed within the windowsill. “This of course meant creating a fitting that was small enough to meet the design brief and also able to house the control equipment,” explains Hadley. “The Klik 65 beam was selected as the LED luminaire of choice as it was able to house Klik System’s custom made electronics, optics, and heat sink technology, as well as having the DMX in/out and 240 in/out plug and play on both ends of fittings.” in developing the cutting edge lighting and electronics equipment needed for the project, the software company that was chosen to run the video content through Klik System’s fittings developed an algorithm specifically for the project. “The algorithm was designed to distinguish the white in videos, unlike the standard method using rgB, meaning that the white LED is supplying a true white in the video content (rather than the traditional method of having white made with rgB),” says Hadley. “This was noted as a world first.”

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132 portfolioindesign This Page The long,

narrow space is opened up by the arch windows at either end and a vaulted ceiling made of slatted Spotted Gum timber

words NICKY LOBO photography LOTTE BARNES designer Burley Katon Halliday location sydney | AUS PROJECT CO-OP SURFECTION

SURF'S UP urf culture has become increasingly documented since the evolution of the short board in the 1960s enabled development of daring new surfing styles in the ’70s and ’80s. Subsequent mass appeal brought in huge sponsorship dollars which spawned the era of the professional surfer in the ’90s. As with any sub-culture, fashion has played a major part in defining the surf identity. Recently though, says Chris Athas, General Manager of Board Sports Retail Group, surf branding has become over-developed and mainstream. “It had lost a lot of its underground appeal,” he says. “The way surf was being displayed and represented wasn’t portraying the lifestyle and true culture that it owns.” His solution was to create a fresh retail experience that reflected a juxtaposition of fashion, art and music – an experience that would re-engage fashionconscious surfers and find a further audience in fashion-conscious urbanites. For the concept, fashion and surf labels would be hand-selected. There would be less emphasis on the sport of surfing and more on the attitude of the lifestyle, music, art and design culture. The fit-out had to be a simple but impressive backdrop for the products to shine. Having worked with Iain Halliday of Burton Katon Halliday (BKH) on about 30 stores across Australia and the Asia Pacific, Athas was confident his vision could be achieved. The site for the first Co-Op Surfection is a double-storey 40-metre-long space on Sydney’s Manly Corso. The narrow, six-metre-wide site has been opened up, and immediately inside is a soaring double-height void. “The minute you wander through that entrance, bang! You’re hit with the impact of the space,” says Halliday.

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Also increasing the perception of width are the over-sized arch windows at either end of the space (BKH installed a five-metre-wide window at the back of the store to match the original frontage). The texture of the vaulted, slatted Spotted Gum tunnel ceiling, curving like the hull of a boat, is harmoniously paired with the original brickwork. Timber is also used for the retail bays, installed at regular intervals, “so you get a sense of the space undulating”, says Halliday. The design capitalises on the natural attributes of the space – the light, height and uncomplicated floor plan. It’s a simple approach but there’s a high degree of skill in the restraint and detailing. The store’s styling is an extension of the theme ‘a juxtaposed retail romance’, dreamt up by Lotte Barnes, Creative Director of Board Sports Retail Group. Vintage finds – an old café fridge used to display T-shirts – sit alongside modern solutions, such as rope pulleys which act as a flexible display system. “Simple clothing is actually timeless in itself,” says Halliday. “I’m fascinated by surfing; I think it’s a very elegant sport. It’s just you and a plank,” he adds, although he is not a surfer himself. In this retail fitout, BKH has created something equally elegant, with a simple textural palette and a finely tuned understanding of the client and the space.

Nicky Lobo is Deputy Editor of Indesign’s sister magazine Habitus.

CO-OP SURFECTION DESIGNER Burton Katon Halliday PROJECT ARCHITECT Iain Halliday PROJECT TEAM Jake Eaton, Amanda Cook BUILDER Platinum Constructions ENGINEER Northern Beaches Consulting Engineers TIME TO COMPLETE 6 months TOTAL FLOOR Area 320m2 BURLEY KATON HALLIDAY (61 2) 9332 2233 bkh.com.au FURNITURE Generally throughout, custom furniture designed by BKH. Other furniture throughout, existing from client. LIGHTING Generally throughout, all lighting from Light Project. FINISHES Generally throughout, Spotted Gum timber flooring and battens. Epoxy topping over concrete slab from Sexy Floors. Paint from Dulux. Heritage tiles from Belmondo Tiles. Belmondo Tiles (61 2) 9967 2743 belmondotiles.com.au Dulux 13 23 77 dulux.com.au Light Project 1300 473 100 lightproject.com.au Sexy Floors 1300 789 821 aaasexyfloors.com.au

LINEA STORAGE AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY FROM PLANEX. PLANEX.COM.AU

setting the stage Living Edge’s Melbourne showroom uses a dramatic, pared-back aesthetic to showcase a wide variety of products and brands

hen premium furniture retailer Living Edge decided it was time to re-invigorate their brand last year, they looked to a new commercial showroom in Sydney and a change of location for their Melbourne showroom to communicate their new image. Sydney-based Plot Studio were brought on board to work with the Living Edge marketing team on the new branding and spaces. The concept they developed centred around branded spaces that, despite the constantly changing product, would convey the Living Edge ethos. Living Edge’s previous Melbourne showroom had been a large space in which you could “almost get lost”, says Garvan O’Gara, Director of Plot Studio. So, they welcomed the move to a more concise space designed to reflect the brand. “While the previous space worked for the commercial business, it was costly and difficult to fill the space effectively from a residential point of view,” says Living Edge Director Aidan Mawhinney. “To have a more intimate space creates a much better environment to display residential settings as they would be seen in the home, while also creating a more private area upstairs for our commercial clients.” The new location, on Bridge Street, is also a more retail-oriented address, meaning that levels of passing trade have increased significantly since the move. The showroom now resides in a landmark warehouse – previously home to fashion retailer Esprit – with a dramatic sawtooth roof with glazed southernfacing slopes and exposed trusses and beams. The sophisticated warehouse aesthetic is sympathetic to the branding concept for Living Edge, which highlights their logistic capabilities. “They do all their own importing, wholesaling and warehousing,” says O’Gara. “We aimed to incorporate the language of the logistics industry and re-contextualise it.” The palette chair wall is the perfect example. Initially, a chair wall wasn’t part of the brief for the Melbourne space, as it hadn’t been successful in the previous showroom. “It was essentially like a

patterned tablecloth,” says O’Gara. “If the pattern repeats, the eye ignores it.” However, after seeing the success in the new Sydney showroom of the chair wall re-imagined using palettes, it was decided to implement one in Melbourne as well. In both cases, it is a strong feature and key to the branding of the space. The monochromatic colour scheme – with splashes of industrial orange – is also pivotal to the concept. “We tried to keep it as pared back and theatrical as possible,” says O’Gara. “Having everything black and white heightens that sense of drama.” The other benefit of the minimal colour scheme is the ability for Living Edge to easily showcase a particular range or brand. Developing the brief, says O’Gara, was a straightforward process, as Living Edge’s experience in the industry meant they had a clear idea of what they wanted. Given the company’s varied involvement in the design industry, flexible spaces were essential and Plot Studio did a lot of work on this front. The ground level has good street frontage, so was the perfect blank canvas for the retail space and is also used for events. Upstairs is a more private area used for a variety of industry purposes. For example, the prototyping section also functions as a display area and an informal meeting place. Plot Studio have aimed to maximise Living Edge’s investment and turn every space into a selling opportunity – an important consideration given the smaller space. “I think the most successful aspect of the showroom,” says Mawhinney, “is Plot Studio’s ability to clearly understand our brief and transform a very heavily retail clothing store into a building that can house both our commercial and residential businesses, which operate in very different ways.”

Mandi Keighran is Deputy Editor of Indesign.

Above The palette wall is a visually engaging alternative to a traditional chair wall Above Right The warehouse location reflects the branding of Living Edge Right The large shopfront attracts passers-by

portfolioindesign 135

words MANDI KEIGHRAN photography NICOLE ENGLAND designer PLOT STUDIO location MELBOURNE | AUS PROJECT LIVING EDGE Melbourne

LIVING EDGe Melbourne DESIGN Plot Studio PROJECT TEAM Amy Cadwallader. Garvan O’Gara BUILDER Boris Tosic (Elan Construction) ELECTRICAL Matthew Gill (Freshwater Electrical) BUDGET $175,000 TIME TO COMPLETE 8 weeks PLOT STUDIO (61 2) 4360 1232 plotstudio.com.au

FURNITURE All furniture throughout from Living Edge. LIGHTING Generally throughout, lighting from Living Edge. Pictured above, ‘Torch’ lights by Established & Sons from Living Edge. Other architectural lighting from Light2. FINISHES Generally throughout, carpet from InterfaceFLOR. Other finishes existing.

Light2 (61 3) 9663 8588 light2.com.au Living Edge (61 3) 9009 3940 livingedge.com.au InterfaceFLOR (61 3) 9214 0710 interfaceflor.com.au

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INDESIGNPROMOTION

ad Function meets style with ILVE ILVE – creators of handmade ovens and cooktops with an emphasis on style, value and durability – have recently launched four new products that will take the home chef to new heights of culinary success. ILVE’s Combination Microwave Oven, Pyrolytic Oven, Steam Oven, and Pizza Oven offer the latest in styling and functionality from Europe. The ILVE Combination Microwave Oven offers the functionality of both microwave and oven, making it the ideal addition to any kitchen looking for versatility and space saving. It offers users the flexibility and speed of a microwave and the exceptional performance of a convection oven, all in one. With the Pyrolytic Oven, ILVE have solved any cleaning concerns, ensuring users enjoy a homecooked meal without the post-dinner cleaning fuss. The Pyrolytic built-in oven features the highly sought after Pyrolytic cleaning phase, which reduces cooking remains to ash with exposure to high temperatures of up to 465 degrees Celsius. For home chefs whose cooking concerns are more directed towards a healthy eating plan, ILVE’s Steam Oven is the answer. Not only does this oven offer a ILVE.COM.AU

stylish exterior but it also delivers healthy and delicious food. With the Steam Oven, health-conscious home cooks can create fresh, healthy meals that are cooked with steam to retain optimum vitamins, nutrients, flavor, colour and texture for delicate foods such as fish or vegetables. This intelligent kitchen fi xture prepares healthy food like no other and works on the basis of an external steam generator, fan forced ventilation and double glazed door, which allows food to absorb only the moisture it requires, making cooking with oils and fats unnecessary. ILVE’s new Pizza Oven will transform any kitchen into a pizzeria. This oven means serious business, with a 400-degree heat in pizza mode that cooks pizza to perfection in a matter of minutes. The Pizza Oven incorporates an impressive range of features including Turbowave Quickstart preheating, bread and pastry cooking functions and control panel cooling fan. With these four ILVE products, the opportunities to create culinary delights at home are endless. The extensive range means there is a product to suit any home cook, and each product rewards the user with an appliance that is as functional as it is stylish.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ILVE PLEASE VISIT ILVE.COM.AU SALES ENQUIRIES 1300 694 583

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Now you can see business furniture in a totally different light. The Krost-Klein Group offers customers a tailored, total turnkey office furniture solution. And because all of our factories and showrooms are within shouting distance, you get the benefit of seamless turnaround.

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From showroom floor to manufacture and installation, we aim to deliver a unique service experience; efficiency, exclusivity, product quality and unbeatable value. All backed by 65 years of industry expertise. Put us to the test. For your complete office furniture solution, from workstations to boardrooms and receptions, give the Krost-Klein Group a call on the numbers below. Solutions Beyond Space and Time

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super market

Landini associates have been given free rein to turn a Canadian icon into a world-class superstore

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words JON SCOTT BLANTHORN photography TREVOR MEIN architect TURNER FLEISCHER ARCHITECTS INTERIOR DESIGN LANDINI ASSOCIATES location TORONTO | CANADA PROJECT Loblaws, MAPLE LEAF GARDENS

indesignlive.com

he role of designers working in any contemporary city is to wrestle space constraints and local sensitivities into one creative vision. But when Sydney-based design and brand strategy firm Landini Associates won the competition to transform Toronto’s pantheon to sports, Maple Leaf Gardens (MLG), into a Loblaws supermarket, they were confronting not one but two national icons in Canada’s largest city. While it would have been easy to appoint one of the many submissions that simply improved upon Canada’s pre-existing grocery store models – either strictly functional or the organic lifestyle approach – Loblaws wanted to ‘reinvent the generic’ and required a completely fresh perspective. “It was a risk to ask us to come all the way around the world to take part in the competition, but I’m a great believer in what I call ‘informed naiveté’,” says lead designer Mark Landini of Landini Associates. “Our global experience is an asset and defines our ‘information’, but having never been to Canada before was an asset too. This was our ‘naiveté’.” After briefing, Landini spent two days walking the city. “It struck me how strong the city was and how it had been built to withstand great climatic changes,” he says. “MLG is a representation of this. It’s massive and brutally beautiful. So is much of Toronto. Our starting point was to do something very urban and very strong and very real.” Owned by the renowned Weston family, Loblaws is deeply ensconced in the Canadian psyche as the country’s largest and most recognisable food retailer. The MLG building also holds a specific place within the heart of Toronto. For 68 years, the MLG was known as the temple of ice hockey and the building was made a National Historic Site of Canada in 2007. “You

would need to be blind to miss the importance hockey and, more importantly, Maple Leaf Gardens has in Canada,” says Landini. “Canadians are crazy for it. For Australians to understand MLG’s importance they need to multiply a Kiwi’s love of rugby by a factor of ten and ten again!” For decades, MLG was Toronto’s primary events and concert venue, hosting performers including Frank Sinatra, Bob Dylan and Duran Duran. It was one of the few places outside of the US where Elvis Presley played. Yet it became antiquated and limited without the luxury facilities of the larger, more modern complexes that responded better to the demands of audiences, teams and performers. After remaining dormant for a decade, Loblaws Companies Limited acquired MLG, striking horror into Torontonians who believed their beloved Gardens would become another big-box store. They need not have worried. Landini has not only repurposed the building but also reinvented its experience by establishing what Al Burke, Senior Vice President of Construction and Development for Loblaws, calls “a new urban model, a notion of the world’s greatest food store” with spaces inside the overall volume, a raised glassed kitchen housing 14 chefs, and signage and materials that vary throughout, balancing intimacy and sophistication against the fun consistent with the bustling urban location and scale of the building. The project was a new task for Landini Associates. While they had successfully re-positioned the identity and packaging of many global brands, they had not taken on a single space this large. As Landini says, a project of this size in Australia is unlikely unless you were to put a food store in the Sydney Opera house. “I’m not sure current supermarkets in Australia would write such a brief, because the two key players here only really make incremental changes to their looks,” he says. “With Loblaws, we were engaged to do everything from the master-planning right the way down to designing the refrigerated counters, so we had a freer hand to instigate change. They were very clear they wanted something exceptional. Strangely, one is not always asked to do that.” Working interactively with the client team, Landini Associates built the project 80 per cent to scale in a lab outside Toronto, experimenting with full-size mockups, prototypes and “real materials such as steel, glass, concrete, wood and brick in a massive yet simple way”.

Previous Blue Star artwork re-uses old stadium seating Left Graphic signage is key Above The branded entry Right The raised glass kitchen above the food hall Far Right Raw materials, such as concrete, respond to the building’s history

“ With Loblaws, we were engaged to do everything... They were very clear they wanted something exceptional” Mark Landini

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In redefining the supermarket’s brand, Landini found much to treasure in the history of both Loblaws and the MLG building. “We looked at Loblaws’ history and admired the confidence that had been employed before so we used that in our design, using different urban materials and forms,” he says about the interior. Various shades of orange and red from Loblaws’ original logo distinguish different spaces throughout. “My favourite choice was to use the colour on the floor and the different types of lighting,” says Landini. “I think these two things are what sets it apart from other supermarkets and strangely do not distract from the food. We always design to make the product ‘king’, but we also like to create a place that you will recognise as the brand’s own.” The building’s past is a constant reminder. Items of memorabilia have been worked into the interior and the original east-facing wall remains largely untouched apart from a giant blue maple-leaf sculpture made from the old stadium chairs. “I knew the Weston family love and support the arts so I wanted to respect the building’s heritage by commissioning some,” says Landini. “Hence the maple-leaf gesture. Those that know the new Melbourne Cricket Ground and the way it has enshrined the old chairs will get it.”

Above Wide aisles make circulation easy Below Maple Leaf Gardens, where Loblaws is now located, is an iconic building in Toronto

Jon Scott Blanthorn is Indesign’s Toronto correspondent.

MAPLE LEAF GARDENS

INTERIOR DESIGN, GRAPHIC DESIGN & WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS Landini Associates CREATIVE DIRECTOR Mark Landini STRATEGIC PLANNER Karn Nelson Project Team (INTERIORS) Ian McDougall, Wayne Cheng, Yukiko Kawabata, Wenny Arief GRAPHICS Steven Luongo, Mariela Tiqui ARCHITECT (Interiors) Turner Fleischer Architects PRINCIPAL ARCHITECT (Interiors) Russell Fleischer ARCHITECt (Base Building) John Chow TENANT FIT-OUT Caley Howes, Matt Stretton FINISHES contractor Elizabeth Ormonde

BUILDER & SHOPFITTER Buttcon Limited REFRIGERATION Hill Phoenix CUSTOM REFRIGERATION BARKER ELECTRICAL & LIGHTING Hammerschlag + Joffe Inc. STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING exp MECHANICAL ENGINEERING LKM Division of SNC-Lavalin Inc FIRE ENGINEERING L.P. Engineering CHEESE COOLER, FLORAL COOLER, JUICE SALAD BAR TRI-V Custom Manufacturing FIXTUREs Icon Constructors STAINLESS PREP COUNTERS Diamond Group MILLWORK Mar-Tec Woodworking SCULPTURE Streamliner Fabrication MURALS Wall to Wall Murals Limited (Paul Conway) SIGNAGE Somerville (Ron March) TIME TO COMPLETE 18 months TOTAL FLOOR AREA 7,896m2 LANDINI ASSOCIATES (61 2) 9360 3899 landiniassociates.com TURNER FLEISCHER ARCHITECTS (1 416) 425 2222 tfai.com

FURNITURE Generally throughout Loblaws Retail Areas, laminate filler shelves from Wilsonart, and timber and veneer tables and shelves from Rainbow Wood Veneer. At Bakery, Cheese and HMR counters, marble countertops from Marble Trend. In Patisserie, granite counter also from Marble Trend. In Deli, custom tables designed by Landini Associates, and multi-coloured chairs from Tolix. In Sushi Section, ‘Navy’ chairs by Emeco. In Café, chairs from Tolix. Other chairs in Café are reclaimed stadium seating from original Maple Leaf Gardens ice-hockey stadium. LIGHTING In Loblaws entrance, large industrial pendant lights have been reclaimed and restored from original Maple Leaf Gardens ice-hockey stadium, fitted by Nelson & Garrett. In Perishable Hall, Deli and Bakery, four-light gimble-head pendant fixture using ceramic metal halide lamps and electronic ballasts. In Deli Area and Checkout Area, Halo track-mounted ‘Minilume’ lamps from Cooper Lighting. On perimeter walls and murals throughout, departmental signage illuminated with Philips lighting. Generally throughout Grocery Aisles, General Electrical high-lumen lamps.

FINISHES In Loblaws Food and Grocery Hall, red flooring from Industrial Floor Systems and Kodan Flooring. In Loblaws Deli Section and kerb, precast concrete from Omega Moulding. In Meat, Dairy, PCF and bulkheads sections, cement board from Finex. In HABA and bulkheads, plywood for column cladding, ceiling rafting and shelves from Finex. Generally throughout Loblaws, paint from Sherwin Williams. Wall tiles throughout from Olympia Tile + Stone, Cercan Tiles and Stone Tile. FIXED & FITTED Generally throughout Loblaws Food and Grocery Hall, display-case refrigeration from Hill Phoenix, and custom refrigeration from Barker Speciality Products. In Loblaws Cheese Section in Food Hall, glass and metal structure for cheese wall is from TRI-V Custom Manufacturing. ARTWORK In Loblaws entrance, Blue Star sculpture is made from re-used stadium seating from original Maple Leaf Gardens ice-hockey stadium, by Steve Richards. Generally throughout Maple Leaf Gardens, murals are by Paul Conway at Wall to Wall Murals Limited.

Barker Specialty Products (1 203) 272 2222 barkerspecialty.com Cercan Tiles (1 416) 413 9008 cercantile.com Cooper Lighting cooperindustries.com Emeco (1 416) 362 3434 emeco.net Finex (1 450) 373 0909 gofinex.com General Electrical gelighting.com Hill Phoenix (1 770) 285 3264 hillphoenix.com Industrial Floor Systems (1 888) 726 7140 industrialfloorsystems.com Kiosk Design (1 416) 539 9665 kioskdesign.ca Kodan Flooring (1 877) 695 1108 kodanflooring.com Marble Trend (1 416) 783 9911 marbletrend.com Nelson & Garrett (1 416) 463 0050 lightingnag.com Olympia Tile + Stone (1 416) 785 6666 olympiatile.com Omega Moulding (1 905) 452 3799 omegamoulding.com Paul Conway pmc.hml@sympatico.ca Philips philips.ca Rainbow Wood Veneer (1 905) 856 5231 rainbowveneers.com Roll Form Group (1 905) 270 5300 rollformgroup.com Sherwin Williams (1 416) 504 7999 sherwin-williams.com Steve Richards steve_richards@mac.com Stone Tile (1 416) 515 9000 stone-tile.com TRI-V Custom Manufacturing (1 905) 669 8394 Wilsonart (1 905) 565 1255 wilsonart.com indesignlive.com

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INTERACTIVE CHIMPS Everyone benefits from the new work done by Jackson Teece on the chimpanzee enclosure at Sydneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Taronga Zoo

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words Paul mcgillick PHOTOGRAPHY SHARRIN REES architect JACKSON TEECE location sydney | AUS PROJECT TARONGA CHIMPANZEE ENCLOSURE revor Williams was Project Architect for Jackson Teece on the new work recently completed at the Chimpanzee Enclosure at Sydney’s Taronga Zoo. He points out that the zoo considers the chimps to be one of its most challenging animals due to their intelligence and great strength (an adult chimpanzee is many times stronger than a human). “There are accounts of them undoing nuts and bolts,” says Williams, “so all our nuts and bolts had to be welded.” Working with US-based Studio Hanson/Roberts, Jackson Teece – who have been doing work at Taronga Zoo since the 1980s – won a tender to provide a new public viewing area, a separation enclosure and an upgraded night house and animal husbandry facility. The existing facility, built in the 1980s, was quite innovative at the time (enabling the complex social structure of chimpanzee families to develop), but was brick and did not attempt to imitate the chimps’ native environment (as a contemporary facility would do). Given the brief, Jackson Teece did not seek to alter that aesthetic with the new interpretive building, which provides ‘immersive viewing’ of the new separation paddock through floor-to-ceiling 60mm-thick non-reflective glass walls. Likewise, the ‘wall’ separating this enclosure from the main enclosure is a perforated metal screen, which allows the chimps to see one another, but not to put their fingers through. The separation paddock can be used to facilitate introduction of new animals into the group. A 10.6-metre-wide opening in the screen allows the chimps to move easily between the two paddocks. The Taronga chimpanzee group is one of the most successful in human care, but its size and changing dynamics meant that a separation paddock is very useful. The solution is the aviary-like structure of the separation paddock. Here, says Williams, they were fortunate to have Lipman as the builders because they “brought to the table a component where the aviary structure could be dynamic”. In other words, the netting gave more support to the structure, allowing the poles to move, and by including the poles within the enclosure these could be used for climbing to replicate the chimps’ experience in the wild. This interactivity was carried over to the viewing areas, where the public can feel the ropes as they are tugged by the chimps and children can climb into a glass-ended hollow ‘log’ which extends into the enclosure, creating the sense of interactivity and of being a part of the chimps’ activities in their newly designed enclosure.

Left The enclosure mimics

a natural environment

Above The new design

offers an ‘immersive viewing’ experience

TARONGA CHIMPANZEE ENCLOSURE CLIENT Taronga Conservation Society Australia PROJECT MANAGER Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Capital Works, Infrastructure and Operations ARCHITECT Jackson Teece Director Ian Brodie Project Architect Trevor Williams PROJECT TEAM Natalie Ward, Peter Neilson, Carla dal Santo, Simon Owen, Andrew Tesoriero SPECIALIST ZOO CONSULTANT Studio Hanson/Roberts INTErPRETIVE DESIGN HPA Projects LANDSCAPE Context STRUCTURAL & CIVIL Mott MacDonald Hughes Trueman HYDRAULIC Sydney All Services MECHANICAL Colin Shears & Associates ELECTRICAL Brian Knight & Associates BCA BCA Logic BUILDER Lipman

Builders Engineering Services Ronstan International & Officium BUDGET $6.5 million (construction) TIME TO COMPLETE 12 months (design and documentation), 18 months (construction) TOTAL FLOOR AREA 2,775m2 (total exhibition, incl. open paddock), 470m2 separation paddock, 290m2 night house JACKSON TEECE (61 2) 9290 2722 jacksonteece.com FINISHES Exhibit and viewing walls are coloured concrete from Concrete Colour Systems, pattern concrete mould by Reckli Australia, and bricks from Austral Bricks. Mesh enclosure is stainless steel and Carl Stahl X-Tend mesh from Ronstan. Non-climb wall is stainless steel perforated panels from Locker Group. Decking is from ModWood.

Austral Bricks (61 2) 9830 7380 australbricks.com.au Concrete Colour Systems (61 2) 9677 1056 concretecoloursystems.com.au Locker Group (61 2) 8777 0400 locker.com.au ModWood (61 3) 9357 8866 modwood.com.au Reckli Australia (61) 418 176 044 reckli.com.au Ronstan 1300 131 520 ronstan.com.au

Paul McGillick is Editorial Director at Indesign Group.

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Formula interiors With over five decades experience, Formula interiors specialise in the delivery of high quality, cost effective, commercial fit-outs, refurbishments and building maintenance with a point of difference. the company is known for their proficiency and capability, and their unique vision encompasses an incomparable customer-orientated approach that aims to deliver complete satisfaction for any project. A recent project completed by Formula interiors that demonstrates their customer-focussed approach is the hasting Fund Management fit-out. the fit-out was extensive, and Formula interiors were involved in nearly all aspects. the work they completed included installation of carpet and vinyl and stone flooring, partitions, joinery, glazing and feature glazing film; creation of feature ceilings and walls; audio visual, data and electrical components and various other services. No detail was spared within the 1,400m 2 fitout, and the clients are thrilled with the results. Showcasing Formula interiors’ dedication to management of tight deadlines, the extensive project was turned around in just eight weeks, minimising company downtime. this fast completion also meant the client was able to occupy and enjoy their new workspace without delay. Formula interiors not only provide solutions to office fit-outs and division systems, they offer a holistic formulainteriors.com.au

approach to supporting their customer’s needs that does not end with the completion of a project. their maintenance and minor works unit offers an in-house service helpdesk, which is professionally manned by a dedicated trained professional. they also offer a 24/7 crisis solution guarantee for issues that cannot wait. this means that irrespective of the circumstances, Formula interiors is committed to fixing any problem - night or day, weekday or weekend. Formula interiors count their dedicated staff as their most important asset. Every member of the team takes full ownership of the project and strives to exceed expectations. the team brings what Formula interiors calls the ‘3 Es’ to every project: experience, expertise, and enthusiasm. As a result, customer service and high quality is at the heart of every project they undertake. With an integrated management system and unrivalled knowledge and experience in every aspect of commercial interior fit-outs and refurbishment contracting, Formula interiors is the perfect solution when looking for a trusted partner to assist in the creation of a truly innovative space.

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ACTIVE A new librAry At Melbourne university coMbines club, hoMe, workspAce

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Words stePhen craFti PhotograPhY shannon mcgrath architect hassell location melBoUrne | aUs ProJect giBlin eUnson liBrarY

STUDY And librAry to creAte A conteMporAry spAce for students indesignlive.com

The dramatic lit staircase Right The ‘town square’ features curvaceous custom seating and Iron Bark timber cladding Below The ground floor is open 24 hours a day Bottom Natural light increases the feeling of being outside

pread over three levels, the Giblin Eunson Library was previously a series of classrooms and computer laboratories for Melbourne University students. Now a combined library for the university’s Business and Economics Faculty and the Graduate School of Education, the spaces – around 5,000m2 , or half the building – have been completely opened up by HASSELL. “Libraries are no longer simply depositories for books,” says Scott Walker, Head of Interiors for HASSELL. “The active spaces are as important as the more enclosed nooks. Libraries are now places where students collaborate.” Although HASSELL did not alter the base building – designed six years ago by architects Metier 3 – they did create a new lobby with a double-height volume. From the point of entry, it is clear this is not a traditional library. Instead of the usual reception/loans desk at ground level, there are two organically shaped tables, with staff perched on bench seats. The signage, reading ‘Help Desk’, attracts students seeking assistance. “We approached the design as being somewhere between a club, a workspace and a library,” says Walker. “There’s also an element of the hospitality industry coming through in our design.” Although there is not a strict hierarchy to the layout of the Giblin Eunson Library, there are degrees of public and private spaces. For example, the ground floor can be accessed by students 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and has, says Walker, been designed to take traffic. Included on this level are training rooms, as well as high-backed lounges from Vitra. Also at ground level are the reserve bookshelves, with study nooks dispersed in between. “We were mindful of security, particularly as this area is open all night,” says Walker. “There had to be a level of transparency throughout each floor.” The library building’s first floor offers another opportunity for students to meet informally. At the top of the stairs, framed by red Iron Bark timber walls and ceiling, is a whimsical seating arrangement. Custom-designed by HASSELL, the curvaceous tiered seating is referred to by Walker as a ‘town square’. “It is not dissimilar to a traditional outdoor amphitheatre where students congregate,” he says. In addition, the sense of the outdoors has been accentuated here through the use of planter boxes, complete with grow lights to ensure healthy plants.

“ It is definitely a place for learning but in a much broader context” Scott Walker, HASSELL

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154 portfolioindesign Left The high-backed

Vitra sofas offer a more casual study space Below View of the library from the street

The second floor tends to attract the postgraduate students, although undergraduates are also free to use this level. As well as collaborative spaces at the top of the staircase, there is also a break-out lounge area, dotted with Pierre Paulin chairs and standard lamps. As expected, there is a variety of work environments on this level, from individual desks to shared tables. Some areas also feature banquettestyle seating. Also on this level are staff offices and a kitchen at the rear. While there are touches of traditional reading rooms, such as Philippe Starck library-style lamps resting on veneered partitions, there is also a large dose of less traditional fittings, such as the striped woven vinyl floor covering by Bolon which extends up the walls. The vinyl defines open corridors, as well as animating the restrained colour palette. And, rather than pristine white ceilings, HASSELL used perforated charcoal-grey panels to both diffuse noise and create a warmer, friendlier environment. The red Iron Bark timber used to clad walls and some ceilings adds texture, as do the subtle brown hues of the occasional furniture. “It’s still a library, but you could equally find this interior treatment in a restaurant or in a work environment,” says Walker. “It’s definitely a place for learning, but in a much broader context.”

Stephen Crafti is Melbourne correspondent for Indesign magazine.

GIBLIN EUNSON LIBRARY ARCHITECT HASSELL PROJECT TEAM Scott Walker, Meredith Nettleton, Rob Ryan, Edwina Ewins, Madeleine Joyce, Alex Hopkins BUILDER Schiavello Project Team (builder) Richard Halasa, Daron Johnson, Jade Wellard, Damon Stent, Kyle Jensen, Jason Kotis, Nicolas Alvarez STRUCTURAL ENGINEER Meinhardt (Vincent Amato) MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING Umow Lai (Rebecca Patterson, Mark Coleman, Elvina Kioa, Daniel Lim) BUILDING SURVEYOR Design Guide (Michael Theisz) Audio visual CONSULTANT CHW (Manoje Indraharan) ACOUSTIC CONSULTANT ACA (David Dolly) GRAPHIC DESIGNER Emery Studio (Mark Janetzki) EDUCATION SPECIALIST Peter Jamieson (Melbourne University) BUDGET $9 million TIME TO COMPLETE 12 months (design and construction) TOTAL FLOOR AREA 3,700m2 HASSELL (61 3) 8102 3000 hassellstudio.com

FURNITURE Generally throughout, Vitra ‘Alcove’ sofas, ‘Cork Family’ side tables, ‘NesTable’ tables, ‘Metal’ side tables, ‘Joyn’ tables, ‘Ad Hoc’ tables and ‘MedaPal’ task chairs, all from Unifor. Zanotta ‘Astar’ coat stands and Vitra ‘Eames House Birds’ from Space Furniture. ‘Tea’ tables from Map International. Established & Sons ‘Two Timer Clock’ from Living Edge. LIGHTING Generally throughout, recessed downlights from Dean Phillips. Kreon ‘Diapason’ wall lights from dedece. Flos ‘265’ and ‘K-Tribe T1’ lamps and Foscarini ‘Fork’ lamps from Space Furniture. ‘Milk’ table lamps from Great Dane. ‘Tolomeo’ lamps from Artemide. FINISHES Generally throughout, Bolon woven vinyl flooring from The Andrews Group. Carpet tiles from Whitecliffe Imports. Solid timber from Australian Recycled Timber. Timber veneers from George Fethers & Co. Stone from Bamstone. Leather upholstery from Contemporary Leathers. Fabric upholstery from Kvadrat Maharam. Zinc from VMZINC. Paint and powdercoat from Dulux. Glazing from Viridian. FIXED & FITTED Generally throughout, shelving from Dexion. Indoor plants from E Plants.

Artemide (61 3) 9349 3310 artemide.com.au Australian Recycled Timber (61 3) 9359 0300 australianrecycledtimber.com.au Bamstone (61 3) 5568 2655 bamstone.com.au Contemporary Leathers (61 2) 9317 0222 contemporaryleathers.com.au Dean Phillips (61 3) 9419 4195 deanphillips.com dedece (61 3) 9650 9600 dedece.com Dexion 1800 100 050 dexion.com.au Dulux 13 23 77 dulux.com.au E Plants (61 3) 9751 1311  indoorplantsmelbourne.com.au George Fethers (61 3) 9646 5266 gfethers.com.au Great Dane (61 3) 9510 6111 greatdanefurniture.com Kvadrat Maharam (61 2) 9212 4277 kvadratmaharam.com Living Edge (61 3) 9009 3940 livingedge.com.au Map International (61 3) 8598 2200 mapinternational.com.au Space Furniture (61 3) 9426 3000 spacefurniture.com.au The Andrews Group (61 3) 9827 1311 theandrewsgroup.com.au Unifor (61 2) 9329 5900 unifor.it Viridian 1800 810 403 viridianglass.com VMZINC (61 2) 9358 6100 vmzinc.com.au Whitecliffe Imports (61 3) 9421 2225 whitecliffe.com.au indesignlive.com

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Venice by the Beach

words LINDA CHENG photography YANN AUDIC architect LUIGI ROSSELLI ARCHITECTS location sydney | AUS PROJECT pompei’s

Luigi Rosselli takes a leaf out of Ruskin’s book for this reinvigorated Bondi eatery ohn Ruskin’s 1849 tour of Venice culminated in a three-volume publication, The Stones of Venice, which comprehensively chronicled the buildings, textures and exotic influence in the lagoon city that fascinated the English writer and architectural theorist. For architect Luigi Rosselli, Ruskin’s detailed research provided a road map for transporting the richness of Venice into a contemporary beachside context for a restaurant renovation at Pompei’s at Bondi Beach, Sydney. The family of owner, George Pompei, originally hails from the region north of Venice. “So we thought to find [the same] inspiration that Ruskin found in Venetian buildings, the kind of collage material that time has added to a place – marbles, stones and Byzantine tiles,” explains Rosselli. Seven different mosaic tiles are used to create a Venetian Gothic diamond pattern on the façade. Inside, the layers of textures – tile, fabric and timber coupled with existing Carrara marble – achieve the timeworn feel that owner and architect were after. Pompei’s is a successful business that needed more indoor seating because often the onshore winds from the beach inhibit the use of outdoor dining areas. The pizzeria and gelateria has extended its envelope out to the street boundary, where previously there was outdoor seating, with a re-located gelato bar that serves the takeaway crowd and activates the street corner on which the restaurant sits. The owner was happy to sacrifice the outdoor area for more indoor seating, and Rosselli created an additional dining space from an under-utilised

Left Seven types of

colourful mosaic tiles to the façade create a Venetian Gothic diamond pattern Above The interior is like a collage of materials, giving the space a timeworn feel that brings to mind Venice indesignlive.com

160 portfolioindesign This Page The room at the

rear is lined with old timber fence palings

part of the site. The rear dining area, in contrast to the front, is cleverly designed to resemble a stube – a typology common in the mountain region north of Venice, close to the Austrian border. The timber-lined room, often the only heated space in mountain huts, provided refuge for its inhabitants through the harsh cold winters. Taking inspiration from this, Rosselli lined the room in recycled timber fence palings, some partially burnished with the ‘Pompei’ logo, laid in a random checkerboard pattern. “The reason we went for the stube timber look was because it was a landlocked room with no windows,” Rosselli explains. “We wanted to play with the warmth the lining of a wall gives to a room that hasn’t got the asset of an outlook.” Despite its disparate influences, the entire space is well blended with its choice of colours. The bluegreen and beige-blond hues are not only a nod to the restaurant’s Venetian heritage, but also to its Australian beachside setting. “It’s our interpretation of what it means to have an Italian restaurant in Bondi Beach,” says Pompei.

Linda Cheng is a freelance writer on architecture and design based in Melbourne.

indesignlive.com

POMPEI’S ARCHITECT Luigi Rosselli Architects Design Architect Luigi Rosselli PROJECT Architect Naoko Nishizu BUILDER ICMG Commercial STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT Rooney & Bye Consulting Civil & Structural Engineers JOINER Uptown Group TIME TO COMPLETE 5 weeks (construction) TOTAL FLOOR AREA 150m2 LUIGI ROSSELLI ARCHITECTS (61 2) 9281 1498 luigirosselli.com FURNITURE Gelato cabinet in restaurant by Coletti. Dining tables by Ian Thomson. Other furniture throughout, generally existing from client.

LIGHTING Generally throughout Pompei’s, Tierlan Tijn ‘Lupia’ ceiling spotlights from Town & Country Style. Collezione Ricci & Capricci chandeliers above Dining Areas are from Multiforme. Porto Lighting wall lights from ici et là. FINISHES Generally throughout Pompei’s, exterior mosaic tiles are from Bisanna. Encaustic tiles from Jatana Interiors. Feature tiles from Onsite and Urban Relief Stone & Tile. Patchwork fabric upholstery to banquette seating throughout Dining Areas by Redelman and Unique Fabrics from Love at 1st Sight. FIXED & FITTED Generally throughout Pompei’s, distressed mirror in timber frame by Charles Hewitt.

Bisanna (61 2) 9310 2500 bisanna.com.au Charles Hewitt (61 2) 9331 4988 charleshewitt.com.au Ian Thomson (61) 408 925 113 ianthomson.com.au ici et là (61 2) 8399 1173 icietla.com.au Jatana Interiors (61 2) 6688 4048 jatanainteriors.com.au Love at 1st Sight (61) 413 112 898 loveat1stsight.com.au Multiforme (39 49) 938 7669 officinedelvetro-store.com Onsite (61 2) 9360 3666 onsitesd.com.au Town & Country Style (61 2) 9317 3344 townandcountrystyle.com.au Urban Relief Stone & Tile (61 7) 3366 3260 urbanreliefstoneandtile.com

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coshliving Melbourne 7-13 Rupert Street, Collingwood VIC 03 9281 1999 Sydney Level 1, Suite 38, 69 Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Riordan Street, Alexandria NSW 02 9317 3011 Brisbane 8 Wandoo Street, Fortitude Valley QLD 07 3666 0377 | www.coshliving.com.au

melbourne art fair 2012 1- 5 august royal exhibition building melbourne australia Want to know where the best galleries go… Melbourne Art Fair 2012 Leading galleries, representing over 900 living artists, exhibiting some 3,000 artworks gather together at the 13th biennial Melbourne Art Fair. Save the date! Alongside over 70 selected national and international gallery exhibitions, the Melbourne Art Fair 2012 Program will include: the Melbourne Art Foundation Artist Commission, Project Rooms featuring emerging and independent artists and art spaces; an Education Space and a public Lecture and Forum Program with artists, curators, writers and international guests. Melbourne Art Fair 2012 is presented by the Melbourne Art Foundation, a not for profit organisation promoting contemporary art and living artists. Melbourne Art Fair 2012 Vernissage Preview Party Wednesday 1 August 2012 Royal Exhibition Building Melbourne 7pm – 10.30pm Tickets AU$175 Bookings essential www.melbourneartfair.com Tickets 2 – 5 August 2012 Adult AU$30, Concession AU$22 www.melbourneartfair.com and at door Collector Packages Available for purchase prior to the event only, includes: 4 day unlimited exhibition pass, entry to Vernissage, VIP Lounge Premium Collector Packages AU$395 (includes access to the Exclusive Preview) Collector Packages AU$295

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Melbourne Art Foundation Tel 61 3 9416 2050 Fax 61 3 9416 2020 mail@melbourneartfoundation.com www.melbourneartfoundation.com

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Travel and Accommodation Special accommodation packages through ACCOR hotels For reservations phone 1300 65 65 65 and quote ‘Melbourne Art Fair’ For online bookings www.melbourneartfair.com Platinum Travel & Cruise can arrange all your travel requirements Email jan.lyons@ptc.travel Tel 61 3 9835 3003 Fax 61 3 9835 3030

CULTURAL ENCOUNTER The new Novotel hotel at Auckland Airport creates an authentic first and last encounter with New Zealand

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words ANDREA STEVENS photography SIMON DEVITT architect Warren and Mahoney location Auckland | NZ PROJECT Novotel Auckland Airport

indesignlive.com

previous A lush green wall

seperates the lobby space from the hotel’s restaurant Above Left Traditional Tainui carvings at the entry respond to the local context Above Right Sheer curtains filter views to the carpark from the restaurant Right A dramatic helix staircase spirals through the three public floors

arren and Mahoney portray a regional identity in the architecture of the new Novotel at Auckland Airport. Within a very tight program – the need to build 263 rooms below the maximum height line within a noisy airport environment – they have created not just a highly functional and streamlined building, but one with many subtle and characterful references to the history of the site and its people. The client, Tainui Group Holdings – whose role is to manage the commercial assets of the WaikatoTainui people – has strong ancestral connections with Manukau Harbour, where the airport is sited. Tainui first settled the area more than 700 years ago, and they maintain an active role on-site at the Marae (meeting house). A successful venture with ACCOR on Novotel Hamilton led to this, their second hotel collaboration, this time in a dynamic airport environment. With Auckland Airport as the third shareholder, and set on the doorstep of the international terminal, it is fitting that the first peoples of the land play such a key role in welcoming and farewelling overseas travellers. This history is celebrated in the fabric of the building through reference to Tainui stories and material culture, and by reflecting the natural harbour setting to evoke a sense of place. Underlying these was a pursuit for authentic New Zealand materials, design and manufacture, from the seen to the unseen.

“ Right from the outset this was to be a hotel for New Zealand rather than just a hotel in New Zealand” Jonathan Hewlett, Warren and Mahoney

Whether it’s services hidden behind the walls, or bottled water on guest tables, a commitment was made to buy local. “Right from the outset this was to be a hotel for New Zealand rather than just a hotel in New Zealand,” explains Jonathan Hewlett, Design Principal at Warren and Mahoney. “We saw that every decision should wholly express that idea, and the clients supported us. To their credit, there were countless examples where it would have been more cost effective to go offshore but they didn’t. They supported that founding idea and maintained the integrity that it was to be New Zealand designed, New Zealand made and of New Zealand materials.” The result is a contemporary interpretation of cultural identity. Through a unique series of ideas, forms and adornment, the designers have reinterpreted local stories and art forms. Identity pervades all the arts and is renewed (and often reinvented completely) by successive generations. Identities evolve and shift to reflect changing values and ways of life. New materials and technologies offer and provoke fresh interpretations, and in Maori culture the past is an anchor stone that creates continuity with the present and connection with the future. The design collaborators in this project – Warren and Mahoney, ACCOR’s guest-room interior designer David Forbes and Tainui master carvers – have borrowed from historical motif and narratives, abstracted them and rendered them in new materials and settings. Triangulated geometries based on taniko (a woven pattern) symbolising Aramoana – the path of the great Tainui waka (canoe) as it journeyed to New Zealand – are found in the external steel structure, feature ceiling panels and in the cast door handles to every guest room. In the same way that the prow of the first waka glided under the boughs of the pohutukawa blossom some 700 years ago, modern-day travellers walk below large pohutukawa trees to reach the hotel. Poetic layers are subtle, and visitors take away their own experience and memory. A feeling for the New Zealand bush – its moody and thick atmosphere where sunlight is thinned by dense foliage, mist and humidity – is also evoked in light and tones. This portrayal is most palpable in the ground-floor public spaces of entry and dining. Light from the double-height windows is diffused through

portfolioindesign 167

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above Site plan left The structure of the

base building is clearly expressed and frames views of the interior right Guest rooms in the hotel were designed by David Forbes Interiors

a gossamer curtain and absorbed by charcoal textiles and oily black steel and granite. Limestone floors, native-timber panelling and a large living wall bring the colour and texture of the landscape inside. The self-supporting helix staircase canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t go unmentioned, spiralling its way up through the void connecting the three public levels. Nor can the array of two-storey steel fins screening the private dining room; they can be turned to filter low western light through small, triangulated openings. This slender and elegant building is another step in the 25-year Airport Masterplan, which will see the terminal extended to the west to connect to a second runway. In the meantime it stands sentinel in a sea of car parks, tethered to the terminal at its southern end by a new public plaza. Lined and edged in local volcanic basalt and coastal planting, the plaza reinforces themes from the hotel and creates an important new arrival and civic precinct for visitors to this proud country.

Andrea Stevens is Indesignâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Contributing Editor in New Zealand, based in Auckland.

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novotel auckland airport ARCHITECT Warren and Mahoney DESIGN PRINCIPAL Jonathan Hewlett INTERIOR DESIGN Warren and Mahoney (Anna Keen) INTERIOR DESIGN (Guest Rooms) David Forbes Interiors ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER Warren and Mahoney (Alec Couchman) LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Warren and Mahoney (Virginia Anderson) LIGHTING CONSULTANT ECS (Russ Kern) ACOUSTIC CONSULTANT Marshall Day Acoustics (Malcolm Dunn) COST CONSULTANT Rider Levett Bucknell CONSTRUCTION Hawkins Construction (John Abercrombie) PROJECT MANAGEMENT Green Stone Group (Nigel Cooper)

MECHANICAL SERVICES Thurston Consulting (Bruce Clements) STRUCTURAL ENGINEER Buller George Turkington (David Turkington) CLIENT Tainui Auckland Airport Hotel (Mike Pohio) BUDGET $65 million TIME TO COMPLETE 15 months TOTAL FLOOR AREA 13,603 m2 WARREN AND MAHONEY (64 9) 309 4894 warrenandmahoney.com FURNITURE Generally throughout Novotel, furniture is from Cruikshank, Simon James Design, Fletcher Systems and IMO.

FINISHES In Dining Room, screen metalwork from FGS Metalwork. Carpets from Feltex Carpets. Floor coverings from Crown Flooring. Stone flooring and wall tiles from European Ceramics and Stone. Timber panelling from Woodform. Fabric wall panelling from Asona. Ceilings from Alpha Interiors. Internal glazing and aluminium partitions from Glass Projects. Metalwork from Paterson Custom SheetMetal. Painting by Sharp Decorators. Stone and wallpaper from Designsource. FIXED & FITTED Generally throughout Novotel, lifts by Schindler. Living wall from Natural Habitats. Operable walls from Dorma. In Kitchen and Bar, appliances from Southern Hospitality.

Alpha Interiors (64 9) 623 6252 alphainteriors.co.nz Asona (64 9) 525 6575 asona.co.nz Crown Flooring (64 9) 827 9230 crownflooring.co.nz Cruikshank (64 3) 409 8570 cruikshank.co.nz Designsource (64 9) 309 8816 designsource.co.nz Dorma (64 9) 830 2052 dorma.co.nz European Ceramics and Stone (64 9) 303 3226 euroceramics.co.nz Feltex Carpets (64 9) 529 6210 feltexcarpets.co.nz FGS Metalwork (64 9) 377 8778 fgs.co.nz Fletcher Systems (64 9) 849 3849 fletcher-systems.co.nz Glass Projects (64 9) 273 2929 glassprojects.co.nz IMO (64 9) 373 4081 imo.co.nz Natural Habitats (64 9) 970 3488 naturalhabitats.co.nz Paterson Custom SheetMetal (64 9) 820 0337 Schindler (64 9) 353 7500 schindler.co.nz Sharp Decorators (64 9) 634 5601 sharpdecorating.co.nz Simon James Design (64 9) 377 5556 simonjamesdesign.com Southern Hospitality (64 9) 300 3044 southernhospitality.co.nz Woodform (64 9) 835 4107 woodbenders.co.nz

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Creative An old uniform factory in Berlin has been adopted by a creative

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words LUCY BULLIVANT photography Jan Bitter, Annette Kisling, Karin Sander architect SAUERBRUCH HUTTON location BERLIN | GERMANY PROJECT L57 UNIFORM FACTORY

erlin architecture practice, Sauerbruch Hutton, is best known for the colourful biomorphic buildings they design. The talented German-English duo also applies their skills to converting existing buildings. Whether working on a new project or converting an existing structure, each building demonstrates a positive contribution to its environment and maintains a human feel. In London, in the early part of their career, Sauerbruch Hutton designed small private houses, an experience that led them to consider the specific essence of each space and to strive to imbue each room with a particular mood. However, says Louisa Hutton, it’s important that “enough space remain for clients to make their own mark on their inhabitation”. A similar ethos applies to a residence and workspace in Berlin – an old, brick-clad uniform factory building that dates from 1900, which was formerly a barracks for the Prussian Army – that Sauerbruch Hutton have occupied since 1995 and have recently refurbished. The dramatic building is located, along with four others that form part of the complex, in Moabit, an inner city neighbourhood of Berlin, on landscaped grounds with Poplar trees. The assemblage is far more low-density than the offices of most other architects in the city and is inhabited by an interesting creative community. The complex stood empty from the end of World War II until the 1970s, when groups of artists and architects rented parts of it from the federal government and began rebuilding. Today, a variety of artists, architects, designers and filmmakers own or rent parts of the buildings in which they live and work. As a result, a new creative, domestic atmosphere has been fostered. “Everyone became owners,” says Hutton. The grounds remain as a series of sports fields belonging to the local community. In 1995, when they moved in, Sauerbruch Hutton took a smaller space than they now occupy. In 2000, the federal government sold the entire property.

Complex community and transformed into a series of spaces for living and working indesignlive.com

Previous Pages The living space in Karin Sander’s apartment Above The library on a mezzanine level overlooks Sander’s main studio space Opposite Bathroom in Karin Sander’s apartment Left The expanded Sauerbruch Hutton studio Far Left A meeting room in the architect’s studios

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Some existing occupants stayed on and purchased their respective segments of the buildings and new parties bought space. As a result, the entire complex, with its four buildings and three sites, was bought by 15 groups. Sauerbruch Hutton redeveloped one of the spaces to extend their studio and create a new studio and apartment for conceptual artist, Karin Sander. As part of the redevelopment, Sauerbruch Hutton brought in a developer to co-fund and they added another storey and a roof extension and refurbished the floor below – getting rid of bomb damage from World War II. “We visually re-united the top two floors with a purplish blue-grey render and similarly coloured, generously sized flush-mounted timber windows,” says Hutton. “The building as a whole appears to be comprised of two halves – a historic brick ‘base’ supporting a new addition.” At the eastern end of the building – known as Haus 2 – over six floors, is the new studio and apartment for Sander, a complex and varied series of spaces that can be used for living and working. The archive, office and kitchen are on the lower floors, and her private living areas are on the second floor. Above this, the top floors are separated into two by a concrete wall with a pivoting door. One side is occupied by a 5.4-metrehigh studio, and the other by a living room and private work/guest room, with a bedroom and terrace above. In the living space, a single opening in the wall gives access by wooden ladder to a library on a mezzanine. On the east wall an A4-sized opening with an inversely angled reveal increases to an A3-sized opening on the outside face of the wall, so that the framed view out to the green grounds appears as a mounted image. Sander also uses her space to show other artists’ work and stage dinners, further reinforcing the community aspect of the building. The long, western part of the building houses, over five floors, the expanded Sauerbruch Hutton offices. A pre-cast concrete stair – an addition to the original

Prussian staircase of huge, cantilevered granite steps – connects the second floor to a large room on the newly constructed top floor used by the architects to display artwork. This space leads to a roof terrace where parties, project crits and client meetings take place. On the other new floor, a wide corridor leads from Sander’s studio to open plan office spaces and small meeting rooms with glass walls, which bring daylight deep into the interior and have views looking out over the Poplar trees on the south side. Original windows have been re-used with splayed reveals to help bring light in and achieve a refined, sensuous aesthetic with great durability. Underfloor heating negates the need for cluttering radiators. “We wanted to have only a few materials to retain simplicity,” says Hutton. The lower three floors, which have been left in the same condition they were in 2000, contain a model shop, and a studio that is sublet by a landscape architect. Apart from the new and refurbished floors, major structural changes in the space were not necessary as the three lower floors had sturdy cast iron columns. And, the new floors follow the simplicity in structure of the original industrial building. The rhythmic saw tooth roof means interior spaces are bathed in a uniform natural light. Outside, the surrounds are “a continuous laboratory for testing façades,” says Hutton, and in the summer are the setting for parties and barbecues. L57 is much loved by the creative community that call it home, and its spaces are an excellent example of how a consistent architectural aesthetic, such as that employed by Sauerbruch Hutton, can be a good framework for a wide variety of projects.

Lucy Bullivant is Indesign’s London correspondent.

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176 portfolioindesign

Above The exterior of the L57 Uniform Factory, which sits on landscaped grounds

L57 UNIFORM FACTORY ARCHITECT Sauerbruch Hutton PROJECT ARCHITECTS Mattias Sauerbruch, Louisa Hutton, Juan Lucas Young PROJECT TEAM Vera Hartmann, Karolin Möllmann, Florence Girod, Jörg Albeke, Johanna Mewes FIRE PROTECTION Weistplan STRUCTURAL PLANNING Andreas Külich HVAC CONSULTANTS HHPberlin Contractor TBG GmbH BUDGET €1.75 million TIME TO COMPLETE 2 years TOTAL FLOOR AREA 1,400m2

SAUERBRUCH HUTTON (49 30) 397 821 0 sauerbruchhutton.com FURNITURE In Karin Sander’s Artist Studio and Apartment, Konstantin Gricic ‘CHAOS’ chairs and sofa from ClassiCon. LIGHTING In Karin Sander’s Artist Studio and Apartment, Konstantin Grcic ‘Magnum’ spotlights from Flos. Konstantin Grcic light switches from Merten. Wilhelm Wagenfeld Bauhaus lamps from Manufactum. Other lighting from Ellux. FINISHES Exterior rendering from Baumit Bayosan. Green roof by Bauder. In Karin

Sander’s Artist Studio and Apartment, pre-stressed hollowcore concrete planks to ceilings from EchoElbe. Smoothed screed concrete floor is Euro Cement from Zementwerk. In Sauerbruch Hutton Architect’s studio, Douglas Fir timber floors from Dinesen. FIXED & FITTED In Karin Sander’s Artist Studio and Apartment, Philippe Starck bath tub and WC from Duravit. Axor Starck shower and accessories from Hansgrohe. Sink from Boffi. Tapware throughout from Steinberg. Generally throughout Artist Studio and Apartment, door hardware from FSB. Paint from Brillux Paint.

Baumit (49 8324) 921 0 baumit.de Bauder bauder.de Boffi (49 30) 885 548 43 boffi.com ClassiCon (49 89) 74 81 33 0 classicon.com Dinesen (45) 7455 2140 dinesen.com Duravit (49 7833) 70 0 duravit.com EchoElbe (49 34905) 406 0 elbe-decken.de Ellux (49 30) 77 20 35 0 ellux.de Flos (49 217) 310 9370 flos.com FSB (49 5272) 608 201 fsb.de Hansgrohe (49 7836) 51 0 hansgrohe.de Manufactum (49 2309) 939 050 manufactum.de Merten (49 2261) 702 01 merten.de Steinberg steinberg-armaturen.info Zementwerk (49 30) 557 52 22 zementwerk.de indesignlive.com

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Above The off-form concrete used in the base building architecture is continued in the entry lobby to create a synergy between the interior and the exterior

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words MANDI KEIGHRAN photography Trevor Mein architect WOODS BAGOT Interior design Hecker Guthrie location MELBOURNE | AUS PROJECT THE GARDEN HOUSE

ROOM WITH A VIEW

Woods Bagot and Hecker Guthrie have given centre-stage to garden and city views in this multi-residential development

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ity apartment living rarely embraces the outdoors, yet a recent multi-residential project on the north-eastern edge of Melbourne’s CBD has been designed to bring the outdoors in. The aptly named Garden House, by Woods Bagot and Hecker Guthrie, sits opposite the Royal Exhibition Building and surrounding Carlton Gardens, a World Heritage Site designed in 1880 for the Melbourne International Exhibition. “For us to borrow that landscape and draw on every part of it was so important for us,” says Wade Little, Senior Associate with Woods Bagot. The Garden House comprises 49 apartments of 21 different types – from one-bedroom apartments up to 300m2 , three-bedroom penthouses and threestorey townhouses. Aspect was a key concern throughout the design process and has been addressed through glazing, outdoor terraces, winter gardens and interesting fenestration that frames the views. As a result, residences on the Rathdowne Street side enjoy views over Carlton Gardens, while those at the rear have access to city views. For those apartments looking over the European-style gardens, the view is dynamic, changing with the seasons. The building itself is also a response to its context. The architects have divided it into three parts, remaining sensitive in scale and typology to the surrounds, with a staggered façade that respects the variation of setback on Rathdowne Street. An offform concrete base has been employed to replicate the typical split-face bluestone base of Victorian terraces in the Carlton area. The two levels above this then read as an interesting composition of villas, which references the language of the Royal Exhibition Building. This also acts as a transition between the lower levels and the attic levels, where the architecture becomes much more homogeneous, yet is still clearly broken down into juxtaposing boxes, giving each apartment a recognisable identity from the outside. The off-form concrete of the rusticated base continues inside in the lobby, which Little describes as “quite brutal”. This introduction of the tactile concrete to the interior not only provides a counterpoint to the softer, more feminine forms of the lobby – such as the curved timber mail ‘pod’ with its mirrored interior that Little describes as “an unexpected jewel” – but also speaks of the highly collaborative process between Woods Bagot and the interior designer, Hecker Guthrie. Hecker Guthrie have continued this approach of using a few classic materials in interesting ways throughout the interiors. The palette is neutral, allowing residents to personalise space. “We always

look at how we create an interior that has personality, but not so much that it limits the end user in what they want to bring into the space,” says Paul Hecker. As many of the residents at The Garden House are transitioning to apartment living, Woods Bagot and Hecker Guthrie have focused on providing a level of accommodation that people are used to in houses. “It’s about how people are going to use the space,” says Little, “not just how it looks.” This approach translates to fully fitted kitchens with many features not normally found in apartment living, and clever timber joinery that conceals a variety of spaces in the living areas – from study desks to bars. This, coupled with the curved entry halls and minimal palette, makes each apartment feel light and spacious. “When we are planning,” says Hecker, “we are adamant that it can be a small space, but it has to work.” The master suites are particularly successful in their planning, each with a full-size bedroom with en suite complete with bath and twin sinks. The palette here is again neutral, with the addition to each bedroom of a simple, classic pendant light. The success of this project lies in the seamless transition from interior to exterior that is the result of a highly collaborative process between architect and interior designer. Together, Woods Bagot and Hecker Guthrie have created a study in simplicity that celebrates living with a connection to the outdoors.

Mandi Keighran is Deputy Editor of Indesign. Discover more about this project at indesignlive.com/thegardenhouse

Above Left Solid timber

in the hallway

Above A timber partition

with storage on both sides separates the master bedroom and en suite Opposite The staggered façade gives each apartment an identity

portfolioindesign 183

The GARDEN HOUSE ARCHITECT Woods Bagot PROJECT TEAM Nik Karalis, Wade Little, Kate Frear, Sarah Alessi, Ralph Sondgen INTERIOR DESIGNER Hecker Guthrie INTERIOR DESIGN TEAM Paul Hecker, Hamish Guthrie BRAND CONSULTANT Cornwell Design (Steven Cornwell) BUILDER LU Simon PROJECT MANAGER Piccolo Developments (Toby Earle) SERVICES CONSULTANT ALA Consulting (Andrew Lingard) STRUCTURAL ENGINEER Rincovitch Consultants (Harry Lambis) LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Tract (Steve Calhoun)

BUDGET $50 million TIME TO COMPLETE 18 months TOTAL FLOOR AREA 5,600 m2 WOODs BAGOT (61 8) 8113 5900 woodsbagot.com HECKER GUTHRIE (61 3) 9421 1644 heckerguthrie.com FURNITURE In Lobby, sofa, lounge chair and ottoman from dedece, and side tables from Poliform. LIGHTING In Apartments, track lighting from Euroluce. In Bathrooms throughout, wall lights from Artedomus. Balcony

lighting throughout from Zumtobel. Garden lights and wall washers generally from Inlite. In Entry Lobby, feature floor lamp from ECC Lighting. FINISHES Generally throughout, carpet from Whitecliffe Imports. On Levels 3 and 4, interlocking panel system from VM Zinc Plus. In Entry Lobby, custom floor rug is from dedece. FIXED & FITTED In Bathrooms throughout, hand basins from Parisi, custom-made bathtubs from Apaiser, and tapware from Mary Noall. In Kitchens throughout, appliances are generally from Elite Appliances.

Apaiser (61 3) 9421 5722 apaiser.com.au Artedomus (61 3) 9428 9898 artedomus.com dedece (61 3) 9650 9600 dedece.com ECC (61 3) 9821 5300 ecc.com.au Elite Appliances (61 3) 9417 7599 elite-appliances.com.au Euroluce (61 3) 9657 9657 euroluce.com.au Inlite (61 3) 9429 9828 inlite.com.au Mary Noall (61 3) 9690 1327 marynoall.com.au Parisi (61 2) 9559 3666 parisi.com.au Poliform (61 3) 8420 0800 poliform.com.au VM Zinc Plus (61 2) 9358 6100 vmzinc.com.au Whitecliffe Imports (61 3) 9421 2225 whitecliffe.com.au Zumtobel (61 3) 9698 3000 zumtobel.com indesignlive.com

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profiling the life and work of creators around the globe 187 Marc Newson 190 Shane Thompson 192 Arik Levy

Design icon Marc Newson talks about his passion for designing the everyday and growing up in Australia.

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Previous Page Marc

Newson in Sydney

Below Pentax ‘K-01’ (2012) Bottom ‘Endless Rainbow’

logo for Sydney’s 2011-12 New Year’s Eve celebrations Opposite Top ‘Kyoto’ for Dom Perignon (2012) Lower Right ‘Spaceplane’ (2007) Photo: Richard Harbas

rowing up in Sydney during the 1970s, Marc Newson wasn’t interested in being a designer. “I didn’t even know the word ‘design’ existed when I was growing up,” he says. Instead, he wanted to be “all the boring things, like being an astronaut”. While he might not have achieved that dream, he got somewhat close when he designed the Astrium ‘Spaceplane’ in 2007. It’s just one of the myriad projects in Newson’s vastly diverse portfolio. Today, as Australia’s biggest design export, Newson hardly needs introduction. Ever since designing the curvaceous, metal-plated ‘Lockheed Lounge’ in 1986 while still a student at Sydney College of the Arts, he has been part of the Australian design lexicon. Newson believes that design as an occupation is still evolving – which means that for the entrepreneurial designer there are no limits to what he can design. His talents have been applied to an array of projects across

a variety of disciplines – from furniture and household accessories to boats and rockets. Most recently, he has launched a new camera for Pentax and a cast iron champagne cooler for Dom Perignon. In addition, he has founded several successful companies, including an aerospace design consultancy. It is testament to the longevity and growing popularity of his work that the ‘Lockheed Lounge’, one of the first pieces he designed, has set three consecutive world records at auction. His achievements were recognised earlier this year when he was awarded a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list. Despite leaving Australia in 1987 for Tokyo, followed by Paris and London – where he is now based – Newson remains influenced by his home country. “I simply wouldn’t be me if I hadn’t grown up in Australia,” he says. He means this not in a nationalistic sense – and gets frustrated when

pulseindesign 189

WORDS MANDI KEIGHRAN PORTRAIT PAUL GREEN

“ I simply wouldn’t be me if I hadn’t grown up in Australia” Marc Newson

people talk about design in terms of nationality – but in terms of the design history of Australia, and the freedom that affords. “There’s not so much baggage when it comes to design here.” While Newson says that he has not had much involvement with the Australian design industry, his biggest client is Australian airline, Qantas, for whom he is Creative Director. And, late last year, he returned to his home city of Sydney to oversee the creative direction of one of the most iconic events on the harbour city’s calendar – the New Year’s Eve celebrations. He worked on the event in collaboration with creative agency, Imagination. “Imagination designed the whole thing in a mechanical perspective,” he says. “They got me involved because I think they felt there was an opportunity to create extra value. It’s an event I grew up with, so it’s something that means something to me.” Together, Newson and Imagination came up with the ‘Time to Dream’ concept and the ‘endless rainbow’ graphic that aimed to give the series of events a sense of coherence that hasn’t existed in previous years. The ‘endless rainbow’ is the perfect example of Newson’s approach to design: “I love the circle because it’s simple, it’s clear, it’s coherent, and it sticks in people’s minds,” he says. He is also working on a collection of bathroomware in collaboration with Australian manufacturers, Caroma, which will launch in September this year. Newson describes the range as “commercial, in a really positive way”. And, it is this kind of work – designing for the everyday – that he enjoys most. “My real focus is on the industrial, designing products like cameras, mobile phones, or bathroom fittings.” The limited edition pieces – for which Newson is also well known and which are regularly exhibited at New York’s Gagosian gallery – are, he says,

“more of a hobby”. These pieces serve a completely different purpose to his industrial design work. “If you’re using a chair as a medium, or a way of expressing an idea, then it doesn’t have to be comfortable,” he says. “When I do a show, it’s about working like an artist.” This kind artistic work allows Newson the freedom to experiment with forms and materials that then inform his work for clients. “It’s the stuff that I always wanted to do,” he says of mass-produced industrial design. “It’s the buzz of offering alternatives for people.”

Mandi Keighran is Deputy Editor of Indesign magazine.

Marc Newson Born Sydney, Australia Lives London, UK Works as an industrial designer and

creative director

Studied Jewellery and sculpture at Sydney

College of the Arts

Best known for ‘Lockheed Lounge’

marc-newson.com indesignlive.com

Architect, Shane Thompson is re-discovering the joys of running a small practice from home and the sensitive scale of residential projects.

191

fter just over a quarter of a decade with BVN Architecture (previously Bligh Voller Nield) – 24 of them as a principal – prominent Brisbane-based architect, Shane Thompson, has gone out on his own. Flying solo is not a new experience for the recognised architect, though. When only in second year at university, Thompson won a national prize for a timber house he had designed. It resulted in so many private commissions he established a small business with two fellow students. But that was some time ago, and before the demands of working in a large practice. “BVN is heading in a great direction,” says Thompson, “and it wanted me to do more and more big projects and fewer small projects and that was just never going to be a part of me. More than anything else I wanted to get back to the craft of architecture, which is very hard when you have a day-to-day leadership role in a big organisation. I had this idea of another practice where I had sole direction, and I fell in love with that idea.” Following a six-month sabbatical in Florida with partner, Sally, Thompson returned to Brisbane in mid-2011 and set up his new eponymously named practice. His characterful studio is a light and airy old timber church that he saw in a nearby hamlet on the outskirts of Brisbane. The church was slated for demolition, being in the way of an expanding shopping centre and encroaching suburbia. So, Thompson bought it and, in the great Queensland tradition, had it loaded onto a truck and moved to the acreage he and Sally call home, where it now sits beside their timber cottage. The walls of the de-consecrated church are lined with vibrant paintings, and new folding doors open onto a wide deck overlooking a reed-filled billabong and paddocks beyond. It is an idyllic workspace which Thompson shares with his small team — graduate architects, Bill Ellyett, Briohny

Left Thompson’s new

studio is a re-located old timber church Right Top The vibrant interior of the new studio Portrait Thompson in his Brisbane studio

McKauge and Larissa Searle, and studio manager, Claire MacMahon. But a growing list of commissions means a growing number of staff and pressure on the studio to accommodate them all. “I decided last week to expand the studio,” says Thompson. “I like working from home more than I thought I would, so I really don’t want to go back to commuting. I like having my dog lie at my feet while I work; I like going for a walk in the middle of the day; I like having lunch and afternoon tea with Sally. I enjoy the fact that we hardly ever have the air-con on, that we can sit out on the deck and have a chat about not just architecture, but the zeitgeist, which leads to all sorts of discussions and builds team spirit. I am enjoying having strong relationships with a smaller group of people, rather than anecdotal relationships with a lot of people. I have an innate confidence that the practice is not about the business, it’s about doing good work.” Establishing his own practice has allowed Thompson to take on a broad range of projects, from both modest and larger houses, to commercial and retail premises, public buildings of varying sizes, and major urban developments. Often asked how he can juggle such variety his consistent reply is that he can’t think of any other way of working. “They are mutually nurturing of me as an architect. Doing houses also keeps you very humble and in touch with sensitivity of scale.” While Thompson is enjoying the ‘crisp’ decision-making that comes with working with a smaller team, it’s not an adjective that he wants to apply to the architecture he creates, favouring that which is tactile. “I’ve always been interested in art which has the presence of the maker,” he says. “So it follows that I’m interested in an architecture that shows the way it’s built, which instils it with a certain humanity. I’m also attracted to the poetics of place and how a building is particular to a place and its region. If you understand the weather and the climate, topography and prevailing breezes, you can use that to your advantage. That sort of poetic integration of architecture and landscape is important to me.”

Jenna Reed Burns is the Brisbane Editor of Indesign.

words JENNA REED BURNS Photography CHRISTOPHER FREDERICK JONES

“ It’s not about the business, it’s about doing good work” SHANE THOMPSON

Shane Thompson Lives Brisbane, Australia Works as an architect Studio Shane Thompson Architects Experience includes small exhibitions,

houses, resorts, apartments, small to large commercial offices, towers, urban planning, education, community and cultural buildings

shanethompson.com.au indesignlive.com

Below ‘Rock Crater’ jewellery collection for Swarovski (2011) Photography: Ian Scigliuzzi Right ‘In & Out’ lamp for Forestier (2012) Bottom Right ‘Water=Life’ for Guzzini (2011)

Paris-based Israeli designer, Arik Levy, has a wildly varied design background, all of which places the human experience at the fore.

rik Levy isn’t easy to pigeonhole in the design field. While his studio is brimming with prototypes for new lights and household objects, his three workspaces are also filled with everything from sculpture to paintings. If he is not preparing for an exhibition, he is applying finishing touches to a stage set for a new contemporary dance performance or working on one of at least 150 projects in various stages of development – from chairs and spoons to clothing, bags and shoes. “I specialise in nonspecialising,” says Levy in his straight forward way. “It’s the energy that comes from a specific brief, but every discipline requires a certain amount of knowledge.” Levy began his career in Israel. He studied graphic design before opening four windsurfing clubs in the mid-1980s, personally air- brushing more than two thousand surf boards. “Then I was referred to as a beach bum,” says Levy, who even made time to experience the surf in Australia’s Byron Bay. While surfboards don’t feature in his Paris studio, there is a humour in his products which Australians can relate to. In 1992, Levy moved on from surfboards and established a studio in Paris, and in 1997, he teamed up with graphic designer, Pippo Lionni, to form LDesign. As LDesign, the duo work on projects both together and individually. Levy has also just released a new jewellery collection for Swarovski. Evocative of craters, each faceted piece appears as though it has been excavated from an open mine. But rather than dirt on the surface, each crevice is filled with Swarovski crystals. From the expensive to the inexpensive, it is not price, but ideas that drive Levy. Take for example ‘Water=Life’, the pebble-like plastic bottle opener for Guzzini. “Most

pulseindesign 193

words STEPHEN CRAFTI

bottle openers are fairly unattractive,” he says. “They’re quite clunky. A functional object doesn’t have to be unattractive and difficult to operate.” When responding to a brief, Levy sketches, makes models, and continually writes down his thoughts, often spending time alone in one of his workshops. “I’ve always believed in being involved in great projects,” he says of the range of his work. A ‘rock’ theme continually surfaces in Levy’s work, whether jewellery, sculpture or painting. “You could say there’s a certain connection to Israel, but it’s more about coming from another country, coming to a new environment,” he says. “But just the form of the rock excites me, taking something out of the surface and seeing the remains. The rock also brings nature indoors.” One of the largest projects to come out of LDesign’s studio was the design headquarters for Cartier in Paris, a 20,000 square metre office space completed in September 2000. It coincided with the September 11 catastrophe in New York, meaning that media coverage of the project was limited. “It just wasn’t appropriate to talk about it in light of what happened,” says Levy. However, since then, smaller projects, such as the ‘Mystic’ vase (designed in 2006), mouth-blown and handmade, have attracted significant attention “We’ve sold thousands of them, even though they’re incredibly complicated to produce,” says Levy. One of Levy’s most recent projects is his collaboration with Molteni & C, titled ‘In Power 10’. Originally, CEO, Carlo Molteni, visited Levy’s studio to create a special exhibition of his work in a temporary space in Paris. “I didn’t think it made economic sense to create an exhibition space for a four day event and dismantle it,” says Levy. “I thought it made more sense to create a roving exhibition that could

tour the world.” Ten of Levy’s designs have been re-interpreted for this event. Levy’s ‘Quake’ table, for example, has been mutated in ten different ways. One has been re-fashioned in blocks of colour, another is emblazoned with the number 10, while another is completely wrapped in blue electric cable wire. One of the ‘Quake’ tables is even shattered into ten pieces and strewn across a floor. “It’s about identity and disorder and re-arranging things in your mind,” says Levy, who expects this exhibition will eventually travel throughout Europe. “It’s about investing in design in the long term, rather than spending more on one event that few people will see.” Now with fifteen staff working in the studio, from graphic designers to engineers, the possibilities appear endless for Levy. But rather than talking about the launch of a new chair, or table, Levy sees the success of LDesign in terms of people. “Design is about people, not products. It’s about people coming into contact with things, and feeling a connection with these things.”

Arik Levy Born Tel Aviv, Israel Lives Paris, France Works as an industrial designer, artist,

technician, photographer, filmmaker

Best Known For his sculptures – such as

his signature Rock pieces, his installations, limited editions and design

ariklevy.fr / ldesign.fr

Stephen Crafti is Indesign magazine’s Melbourne correspondent.

“ Design is about people, not products. It’s about people coming into contact with things, and feeling a connection with these things” ARIK LEVY indesignlive.com

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197

ISSUES AND IDEAS AROUND DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE 197 All in the process? 200 A successful scheme for Perthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s waterfront?

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Previous The NAB

immersion lab set up as a domestic environment

CloCkwise from left

Colourul environmental graphics in the centre; The centre is set up to inspire creative thought and activity; The NAB immersion lab set up as a commercial enviornment; The centre mimics a number of real world environments; The immersion lab â&#x20AC;&#x201C; here set up as a train station â&#x20AC;&#x201C;allows full immersion in an environment, facilitating creative thinking

zoneindesign 199

WORDS MARG HEARN PHOTOGRAPHY JAMES NEWMAN

All in the Process?

In the competitive retail arena there is an awareness by some businesses of the need to differentiate themselves in the market by providing a richer experience for customers. This demands a solution beyond competition for projects based around percentage of built cost, says Michael Trudgeon, director of Crowd Productions, a trans-disciplinary architecture and design firm with a special interest in the impact of technology and its ability to change what space can deliver and how it can be experienced. In the financial services sector in particular, the contemporary customer is very focussed on autonomy, control and wanting to be able to quickly get the service or experience that they need. It was the experimental method designed to test change pitched by Crowd Productions that secured them a project to create a new footprint and operational model for NAB branches in 2006. Responding to the client’s aspiration for revolutionary change, an offline prototype bank was built to trial new space planning, technology and processes with the aim of transforming the banking experience. Testament to NAB’s appetite for innovation was another call to Crowd Productions in 2010. Embarking on the next generation of the bank, NAB wanted a flexible space for prototyping and testing designs for new products, services and spatial engagement across their myriad interfaces with customers. Discussions identified the kinds of problems the client wanted to solve. Crowd Productions’ ensuing design of

the NAB User Experience Prototyping Lab within NAB’s Docklands offices is an architecturally modest fit-out of seven zones, both real and virtual, that comprises: entry, central access, outdoor area, plenary, an immersion lab, break-out, and prototyping spaces. Distinguishing the immersion lab is the careful selection of new technology solutions and the fusion of those technologies. What is in essence a corporate theatre lab, affords NAB the capability to experiment with new processes in an immersive environment that is easily re-arranged to stimulate the creative thinking needed to address all conceivable real world design challenges. The idea is for brainstorming to occur while physically immersed in the environment that NAB will operate in. This facilitates ‘bodystorming’, which takes the mapping of creative ideas (brainstorming) into an actual environment, explains Trudgeon. Bodystorming is associated with the automotive and aviation industries and organisations such as NASA. As far as Crowd Productions can establish, their use of this technique as an architectural practice appears to be unique. Underscoring the NAB immersion lab is the concept “that if you test or develop the design of a product as though you are in the real end-user environment it will change your ability to design it well.” The NAB User Experience Prototyping Lab, he says “draws together the concerns of the market-led expectation for product innovation, the challenge of designing new products and services around the significance of the user experience and the singular effectiveness of prototyping to test and develop new products and services in a way that maximises learning from the design process while managing the risks.” The groundbreaking solution allows the client to investigate how different end-users in various environments might use any NAB product, service or technology in a simulated setting. A screen to one end of the lab projects images to create an array of virtual

environments complete with sound and props. For example, the effectiveness of new mobile phone banking applications can be assessed in a mocked up suburban home or an ATM interface can be fine-tuned pre build. After working with clients in a “designer as dramaturg” capacity for years, the culmination of Crowd Productions’ knowledge of cinema, retail and theatre empowers NAB with the tools to play that role. Just as the dramaturg studies the script and works with the director and the actors to find the most powerful and coherent outcome, Trudgeon advocates this as a powerful model for designers to solve problems and challenge conventions. “If our job is not simply to dress up the outcome, but in fact to ask the right questions,” says Trudgeon, “that’s turning us into dramaturgs, not set decorators at the end.” Crowd Productions have spent much time researching how designers can create tools that embed design into all aspects of a business to shift design to the centre of a client’s business strategy rather than it being the last thought. “As architects and designers, we’ve become very interested in the use of environments and bodystorming, like theatre improvisation, to allow people to be far more experimental and inventive in how they think of new processes or new opportunities for their businesses.” According to Trudgeon, as more sophisticated end-users expect design aesthetic to be a given, the future of design will be defined by process not form. Projects like this are ushering in an era where the consumer’s experience, not the product, has become the subject of the designer’s problem.

Marg Hearn is a Melbourne-based freelance writer. Crowd Productions (61 3) 9663 8375 crowd.com.au

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A successful scheme for Perth’s waterfront?

For more than 25 years, Perth has debated how to achieve greater a connection between the city itself and the nearby river foreshore. Finally, a scheme has been decided upon. But how transparent has the process been? Is it ideal? And how much public support is there? Perthbased architect, Sasha Ivanovich reviews the history of the project and highlights the issues. The Background In the 1980s, an international competition invited design proposals to fulfil Perth’s dream of connecting city life with the edge of the Swan River across a relatively empty space of some several hundred metres of grassed parkland known as the Esplanade. But the competition outcomes were deemed too ambitious and financially unviable and the winning design was abandoned. The dream persisted, however, with low-rise tourist oriented foreshore improvements built at the existing Swan River jetties and around a new Bell Tower structure – a vision of the then Premier, Richard Court, designed by Hames Sharley Architects – at the river end of Perth CBD’s Barrack Street. Proposals and debate for more city life presence on the river continued into early 2000. The influential Perth design lobby group, CityVision, put forward proposals whilst the West Australian

Government commissioned several architectural firms to re-visit the river foreshore with study proposals. The focus this time was to be more on the river end of William Street and the adjoining foreshore. In 2004, the then WA Minister for Planning instructed the West Australian Department for Planning and Infrastructure and LandCorp (a WA government-run land development agency) to undertake a preliminary feasibility study into the Mounts Bay site on the Swan River. This work involved, according to a Ministerial Released Foreshore study of 2004, “research into site history, previous proposals, development objectives and opportunities, road and rail technical issues, geotechnical issues, preliminary concept and feasibility, key stakeholder interaction, and, a next steps outline”. Developing the river end of William Street made good sense. To do that, the 200-metre-wide strip of grassed parkland and roads that separate the Perth CBD core (St Georges Terrace) from the river had to be bridged. This reinvigorated the ongoing debate about creating connections from the CBD to the river and identified William Street as a main north-south link – connecting the river to the CBD heartland, the City’s central railway station, and to a tandem re-development of the City’s central rail reserve across to Northbridge, Perth’s CBD entertainment hub. At the river end of William Street, the city’s rail station had just opened for the new Perth to Mandurah rail line – one of three Perth public transport arteries to its periphery satellite towns. Finding a Solution The announcement in 2006 that Melbourne-based Ashton Raggatt McDougall (ARM) would head a consortium of consultants and unveil their first scheme was no surprise to the local design and planning industry. ARM, being responsible for the Docklands re-development scheme in Melbourne, would have been perceived in the west coast capital as a breath of fresh air where, despite its ‘wild-west’ reputation, government elites have been known to foster generally sound but

conservative-leaning attitudes in art, architecture and urban design. The project was driven by Landcorp, with protocols from the outset incorporating a series of ‘public review processes’, including the flying in of selected architects and planners from across Australia with the ARM design team on hand. The first design featured a string of towers, set around a circular inlet cut into the foreshore. The main city traffic artery, Riverside Drive, looped around the inlet and was ringed by generous ground level open space, with the towers staggered in height to culminate in a thirty-storey nob tower at the east end, a final punctuation mark to a deliberately orchestrated and powerful urban event. The scale and extent of the scheme – arguably ARM’s trademark – provoked an instant reaction of considerable magnitude among public and professional bodies. Putting aside the shock of the new, the proposal was to be tested against the various proposals that preceded it. As Howard Raggatt explained it, the plan of the sensuous curvilinear office towers around the inlet “took the form of spilled oval-shaped water droplets on a flat surface”. This – along with an uncanny resemblance of the composition to a fragment of the Dubai Marina Complex – further stirred the sensibilities of resident urban design professionals and various theoretical purists – “What happened to ‘form follows function?’ ” they bemoaned. When it was explained that Riverside Drive was going to curl around the intrusive water inlet because to have it continue straight “would be too boring for commuters driving in the tunnel”, this stoked further disbelief from a bemused local architecture and planning fraternity. But that was not all. It was also argued that the 140,000m 2 of residential office and hotel space proposed would kill prospects of equivalent development throughout the CBD and bring a halt to the real estate market for ten years or more. These, along with other concerns, were raised by the second formal Peer Review undertaken in May 2008. The Review headed its formal report with a statement of ‘clear reservations

zoneindesign 201

WORDS SASHA IVANOVICH

Above Perthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s waterfront

as it once was, before major development took place Right The most recent proposal for Perthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s waterfront remains, in the minds of many, unresolved Far Right The scheme proposed in 2006 by Ashton Raggatt McDougall

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01 Minimal development west of William Street/ preserve landscape vista to and from Kings Park. 02 Cable car to Kings Park. 03 Opportunity for interpretive centre.

04 Pedestrian connection from and through convention centre. 05 Development scaled below winter sun angle of 33 Ě&#x160; (refer to cross-section)

06 Fine grain retail and commercial at ground level via street system and an extension of Perth City grid.

07 Retain Riverside Drive as a connector road to Freeway and Mounts Bay Road to limit congestion and manage crossing points for pedestrians with controlled interesctions.

MARINA

08 Retain Barrack Square and frame sensitive development. 08 12

09 Integrate built form and inlet design to consider existing fabric adjacent to barrack square.

10 Smaller and more intimate inlet; boardwalks, low scale built form mixed with lanes, alleys and intimate squares which are sheltered from sou-westerly breezes. 11 Mooring facilities for visitors.

SWAN RIVER

12 Beautiful civic building.

01 Kings Park escarpment 02 Beautiful civic building which terminates marina and Swan River vista 09 07

01 02

03 Protected marina and waterbody 04 Riverside drive maintained as city connector road with controlled intersections 05 7L 06 15L 07 Mid winter midday-sun 08 30L 09 32L

203 Opposite An alternative

expressed about the concept meeting the set objectives’ as announced by the Minister of Planning in the 2004 Perth Foreshore Development. It called for the initial intent of the re-development to be upheld, presumably finding it lacking in the ARM proposal. This meant a scheme that would: re-vitalise Perth; re-connect the city to the river; integrate as a natural extension of the city; activate the waterfront year round; create a strong sense of place through leading edge design; capitalise on the transport interchange hub; tame the roads – from fast flowing roads to city streets; enhance the river; create a tourism destination; and a scheme with a focus on deliverability. Reviewing the Solution The Peer Design Review Group teams then went about re-appraising and analysing the site from scratch, redefining initial goals and proposing design outcomes through text and drawing. Clearly, the working group of professionals had concerns as to where the project was heading, reiterating priorities in the design being how the city should connect to the river and where, creating a strong sense of place, addressing traffic and suggesting outcomes to achieve the intended re-vitalisation of Perth CBD. In October 2009, a third Design Review was a half-day affair. A year later Landcorp’s final plan was unveiled to the public, and opened for public comment. Judging from responses from the planning profession, major concerns remained. Landcorp and its design team withdrew and went back to the drawing board. One year later, the Landcorp design team re-emerged with a modified scheme. Curvilinear office towers were dropped in height and the inlet took a more prosaic rectangular shape. The total area of office space dropped to 40,000m2 . Extensive detailed design work was undertaken on public space, ground and lower levels whilst the periphery of the project at the Barrack Street end of the scheme took a more defining shape. Sensing little response from Landcorp, CityVision was impelled to conduct its own public review seminar and so did AUPIA10 – both attempts were to draw attention to ongoing concerns about aspects of the plan that

were perceived to remain unresolved despite official reviews and public submissions – a last attempt to convince government of change, of course. Cutting into the foreshore to create a marina of 12,000m2 remains a major concern. Some believe the marina is too small. Issued drawings indicate twenty births of vessels are all that can be accommodated in this scheme. Other concerns with the scheme relate to likely stagnation of water, siltation and salt-water intrusion damaging vegetation. The marina has been provided with a public promenade along its edge, but the promenade is set some four metres above the water’s edge – presumably taking into account climate change and rising oceans. It opens to the south/south west where the worst weather, winter storms and wind drive up the river from Fremantle. Unresolved Issues The development still cuts across Riverside Drive, currently Perth’s major riverside traffic artery. In this final scheme, Riverside Drive makes four 90-degree bends around the development. A large body of planners and architects believe this will multiply the city’s traffic problems in the future. Riverside Drive is an important eastwest city artery, especially in commuter peak hours, acting as one of only two bypass arteries around the city centre. The only other artery is the east-west Graham Farmer Freeway tunnel and link on the opposite side of the city, on the north side. CityVision’s recent public meeting called for a provision for an overhead bridge or tunnel. These propositions were left with no response. In addition to exposure to the worst of Perth weather, there are concerns about overshadowing generated by the proposed towers set to flank the marina on three sides with fears that the entire eastern promenade would remain in shadow in the morning and the west promenade in the afternoon, whilst the northern edge, facing the city, would be in permanent shade. There are also other concerns about the proposed scheme. Currently, 1700 apartments are proposed, which translates into about 350 apartments to each mega-block in the new scheme (with one to two office and apartment

towers over the parking podiums), and the construction of the project is scheduled to take up to twenty years. Thus, there are concerns about having a permanent building site for so long in the heart of the city. It is inevitable that a prominent project such as the Foreshore Redevelopment draws both attention and healthy scepticism. It is likely to have considerable impact on the form and the working of the city with an estimated $270 million in infrastructure cost now committed to quick start the project. From earliest inception in 2004, the intent has been to bring the city to the river. How this is achieved, and what would draw people down to the river has always been the central issue of the Foreshore Redevelopment. CityVision and other early proposals offered a lowto medium-density solution – retaining more of the current passive and open recreation space where uninterrupted low-lying foreshore is left to visually dominate and development takes form as an ‘urban village’ style development. This option may have been abandoned, however, on account of the deep layers of low-grade river bedrock and river sludge at the site, demanding deep and expensive foundations that only investment in high-rise development could justify. The final scheme has gone further in letting the form and busy activity of the city extend down William Street and Barrack Street (the scheme links the two at the foreshore). It relies on high-density residential and commercial spaces, an extended river ferry service and an abundance of public use facilities, restaurants and cafés to draw

scheme proposed by CityVision in 2012 shows smaller scale development around the marina and minimal development west of William Street Opposite Bottom The alternative proposal from CityVision proposes tall buildings step back from the waterfront Below Alternative proposal from The City Gatekeepers, a public interest group concerned about proposed schemes

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204 zoneindesign

10 06

02 Contemporary buildings of varying heights up to ten storeys.

08 06 03

03 Community gathering and entertaining.

04 Hotel on water’s edge.

02 01

01 Floating public swimming pools.

05 Apartments on finger

wharfs. 06 Land bridge over Riverside Drive. 07 Continuous cycling and pedestrian path at water’s edge.

Creating something authentic and unique to Perth Creating a real place for people Being mindful of human scale Upgrading the Esplanade Reserve Retaining Riverside Drive Providing civic value Responding properly to climatic conditions Creating a desirable place for people to live Protecting view corridors Being respectful of our heritage Connecting the city to the water Separating vehicles and pedestrians

08 Passive and active recreation on The Esplanade. 09 Museum and modern art gallery and Indigenous Cultural Centre. 10 Performing arts stage floating on water.

Above Alternative ideas for Perth’s waterfront from The City Gatekeepers

people from the CBD to populate the strip of created waterside promenades and public spaces. It raises the question: could this be achieved as CityVision and others proposed – without the massive investment of infrastructure necessary to fund extensive modifications to the foreshore and to support a massive investment in private sector apartment and office development above? But neither low scale or high-rise proposals demonstrate a convincing solution to the inherent conflict between the imagined pedestrian flow down William Street to the foreshore and the four lane Riverside Drive running east-west along the foreshore. If the intent is to make what is now a tangle of roads into a pedestrian friendly zone, the design would offer solutions that clearly give advantage to the pedestrian. It is open to question whether creating sharp pin bends on Riverside Drive and around the development would do so. The scheme allows for multi-layered car parks on its lower floors. In addition to the arterial road, carpark access and egress will further erode the notion of legible and inviting pedestrian approaches into the scheme. It begs the question: was it actually necessary? An early proposal by Max Hipkins, Strategic Planner for the City of Perth at the time, offered a solution indesignlive.com

to all the major issues that remain imbedded in the current scheme, namely high cost, overshadowing, wind protection, river dredging, conflict with Riverside Drive, loss of parkland, and pedestrian and traffic separation. Moving AheAd The Government recently called for expression of interest for first phase infrastructure contracts. At this time, infrastructure works were estimated at $300 million, and recent cost estimates have risen to $440 million. This is the WA Government investment, funding road re-alignments, establishing marina, pedestrian and public spaces with a series of mega blocks ready for purchase by private developers. Since first contracts are about to be tendered, it can only be assumed that any further changes, such as those called for by professional bodies, to address concerns of traffic, bulk, overshadowing and practicality of marina and orientation will continue to be ignored. Despite these continuing concerns from the planning professions and the selected advisory Peer Review – some challenging the very substance of what is to be Perth’s most ambitious addition to the city master plan, some opposing in principle sale of public open space to private enterprise – the project

still holds the promise of a number of substantial positive outcomes. Putting aside the issue of pedestrian and traffic conflict inherent in the new Riverside Drive lay-out, proposed parklands, pedestrian spaces and public space show promise of being realised as wellarticulated, self-sustaining additions to the city’s public space. Considerable design work has also been done on the pedestrian layers of the scheme still holding the promise of state of the art, best practice urban design outcomes. But the success of the project will not depend only on government control and design input on the street and remaining public space. It is the nature of development on the mega blocks destined for private tender that will determine, in great part, the success of the Foreshore Redevelopment. History shows that even with extensive planning guidelines, which Government can and is likely to put in place, the private developer more often than not will succeed in modifying them for reasons of ‘commercial reality’. East Perth Redevelopment Authority (EPRA, which has now been subsumed into the larger body of the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority) has set 20 years for the Redevelopment to reach completion, an estimation taking into account market sentiment, a demand

for apartments and offices, and a necessarily optimistic outlook for the mining power engines of Western Australia. But there is another more redeeming and assuring aspect within the project: with the best newly laid plans, cities have a way of changing in time, driven by complex interdependent forces of commerce, social fabric and, when afforded, the drive for excellence in design. After an extensive peer consultation process, the legacy of much good advice, many good proposals and options and with the caliber of the design team, Perth should look forward to a vibrant public place, well connected to the city, exemplifying state of the art best urban design. Like many projects of this scale, good outcomes in a marriage of government, private enterprise science and design, do not come easy.

Sasha Ivanovich is a Perth-based architect and designer. Note: At the time of going to press a group of concerned architects and planners are mobilising public support for a thorough re-consideration of the Perth Foreshore scheme.

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‘The ‘Monkey Grip’ hanging planter was designed to help integrate plant life into our work and living environments. The planter’s unique shape houses a water reservoir that recycles and stores excess water. With these environmental credentials driving the design of the product, it was important to have a manufacturer who shared these same environmental concerns. Palamont helped develop an eco-friendly product made from 100 percent recyclable material.’

Having worked & commissioned rotationally moulded pieces over many years, Andrew’s choice in selecting Palamont as the manufacturing partner for Limbo was a fait accompli.’ www.containerconnection.com.au

www.adamcornish.com

PALAMONT is a leader in the rotational moulding process, with facilities in Queensland and Victoria. Palamont have a focus to be adaptable, technically capable and driven by quality and innovation, what started for Palamont as a simple process of aesthetic tuning of their bread and butter products, and the occasional manufacture of short-run items for a handful of local designers, has evolved into a process of co-creation with designers, underwriting a growing suite of Australian designer products.

9 advantage drive, dandenong south, victoria 3175 +61 3 9769 2655 | adminvic@palamont.com.au

32 duntroon street, brendale, queensland 4500 +61 7 3205 1297 | adminqld@palamont.com.au

As a ‘Creative Enabler’, Palamont is an Australian business that takes a long-term view in their dealings with design. Palamont speaks about valuing the commercial potential of the design intellect as much as they do their own production capabilities. They are willing to embrace entrepreneurial design in a way that is of substantial benefit to all stakeholders.

Helen Kontouris

Keith Melbourne

Zoie - Planter and Light Series

Glass Series - Furniture

‘Working with Palamont on the Zoie planter started as a conversation & became a journey for

‘Palamont have an in depth knowledge of rotational moulding, and a strong desire to push the

both of us. We pushed the boundaries of this manufacturing method to a new level, allowing me

capability of the process. This allowed me to achieve an uncommon level of detail and finish in

to produce a planter collection suitable for almost any space.’

my Glass Collection furniture range.’

www.helenkontouris.com

www.zenithinteriors.com.au

PALAMONT is a proud supporter of ‘How We Create’, an inspiration and content website that showcases the step by step process of designing and manufacturing products for the Design and Architectural industries in Australia. Its goal is to connect, support and grow the Australian design industry, and to increase our global awareness and export opportunities of Australian made products. The philosophy is simple; to provide a content driven website that bridges the gap between Australian designers, architects and manufacturers. To promote conversation, collaboration, and innovation, while at the same time, promoting the services and opportunities of designers, manufacturers and architects. To Inspire the design community to push for local innovation.

Brian Steendyk - ANON & Co Anise - Furniture ‘When ANON & Co. looked to develop the Anise stool with its exquisite form and intricate detail designed by Steendyk, our choice for manufacturer was Palamont. Requiring a first class product that is world standard in design and production, ANON & Co. looked to Palamont for expertise and experience in manufacturing that the Anise stool demanded.’ www.anonandco.com

Photo: C ou r te s y of Dom i n ic E me schajmer

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sustainable practices indesign 209 214

Place of Metamorphosis rising from the ashes

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Place of metamorphosis Le Corbusier’s sublime monastery of Sainte Marie de la Tourette in the Rhône Valley near Lyon in France has long been a key stop on any architectural pilgrimage. Helga Othenin-Girard goes back to see how well the building has sustained itself over more than 50 years.

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words HELGA OTHENIN-GIRARD photography CHRISTIan SCHAULIN ach year thousands of people visit Sainte Marie de la Tourette, interested chiefly in the architectural heritage of Le Corbusier. Eight Dominican monks steel themselves against this museological preoccupation and cautiously open their monastery to the world. Sombre and grey, La Tourette braces itself between the hills of Éveux in the Rhône Valley in France. The stark u-shaped entity of the concrete structure, supported on pillars, ends on its northern side in a monolithic church set into the earth and following the slope of the ground. On its western side, the anvil-like form of the organ bulges out towards the gently sloping meadows. The monks’ quarters are contained within the two upper levels whose balconies jut out like concrete sugar cubes above the waved glass facades of the refectory and the common rooms. It is immediately obvious that this concrete enclave is completely inwards oriented and relatively indifferent to the rest of the world. “The aim wasn’t to build something similar to a beautiful woman,

something that lightens up your day when you look at it,” says Brother Oliver, a monk at La Tourette. “This place is like crossing the desert. It’s not easy to live here.” His alert brown eyes examine his interlocutor. He wants to make sure he is being understood. The eight Dominican monks living here are not some sectarian group that has renounced the world. Here is a daily struggle: with each other, with God, and with the tasks given to each of them to carry out. “This monastery is arranged as a process. It is a place of metamorphosis, not a place to stand still.” He was to build a church, pure and naked, with accommodation for a hundred bodies and a hundred hearts. That was the brief given to Le Corbusier by prior Marie-Alain Couturier more than fifty years ago. The 66-year-old architect and designer, then at the height of his fame, seemed to Father Couturier to be a man with a spontaneous and authentic understanding for the sacred world, a proven visionary who could forego current ecclesiastic typologies and still create a place of spirituality. A spirituality, it is clear, that wants to be conquered.

architect LE CORBUSIER location RHÔNE VALLEY | FRANCE PROJECT SAINTE MARIE DE LA TOURETTE

Previous Meditation chapel flooded with light Opposite Top La Tourette is located in a small vale Opposite bottom left

Grassed rooftops reference Le Corbusier’s Villa Savoye

Opposite Bottom right

Sculptural ‘light canons’ let light into the interior Below Glazing is divided according to Le Corbusier’s system of proportions

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This Page The chapel

is lit by a small gap between the ceiling and the wall. Slots with coloured reveals are located on the lower walls.

Below Right

A strategically placed opening allows light to fall on an open bible Opposite Monk meditating beneath a ‘light canon’

The initial impression of brutality is strengthened on first entering the monastry. The sublime unity of the four-level building, this powerfully elaborated place of reclusion and community, reveals itself only very slowly through contemplating the individual components of its stark interior. It is here, in the stark interior, that the powerful construction transforms itself and redeems the ‘poverty’ of the materials used by revealing the special sensibility of the building’s innermost structure. The wave-like glazing, the ondulatoires (rhythmically designed window panes) of the monastery’s atrium and the ‘Mondrian facade’ of the refectory bathe the galleries and rooms in an eternal play of light and shadow. The composition of the various façade bearers plays with the compression between inside and outside. This poetry of light, which is so hard to fathom and which penetrates the heart, is a source of constant frustration. “There are places in this house which are illuminated by the light only once a year,” says Brother Olivier. “If you are not around then, you have to wait another year. That’s truly an exercise in dedication and humility.”

Over the past two years, Brother Olivier has spent time re-discovering this wasteland of concrete and glass over and over again. In the process, it has become clear to him that, in the middle of this mathematical manifesto, the real task is to transcend structure to reach freedom. Without practice in the metaphysical skinning of the soul, the sparing nature and purism of this construction seems initially very disturbing. All the more protective is the silence that embraces the visitor. Instinctively, one starts to whisper, because any sound or noise would reverberate through the expanse of the building and make its way to the remotest cell. Walking through the corridors and galleries, one is oddly alone. It’s comforting to hear one’s own breathing loud and clear. And one’s eyes won’t find any distraction in the view through the light slots or on the ruptured façades. Brother Olivier knows about the unsettled feeling, which can be caused by a visit to La Tourette. “Today’s society is addicted to stimulation and emotion,” he says. “One feeling must immediately be followed by the next. But a human being needs silence and time to grow.” There is plenty of both to be found here.

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“ This monastery is arranged as a process. It is a place of metamorphosis, not a place to stand still” Brother Oliver

A hundred cells, each of them in the same way brutally free of any stimulus, offer ample opportunity for growth. The ‘Modulor’, which was Le Corbusier’s tool for measuring and determining the optimal configuration of the room, is based on a man with an average height of 1.83 metres. The result is a cell in which you can reach the ceiling or the walls if you stretch out both arms – a cell with a bed, table, sink and chair, providing only minimal space for movement. In addition, the spray-concreted walls create the impression of constriction, which surely can only be tolerated by the inhabitants through years of training inner expansion. La Tourette was originally planned as a school for students from Lyon, which is only 25 kilometres away. Being a symbol of the “grace of poverty”, it was supposed to send the Dominican spirit into the future. But, as soon as the building was inaugurated in 1960, its problems began. The crisis of the Catholic Church and the student revolution robbed the convent of its original purpose, and by 1970 there was not a single student left in La Tourette. “We had to get inventive because we didn’t want to give up the convent,” Brother Olivier observes. “After all, this is not a Le Corbusier museum, but our home.” To survive economically, La Tourette had to open itself up to the world. A cultural centre added in 2002 provides, together with the Dominicans, activities around spiritual and architectural topics. Furthermore, an increasing number of people take the opportunity to share the life of the community for a limited time. At the cell door, the hectic daily grind is exchanged for a temporary escape. Brother Olivier tugs at his white frock and lifts his shoulders up towards his head. In the evening, a cold wind whistles through the cracks in the facade. “Life in this house requires a discipline from us, and we have to commit to that every day anew. For the brotherly life, the discussions, the different opinions or even the lonely nights. There is no obligation, only choice. That’s part of our encounter with God. That’s our freedom.” The gaunt man has a message, which he is representing in a gentle but assertive way. “This cannot be taught – one has to experience it.”

Helga Othenin-Girard is a television and print journalist based in Hamburg, Germany. Original text in German. Translated by Adele Troeger.

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rising from the ashes When the University of Queensland’s Centre for Marine Studies on remote Heron Island burnt down in 2007, dm2architecture were given a rare opportunity to refine and improve their design, while re-using elements from the original project. hen a phone call came through on 30 March 2007 that a fire had broken out in the University of Queensland’s Centre for Marine Studies on Heron Island, architect Brad Muller’s first thought was that someone was having an early April Fools’ Day joke. Muller, then of Brisbane’s Dimitriou Architects + Interior Designers, had worked on the station’s first major re-build, which was completed just two years before. But when April Fools’ Day 2007 dawned, it was clear that all of the new work had been reduced to ashes. “I had thought that when people started demolishing your work it was time to retire,” he says with a laugh. The fire, sparked by an electrical fault in one of the laboratories, broke out only a week after Muller and his business partner, Jono Medhurst, bought the practice and re-named it dm2architecture. Along with being the obvious choice to re-design Mark II of the research station, there were some other upsides. One was that the logistics of building in such a remote and fragile location, part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, were still fresh in Muller’s mind and didn’t have to be re-invented. The second was that the project could be further refined and improved. “It gave us a very rare opportunity to re-design and change anything that wasn’t working as well as it could,” recalls Muller. “But we were pleasantly surprised that the university was happy with the core of the original project and wanted to re-create it. The only changes we made were to increase the teaching space, re-locate the aquarium, and integrate the administration facility into the new site. So the project grew a bit.” One unusual challenge on Heron Island is that any building work must take place within just several months of the year, as various animals, such as mutton birds, noddy terns and turtles, use the island as nesting grounds or a stop-over point on annual migrations. Because of the activities of these protected animals on the island, existing vegetation had to be retained, all new building work had to be elevated on piers, and the building work generally had to be completed between 30 April and early October. The previous re-build had been confined to these months and had stretched over three years, but the University of Queensland could not be without the marine research facilities for another extended period. With the fire occurring near the start of the building opportunity window, a way to extend it had to be found that would suit all parties.

“We came to the conclusion that if we treated it as an inner-city site where a podium is built to the boundary and then a tower is erected on top, we could get all the ground works done by the end of October,” says Muller. “Then we could start erecting through the traditional non-build period because everything was elevated off the ground and the potential for impacting on the wildlife was considered to be negated.” Luckily the existing timber piers were found to be structurally sound below ground level, so new concrete caps were manufactured on site and attached to the top of the original piers. “Then we identified what new piers were required and how we could configure the different areas to make them work,” says Muller. “It was challenging but also satisfying to see how we could reuse these things and save ourselves a lot of money as well.”

Below Materials used are low maintenance and largely fire retardant Right The residential and research buildings form a complex on the island Below Right Exterior spaces are an important feature of the design

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words JENNA REED BURNS photography SCOTT BURROWS architects DM2Architecture location Heron Island | Aus PROJECT Centre for Marine Studies, Heron Island

The university refitted some remaining buildings as laboratories and erected tent cities to house students so that research work could continue while the building work began. Clearing the site took two months, with all contaminated material having to be returned to approved mainland sites. Following this, the reconstruction work began. Where the previous design had embodied an island sensibility of timber and tin, utilising lightweight materials such as ply sheeting that could be erected by a couple of chippies, the second iteration was more conscious of fireretardant and low-maintenance materials, and cost. “We used a mix of fibro, polycarbonate and Colorbond sheeting to break up the buildings’ forms, and also played around with texture and sunlight, using oversized battens to cast shadows and subtle shifts of colour to provide a quasi-Mondrian effect,” says Muller of the design. “The way we could do it efficiently was to create standardised modules, so a lot of details were developed for the first building and then rolled out across the site.” The first stage to be handed over, just a little over a year after the fire, was the student accommodation and a new staff duplex. Nine months later, in early 2009, the expanded teaching and laboratory buildings

were opened. Then more funds became available, allowing three 1960s asbestos buildings housing researchers to be replaced, along with the installation of a new infrastructure corridor — a covered precast concrete culvert which runs through the entire site providing a fire-retardant boardwalk and housing water, power and gas supplies. Just one month after completing the main part of the second re-build, Muller received word that a cyclone was bearing down on the island, threatening to destroy his team’s work for the second time. Fortunately it ran out of steam before reaching the island. Muller still remains philosophical. “I’d like to think that we’d be called upon when anything needs updating, adding, or re-building.”

Jenna Reed Burns is Brisbane Contributing Editor for Indesign magazine. The re-design of Heron Island’s research station won the Qld AIA 2011 Colorbond award.

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One last thing DESIGNERs Danny Gasser & Ole Stockhausen Work ‘Aeratron’ ceiling fan Contact Aeratron.com.au Available From workshopped, Koda Lighting & Corporate culture

In 2007, Danny Gasser (pictured right) and Ole Stockhausen (pictured left) began asking architects what stops them from specifying ceiling fans in their projects. The answers were simple: ceiling fans are noisy, wobbly, and unaesthetic, and people do not like to sit in a strong wind tunnel. So, the duo decided to radically re-imagine the shape and technology of the ceiling fan, bringing it into alignment with the natural world. The result is ‘Aeratron’, whose optimised 3D aerofoil blades – the result of bionic engineering inspired by bird wings – are beautiful, silent and efficient. In addition, the contours of the blades, with their small winglets, are designed to minimise air drag, creating an even air flow suitable for any commercial or retail space. “We wanted to create something different, meaningful and timeless,” says Stockhausen. The sleek fan has also picked up a host of design-related awards. Most recently, ‘Aeratron’ was awarded Honorable Mention in the Green Dot Awards – selected from over 500 entries from 25 countries. The fan was honoured for its commitment to reducing energy consumption, working with indoor cooling and heating systems to reduce power consumption by up to 50%. “We have very happy customers,” says Gasser. “They tell us that they were desperately searching for beautifully designed ceiling fans which also perform well. Now they have a solution.”

Photography: Florian Groehn Text: Mandi Keighran indesignlive.com

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