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ISSUE #108 | CELEBRATING 22 YEARS OF REVIEWING INTERIOR DESIGN

#107 | NOV-DEC 2019 AUD$15.95

2019 winners

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C O N T E NTS

IS S U E 108

PROJECTS 616876849296-

Doherty Design Studio Marquise Greg Natale James Said & Le Plonc, Melbourne WOWOWA Keano warehouse HASSELL Di Stasio Città Cera Stribley Thinkerbell Flack Studio Castorina & Co.

PRODUCTS

Insight: Residential 110- Folio show 112- Spotlight: Miele 114- Spotlight: Laufen 105-

Keano warehouse by WOWOWA (p76). Image Martina Gemmola

Editorial 17- Editorial: Elisa Scarton 14-

NEWS 1820-

222830-

Contributors Read: Four Books In Review: Lines and Tangles Dateline Designwall

INSIDE ADVISOR

Interstudio 38- Haymes Paint

36-

INSIDE ADVISERS An inside adviser is a partner organisation that collaborates with inside on content for the magazine. This issue’s thought leaders are, Michele Kearney, director Interstudio (1) and Tim Haymes, director Haymes Paint (2).

PEOPLE

Proﬁle: Hee Welling 44- Practice: Dale Hardiman 48- At Home: Dan Cox, Carr and Jamie McGibbon 40-

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IDEA 2019 117- IDEA 2019 jury report and jury 118- Overall Winner 120- Gold Medal 122- Designer of the Year 124- Emerging Designer 126- Sustainability 130- Hospitality 134- Retail 138- Residential Single 142- Residential Multi 146- Residential Decoration 150- Colour 154- Object, Furniture & Lighting: Professional 158- Object, Furniture & Lighting: Rising 162- Public Space 166- Institutional 170- Workplace Over 1000sqm 174- Workplace Under 1000sqm 178- Event 182- International 186- Editors’ Medal 116-

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E D I TO R I A L

And so we come to the last issue of inside for the year and along with the wonderful projects and reviews we also present the winners and highly commended projects and practices of IDEA 2019. What a fabulous showcase of talent graces the pages of this magazine, where the best designs and designers have achieved the pinnacle of peer approval through the rigour of the IDEA awards. It has been a year of outstanding design and even though we have said this each year, the design bar has now been set at its highest point, and there is no doubt that Australian creatives are well and truly among the best in the world. We thank our incredible sponsors who enable the awards to grow and present the best of the best that the design community has to offer at the awards gala ceremony, within the magazine and online through ADR. Your support enables IDEA to grow, be sustained and strengthen every year. Besides naming and applauding the winners and highly commended from IDEA 2019’s 15 categories and five special awards, this issue also presents an array of news, profiles and projects that all have one thing in common, they are special in aesthetics, form and function. There is a review of Dianna Snape’s first solo photographic exhibition Lines and Tangles (p22) and profiles of two very different but exceptionally talented furniture designers, Dale Hardiman (p44) and Hee Welling (p40) and in At Home, we vicariously journey through the private world of Carr’s Dan Cox and partner Jamie McGibbon (p48). Our sensational group of projects covers the best places to eat, live, shop and work with HASSELL’s design for the city restaurant Di Stasio Città (p84), Greg Natale’s glamorous showroom and Le Plonc restaurant for James Said (p68) and a very grown up workplace interior for Thinkerbell from Cera Stribley (p92). We also feature Flack Studio’s Castorina & Co. (p96), a showroom with drama and poise, a residence by WOWOWA that puts the ‘wow’

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back into an inner city warehouse (p76) and there is a little slice of baby heaven with Marquise’s ﬂagship store, an exemplar of tiny fashion, with interior design by Doherty Design Studio (p61). This is an issue that will transport you, inform you and we hope delight you, but this is also our last issue as co-editors of inside. We would like to take this opportunity to thank every designer, architect, object maker, photographer and writer that it has been our privilege to work with throughout the past six years. We have utterly enjoyed our time at the helm of this wonderful magazine and now it’s time to start a new phase in both our lives. We would also like to wish you a very safe and happy Christmas and the most relaxing and enjoyable of New Years with family and friends. Thank you for your contribution as readers and supporters of inside; we have been truly honoured to collaborate, engage, feature and, most of all, enjoy your company.

Jan and Gillian

Here today. Here tomorrow. Celebrating 75 years.

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DESIGN

Joanne Davies

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EDITORIAL

Co-Editors

Printing Southern Colour

Jan Henderson

PUBLISHING

jan.henderson@niche.com.au

+61 412 198 156 Gillian Serisier gillian.serisier@niche.com.au

+61 416 025 195 Incoming Editor Elisa Scarton

Chairman Nicholas Dower Managing Director Paul Lidgerwood Publisher & Commercial Director Joanne Davies

elisa.scarton@niche.com.au

+61 3 9948 4973 Correspondents Queensland Michelle Bailey Asia-Paciﬁc Sarah Hetherington North America David Sokol Europe Joy Weideman

cover—Dangrove Art Storage Facility by Tzannes. image—Ben Guthrie

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signing the entry form all entrants warrant that they have permission from all parties including clients, copyright holders and collaborators allowing inside and its par tners to publish their work in the shortlist categories, the inside IDEA 2019 Special Edition and any associated promotional material, posters etc. including the IDEA 2019 website, without limitation. 7. By signing the entry form you indemnify Niche Media, inside IDEA 2019, its employees and ag e nt s a n d s u p p o r tin g p a r tn e r s fro m a ny liability for wrongful use or misrepresentation of the works submitted. You assert that you are the author of the work and own the intellectual and moral rights to the work under the Copyright Act. Wrongful assertion of such rights will render the entry invalid and the entrant accepts all liability for any claim for damages or loss resulting from such wrongful assertion. 8. By signing the entry you assert the truthfulness of this information and assign copyright in this text to Niche Media, further authorising the editing and publication of this synopsis by inside and its partners in the shortlist categories, the inside IDEA 2019 Special Edition and any associated promotional material, posters etc. including the inside IDEA 2019 website, without limitation. 9. All entrants must provide details of the commissioning client

and obtain their permission to enter the project into the awards. 10. In the event that an entry is subsequently found to breach any of the terms and conditions of entry it will be ruled invalid and withdrawn from consideration for an award. 11. In the event that an award winner is subsequently found to breach the terms and conditions of entry their work may be ruled invalid and the award deemed null and void. The entrant will be liable for any costs incurred and must return the prize(s) received. 12. Judges reserve the right at all times to determine whether an entry qualiﬁ es as an acceptable work within the category for which it is submitted. Works the judges deem not acceptable will be ruled invalid. 13. Terms and conditions may be amended, deleted or added from time to time at our discretion and we will publish the revised terms and conditions on the website. By checking the box on the entry form you agree to the full terms and conditions so read them carefully. 14. All judges’ decisions are ﬁ nal and no correspondence will be entered into relating to the judging process or the outcome. 15. Privacy Information. inside , Niche & IDEA 2019 maintain a database of registered details. We may send you promotional material or pass your information to other companies that support inside IDEA 2019.

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Notice: Statements and opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher. All material is copyright. No responsibility is accepted by the publishers for the accuracy of the information contained in the text, illustrations or advertisements.

inside ISSN 1326 9631 © 2019 Niche Media PTY LTD. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, internet, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publishers. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this publication, the publishers accept no responsibility or liability for any errors, omissions or resultant consequences including any loss or damage arising from reliance on information in this publication. the views expressed in this publication are not necessarily endorsed by the editor, publisher or Niche Media PTY LTD.

Architecture and Design Division: Linking Design and Business inside Interior Design Review is a publication of Niche Media Pty Ltd ABN 13 064 613 529 Suite 2.02, 3 Bowen Crescent, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Tel 03 9948 4900 Fax 03 9948 4999

NICHE MEDIA PRIVACY POLICY This issue of inside Interior Design Review may contain oﬀers, competitions, surveys, subscription of fers and premiums that, if you choose to participate, require you to provide information about yourself. if you provide information about yourself to Niche Media, Niche Media will use the information to provide you with the products or services you have requested (such as subscriptions). We m ay a l s o p r ov i d e t h i s i nfo r m at i o n to contractors who provide the products and services on our behalf (such as mail houses and suppliers of

subscriber premiums and promotional prizes). We do not sell your information to third parties under any circumstances, however the suppliers of some of these products and services may retain the information we provide for future activities of their own, including direct marketing. Niche Media will also retain your information and use it to inform you of other Niche Media promotions and publications from time to time. If you would like to know what information niche media holds about you please contact the privacy oﬃcer, Niche Media PTY LTD, 3 Bowen Crescent Melbourne VIC 3004. IDEA 19 TERMS AND CONDITIONS 1. Niche Media and its partners will not be held responsible for any loss, damage or non-receipt of entries however so caused. 2. Entries will not be returned. 3. Each category has specific criteria for entry with which you must comply. Items deemed by the shortlisting judges not to meet these criteria will be deemed invalid. 4. Submissions in all categories must be projects completed between January 2018 and June 2019. 5. All entries must be completed works at the point of entry. They must not be items created specifically for the awards, speculative works, client pitches, mock-ups or other works not taken to final execution for whatever reason. 6. By

E D I TO R I A L

Introducing Elisa Scarton Editor inside and ADR I have only been at the helm of Australian Design Review for a couple of months, but already I am inspired by just how vibrant and thoughtprovoking the Australian architecture and interior design industry is. I was born in Melbourne, but spent the past decade living and working in Florence, Italy. Like so many Aussies, I was awestruck by the feats of the European masters who had a centuries-long head start. Returning to Melbourne, I am taken aback by how much the city has changed, how it has grown and embraced its identity. The last time I explored these streets, I was a journalism student at RMIT University, completely oblivious to the fact that I walked, daily, through the doors of one of the city’s most iconic buildings – Ashton Raggatt McDougall’s Storey Hall – and its whimsically nicknamed extension, The Green Brain. As a lover of design even then, I was caught up in the majesty of Gaudí’s La Sagrada Familia, the playfulness of Gehry’s Dancing House, blind to impressive buildings under my very nose. Sometimes as Australians, we overlook our own identity in favour of mimicking a style that is older and, in our eyes, more valuable, forgetting that age is just a number. In Europe, I grew up, became an assistant editor and learned the delights of the Australian spirit, and it is with great pleasure that I accept the role as editor at both Australian Design Review and inside.

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What an exciting time it is for Australian architecture and interior design! Yes, AI is breathing down our necks, but we are coming into our own like never before. We are stamping our Aussie identity on everything we do and the world is taking notice. We are recognising the incredible heritage of Indigenous Australians and how it must inform our design future, and celebrating the powerful contributions made daily by the women in this industry. While I was not on the judges’ panel for IDEA 2019, I attended the awards and want to once again extend my congratulations to all the shortlisted and winning entries. I cannot wait to see and share your projects not just for IDEA 2020, but online and in the magazine, so please keep them coming! I take the reins at inside from the inimitable Jan Henderson and Gillian Serisier, who held them for six years. Both Jan and Gillian bought a passion to the role that I deeply admire and hope to emulate. But I also hope our next chapter will surprise you. I hope our writing and our images will entice you. I hope you’ll ﬁnd stories that you didn’t even know you’ve been waiting for and see Australian design that captures your imagination, as it has captured mine.

Contributors 1

1–Anson

Smart

As a teenager Smart aspired to be a pilot; however, after completing an aviation science degree, ﬂying and then living in San Francisco, he discovered a passion for photography. Many years later he is in demand shooting interiors, architecture and lifestyle projects. His aim is to make images that are modern and relaxed yet timeless and his work has been published worldwide in such magazines as Australian Gourmet Traveller, Vogue Living, ELLE Decoration UK, Town and Country US, Food & Wine, Bon Appétit and Conde Nast Traveller UK and US.

3– Dianna

Snape

With a passion for the built environment, Dianna Snape has been documenting Melbourne’s urban landscape for over 19 years through her exemplary photographic practice. She works closely with architects, interior designers, landscape architects and property developers to establish a visual dialogue that records and promotes their buildings, interiors and vision.

2 2– Sharyn Cairns Sharyn Cairns is at the forefront of commercial photography in Australia with a specialist portfolio spanning interiors, food, travel and lifestyle. She is committed to creating beautiful images that capture a mood and an emotion, playing with light and shadows to create levels of depth and distinctive memorable scenes. Her work is featured in international and local magazines such as Gourmet Traveller, Vogue Living, Belle, Elle Decoration UK and Dwell, and she has photographed numerous cookbooks for well-known chefs such as Maggie Beer and Guy Grossi. Sharyn is also co-author and photographer of the book Perfect Imperfect.

4–Sarah

Hetherington

Sarah Hetherington moonlights as an arts writer based in Sydney. She has contributed to a range of arts magazines including Vault, Art World, The Art Market Report, Eyeline and Artlink, as well as museum publications including Heide Museum of Modern Art’s Cubism and Australian Art. Having previously held roles as a curator and then commercial art gallery manager, she now works in private philanthropy for the Biennale of Sydney. She is also a member of the International Association of Art Critics (AICA).

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B O O KS

Read

Janet Laurence: After Nature Editor: Rachel Kent Publisher: MCA Australia Distributor: MCA Australia RRP: $69.95 More a magnificent monograph on a magnificent artist than an exhibition catalogue, despite the accompanying MCA exhibition of the same name. The essays are exceptional. Whenever there is an essay by Terence Maloon it pays to give your full attention and this is no exception. Choosing the Alchemy of Janet Laurence, Maloon skips through history with purpose and poise, with never a redundancy and always a fresh way to look at what we thought we understood. The book itself is a careful and considered photographic essay on one of Australia’s most important artists working in the field of plants. Laurence is also one of the few artists to understand how architecture and art work as a continuation or dialogue of form and visual language. Her installations and landscape work, for example, denote a layered and thoughtful response to place that subtly, but unabashedly, raises the concerns of this extraordinary environmental activist.

NEWS

Concrete Houses: The Poetics of Form Author: Joe Rollo Publisher: Thames & Hudson Distributor: Thames & Hudson RRP: $75 Collections are usually a bit iffy and a bit of the same old seen in a dozen other books. Not so this tidy offering from Rollo, where, as he puts it, “each has that rare quality that all good architecture exudes: grace of form”. These are breathtaking, unique, sculptural forms where the materiality has been used specifically to create the architectural line. Australians are wellrepresented, and compare favourably with their international counterparts. And while Indigo Slam (Smart Design Studio) and Peter Stutchbury’s Invisible house are expected and fabulous inclusions, there are also some unexpected projects. Arm Architecture’s Elwood house, for example, is buoyantly spectacular and a fine example of material being used to create a particular architectural form. Here, the form dips back into the house as support pillars flow as a continuum of the ceiling. From the courtyard the pillars form the enfilade of a palazzo.

The Breeze Block Book

Australia Modern

Editors: Sam Marshall and Maitiú Ward Publisher: Uro Publcations Distributor: Books@Manic RRP: $65

Authors: Hannah Lewi and Philip Goad Publisher: Thames & Hudson Distributor: Thames & Hudson RRP: $80

Ubiquitous to 1960s and 70s architecture, particularly in Queensland, and particularly to modernism, the breeze block has a long history of varied forms. Ranging from the standard building block to the triangular and floral filigree, the breezeblock is, to some extent, a polarising material. That is, it was. As Marshall and Ward argue, the understanding of what breezeblocks can bring to a project has shifted, with architects of calibre, such as Herzog de Meuron, leading the current love affair with all things breezy. Used to veil buildings, shed a dappled light, add textural intrigue and allow a breeze to enter a space, the breezeblocks of contemporary architecture are well deserving of their renaissance. The essays and history are exceptional as are the selected projects, which deliver diversity of both architectural form and aesthetic outcome. J Office in Shanghai by Archi-Union Architects, for example, has used single cell blocks in a rippling configuration, while Pabellón 3E, Mexico, by Taco-Taller de Arquitectura Contextual, presents as a shimmering golden form.

Arguably the most important book on the Australian modernist movement, with the two most qualified experts in the field, Lewi and Goad, proving themselves a delight. Spanning 1925 to 1975, the book starts with a parallel timeline of general events and design culture. The 1975 entry, for example, includes the sacking of Whitlam and the assentation of the Australian Heritage Act. The essays and projects are exceptional and, while the book covers 100 projects in depth, it also dallies with several hundred more. Moreover, the range and number of architects working in the modernist style is breathtakingly extensive. Granted there are superstars, with Walter Burley Griffith, Marion Mahoney Griffith, Harry Seidler, Roy Grounds and Robin Boyd at the forefront, but the book highlights many more including Bruce Rickard, Eddie Oribin, Dante Bini and, of course, John James, whose Readers Digest Building in Sydney continues to hold that a workplace conceived as a home is both viable and successful.

IN REVIEW

— 11 September to 18 December 2019

Lines & tangles

text—Jan Henderson photography—Dianna Snape

NEWS

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The images present a landscape saturated with the colours of sun and drought where only the occasional baobab tree grows and vegetation is sparse.

As an architectural photographer Dianna Snape is one of Australia’s best. During her 19-year career she has documented some of this country’s most iconic buildings; however, departing from her usual realm of architecture and interiors, the Lines and Tangles exhibition explores the astounding landscape of a country close to her heart, Tanzania in East Africa. The collection of aerial images was ﬁrst showcased at The Print Room at Gollings Studio, Melbourne and subsequently moved to the Melbourne Stylecraft showroom. Understanding that art belongs in a home, Stylecraft welcomed the collection to complement its furniture and objet-ﬁlled interior, and together the art and objects coalesce perfectly in sync within individual groupings or vignettes. The visually exciting exhibition of nine large-scale abstracted images showcases the 2850-square kilometre Tarangire National Park in Tanzania’s Manyara region. Snape captured the wild and beautiful landscapes from a hot-air balloon documenting the unique trails and tracks of migrating animals in search of water. The images present a landscape saturated with the colours of sun and drought – red, yellow and orange – where only the occasional baobab tree grows and vegetation is sparse, and the tracks and trails appear almost as lava streams carving their journey through the rough terrain and red clay formations. Each image is

above—One of the images from the Lines and Tangles exhibition in situ where the bold colours of the Tanzanian landscape perfectly complement the furnishings of the Stylecraft interiors

I N S I DE

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to meet Jac. Design by Schamburg + Alvisse

in itself complete, and encapsulates the sense of loneliness and desolation of Tanzania. There is also, however, a certain sense of serenity that a wilderness such as this evokes. Snape ﬁrst travelled to Tanzania in 1994 and has returned numerous times forging close bonds with the geography, people and culture. This exhibition, her ﬁrst solo presentation, is a labour of love that captures a little of the country that has become a second home. Snape’s ties to Tanzania are now more than just a traveller or photographer,

as she has become intrinsically involved with the lives of many of its people. To this end, the exhibition was a vehicle to support one community in Meru, with all proceeds from the sale of images donated to the Bassari Children’s Home that Snape supports where and when she is able. Lines and Tangles is a beautiful collection of landscape images that are rich in colour and detail, pay homage to the majesty of the African landscape and speak of another life straight from the heart.

I N S I DE

above—Detail of the Tanzanian landscape where vegetation is sparse save for the occasional baobab tree

DAT E L I N E

Dateline November 2019– February 2020

1. Cornelia Parker, War Room, 2015, installation view, Whitworth, Manchester perforated paper negatives left over from production of remembrance poppies, with thanks to The Poppy Factory, Richmond and The Royal British Legion, image courtesy the artist and FrithStreet Gallery, London © the artist 2. Rebecca Baumann, Radiant Flux, 2020. Commissioned by Carriageworks. Image Mark Pokorny 3. Installation view of Petrina Hicks, 2019 in Petrina Hicks: Bleached Gothic The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia

[1] Cornelia Parker MCA, Sydney 8 November 2019 – 16 February 2020 It is impossible to talk about Cornelia Parker without dissolving into clichés of hyperbole. That said, she is one of the best artists working today full stop. She is known for her extraordinary works that seem to capture moments of intense explosion as a still and calm event, where particles and time are suspended. Magniﬁcent and immersive, her works range from the undulating walls and ceiling of red, which on closer inspection are revealed as the paper remains of the sheets from which remembrance poppies have been cut, to the room of suspended rocks, each piece is an astonishing record of transformation. The exhibition, curated by Rachel Kent, will include work from across her oeuvre to include sculpture, installation, drawing, photography and ﬁlm. mca.com.au

NEWS

[2] Rebecca Bauman: Radiant Flux, Daniel Boyd: Video Works, Kate Mitchell: All Auras Touch, and Reko Rennie: Remember Me Carriageworks, Eveleigh, Sydney 8 January – 14 June, 1 March, 1 March, January 2021 Comprising a set of four exhibitions with four separate end dates, what is ostensibly the summer show extends well into the year and beyond. The commonality is the experiential, with each of the four Australian exhibited artists exploring immersive phenomenology to some extent. Perthbased Rebecca Baumann’s Radiant Flux is arguably the most immersive with ﬁelds of coloured light saturating the entirety of exhibition and event space. Using dichroic ﬁlm to cover every glass surface, the crossover and interplay of light creates a kaleidoscopic world of colour and light. The exhibitions by Boyd, Mitchell and Rennie round out the offering with projects of exceptional calibre. carriageworks.com.au

[3] Petrina Hicks: Bleached Gothic NGV, Potter, Melbourne Until 29 March 2021 Among Australia’s most celebrated contemporary photographers, Hicks has a style that subverts both advertising and portraiture styles to deliver a disquieting vision. The hyperreal images are undoubtedly beautiful, yet something of the uncanny is never far from the surface. The enigmatic portraits Lauren, 2003 and Lauren (eyes open), 2003, for example, have an unsettling quality that is both calm and questioning. Bleached Gothic is the ﬁrst major survey exhibition of Hicks’ work and it is a great credit to the NGV that the presentation has taken the large-scale works to monolithic proportions through wallpapering the images to ﬁll entire walls. ngv.vic.gov.au

[4] In Absence: NGV Architectural Commission

[5] Perth Brutal: Dreaming in Concrete

NGV Grollo Equiset Garden, Melbourne November 2019 – November 2020

AGWA, Perth Cultural Centre, Perth Until 3 February 2020

The 2019 National Gallery of Victoria Architecture Commission will this year be the work of contemporary artist Yhonnie Scarce and Melbourne architecture studio Edition Ofﬁce. As Scarce explains, “This pavilion does not recognise the term terra nullius – instead it celebrates the structures that were built long before the colonisation of Australia.” As such, In Absence invites audiences to better understand the long histories of Indigenous construction, design, industry and agriculture prior to the arrival of Europeans, including the permanent villages and dwellings of many Indigenous communities. The dark and enigmatic exterior form of the timber tower conceals a textural and uplifting interior, composed of two dramatic internal voids adorned with thousands of black glass Yams by Scarce. ngv.vic.gov.au

Celebrating the 40th anniversary of Perth’s fabulous Brutalist art gallery building by architect Charles Sierakowski, AGWA has an exemplar program of exhibitions, talks, symposium and performances. The two exhibitions are Perth Brutal: Dreaming in Concrete, which follows the history of the building, from the director Frank Norton’s dream to its current iconic status. That Seventies Feeling… the Late Modern looks to the art of WA in the era of the building’s conception with works by Virginia Cuppaidge, Mike Parr and Brian Blanchﬂower showing a clear departure from modernism. The symposium; Perth Brutal, offers a solid line-up of Brutalist experts and, in particular, authorities on the gallery’s architecture per se. artgallery.wa.gov.au

[6] Design Tasmania Design Tasmania, Launceston 5 November – 5 January 2020 One of the most wonderful gatherings of the craft of Tasmania, the exhibition, which includes furniture, jewellery, visual communications, fashion, textiles and objects, is a who’s who of contemporary workmanship. The furniture in particular is exceptional: lines are pared back and elegant, while timber is the primary material across the furniture offering. Gnomon shelf by Frag Woodall for Mr.Frag is a slim and beautifully resolved design that celebrates timber without a hint of the folksy. Likewise, Loft lounge chair by Scott van Tuil for Studio van Tuil is an exceptional design with ﬁgured timber the hero. muylatina by Liminal Objects is simply extraordinary, as are so many more pieces in this very ﬁne exhibition. designtasmania.com.au

I N S I DE

4. Winner of the 2019 NGV Architecture Commission In Absence by artist Yhonnie Scarce, and Melbourne-based Edition Ofﬁce. Yhonnie Scarce, belongs to the Kokatha and Nukunu peoples of South Australia © courtesy of Yhonnie Scarce and Edition Ofﬁce 5. Fritz Kos, Art Gallery of Western Australia 1979. State Library of Western Australia. Sourced from the collections of the State Library of Western Australia and reproduced with the permission of the Library Board of Western Australia 6. Gnomon Shelf, MR.FRAG Studio, Design Tasmania

D E S IG N WA L L

Ambrosia

Biasol Photography—James Morgan The popularity of bubble tea has been shaking up the beverage industry in recent years as the frothy, effervescent drink finds a market of faithful fans. Bubble tea is traditionally made with tea, fruit, milk or juice and little pearls of tapioca goodness. Ambrosia is the name we gave to a new tea brand and shop in an up-and-coming area of Shenzhen, China. The clients wanted an international studio to design their hospitality venue and brand, and engaged Biasol to help make their mark as fashionable, modern and mindful. Wanting to share an authentic taste of tea without the use of sugar, Ambrosia uses sensory loose-leaf teas and the finest natural honey. As Ambrosia fosters health, balance and happiness, we translated these values into the design of the venue with a material and colour palette as sweet and refreshing as bubble tea. The unique and impactful space has utilised handcrafted techniques and a distinctive aesthetic to appeal to the modern and mindful tea drinker. The minimalist form is based on the traditional Chinese courtyard houses and architectural gateways to achieve a sense of flow, while the soft pink palette creates a calming, sensory experience. Wooden arches with opaque glass panels frame the entry and service counter and are a contemporary nod to the traditional Chinese gateway, paifang. The long and narrow interior evokes the courtyard in historical siheyuan residences, where enclosed courtyards provide intimacy for family and friends. Rounded corners soften the feel of the long and narrow space, with a menu affixed to the wall at one end, and an upholstered banquette at the other. The service counter is in the centre with all teamaking taking place behind the scenes. The light and feminine palette draws inspiration from pale earthy tones and timber textures. Fibonacci Stone’s ‘Pavlova’ terrazzo on the floors, counter, tables and walls is an aggregate of sensory and calming tones with flesh, blush and salmon hues. Pendant lights above the counter are like bubbles rising to the surface, and a neon white light, ‘Be my best cup of tea’, reiterates the lifestyle that Ambrosia represents. biasol.com.au

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Creations that reflect the style of the office. Variety in compliant door handles that connects the built space with the user.

Welcoming designs for public spaces: Museums, venues, function rooms; opening doors to a new environment with style.

WHEN STYLE MEETS FUNCTION Proudly designed and assembled in Australia with Lockwoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trusted quality at its core, the new range of brass lever styles have been designed to integrate with the character of a building; providing aesthetic continuity throughout. Merging purity of form with function, the Brass Core range presents a large collection of compliant lever designs, that adhere to compliance and keep with the intention of the interior design. Door hardware may be the most intimate point of contact we have with a building. The new range is conceived to be both part of the architecture and connect with the user opening doors to new environments. To register your interest visit: lockweb.com.au/brasscore

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Ambrosia

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Ringwood

Alexander Pollock Interiors photography—Nicole England The project was for a newly married couple with children who were building a brand new home. Aaron Wong, principal designer at Alexander Pollock Interiors, was commissioned to design the interior of the house, which included kitchen, bathroom and internal colours. As an art enthusiast, the client had amassed many art and sculpture pieces and so the palette chosen was neutral to enhance and complement the collection without competing for attention. To balance out this neutral palette, strong sculptural furniture pieces were chosen with an assortment of different materials. One particular sculpture originating from Venice was quite kitsch and this was hung in the living area. Although this style of art is unusual, it worked well in the space and has become a feature as an unexpected design element. Adding to the interior layering, the inclusion of a variety of shapes such as round, oval, sharp, rectangular and organic silhouettes provide interest and visual texture. The hero of the dining room is the angel sculpture on the wall by British artists Masters and Munn, and another feature is the alabaster chandelier that adds depth and drama. The project was completed in just eight months, including the build and installation, and the finished result is a home that is bespoke and perfectly suited to the clients’ needs and desires. alexanderpollock.com.au

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Luxe Mall Amenities

Practice Studio Tate Photography—Thomas Brooke Photography Inspired by neighbouring luxury fashion houses such as Bvlgari, Hermès and Balenciaga, Luxe Mall Amenities by Studio Tate located at Chadstone – The Fashion Capital, elevates the humble restroom experience to a sense of inspired occasion. Including lavish expanses of Norwegian rose marble, chrome metal detailing and fluted glass, the new conveniences are akin to a high-end hotel, reflecting the desire to offer guests a truly world-class experience when visiting the mall. With luxury handbag as muse, form and flare on the outside and surprising detail from within, Studio Tate’s scheme ratifies a high attention to detail and material quality associated with high-end fashion. From the main thoroughfare a panelled corridor has been conceived as a series of spaces defined by arched thresholds and a graphic black and white floor, while glamorous lighting hints at the luxury interior to come. Decorative screens inset with stone and bronze-tinted mirror mark the visitor’s arrival, and there is a generous two-sided vanity and make-up station with stone bench and mirrors. Circular freestanding vanities are set within mosaic-tiled curved niches for a sense of individual space and a moment of reprieve from the crowds. Stone slab uprights, chrome detailing and fluted glass wall lights complete this space. Deeper within, a corridor of black toilet enclosures opens to reveal full-height slabs of Norwegian rose marble to the rear walls, a completely unexpected and dramatic gesture representative of new heights in the mall amenity experience. studiotate.com.au

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DY E L A B ( 5 T 0 41) I N F U S T I C W O O D (41316 )

We have revisited our iconic Dye Lab collection with newly curated colourways. Dye Labâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s palette draws its inspiration from nature, a colour journey which included the exploration of more than 20 natural dyes. Ancient wash and dye techniques are reinterpreted in this collection for an elegant, saturated and unpredictable visual.

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inside adviser

Specifying in design With the frantic pace of today’s projects, details like selecting furniture are often left to the last minute, creating headaches for designers and their clients. Interstudio’s Michele Kearney gives her practical tips to avoiding any specifying mistakes. When I first started working in the industry, a supplier would call a design studio when they had something new to present. The studio would set aside an hour and invite all their staff along to learn about leather grain or the density of screen fabric. In today’s time-poor society this practice has fallen by the wayside and the industry as a whole has suffered. I recently worked on a project where the designers ordered bar stools from a catalogue only to discover, when the stools arrived onsite, that they were too tall for the tables they were intended to sit under. They’d forgotten to specify the correct height! A SUPPLIER IS A RESOURCE Most designers don’t have the time to sit down and study the spec sheet of every product they intend to purchase for a project. The pressure to finish under budget and before schedule already equals plenty of late nights and rushed decisions, which is all the more reason to lean on a supplier. Designer furniture suppliers like me have been in the industry for decades and know our stuff. Like so many other facets of interior design and architecture, we are incredibly passionate about what we do. Interstudio, in particular, is committed to supplying quality sustainable products and

playing its part in making the world better and healthier. Suppliers are not just about ‘the sale’. They are rich fonts of knowledge on much more than what products suits what space, but the details of those products too. The correct thickness of a laminate top, for example, or whether that fabric will survive the foot traﬃc of the completed project. If designers simply request a spreadsheet of prices and available products without speaking to their supplier, they’re denying themselves a very useful resource. The suppliers aren’t the losers. They still make the sale. It’s the designers, and ultimately, the end users, that miss out on having customised solutions for their interiors. IT’S A PARTNERSHIP Ask any senior associate at a design or architecture practice how they got their clients. Most likely, it wasn’t over email. A three-minute conversation has the same eﬀect as 10 emails, so make the time to pick up the phone and speak to a supplier. Take the time to meet with them and discuss the project, the end user’s requirements and the budget in depth. Often a designer will approach me at the end of a project and ask for a product with a fourto-six-week lead time. It’s what I like to call The

Michele Kearney—director at Interstudio

Block effect. Designers tend to forget that not everything is available immediately. By doing this, they’re hamstringing their own project. Not only is there a chance the product won’t arrive on time, but the designer is also possibly missing out on ordering a product that better fits the project, that ‘wow’ piece from Sweden that would have blown their client away, but is not an option because of lead time we have been given. The reality is, with the construction time, there was the opportunitiy to bring that item in from overseas. When I speak to designers, I’m always suggesting better alternatives to what they had in mind. Different products, different finishes, an option they would never have considered by just looking at the pricelist. By getting in touch with suppliers early, a designer is opening themselves up to a world of customised options and leaving enough time to ensure those statement products arrive for the unveiling. SAVING YOU A WORLD OF PAIN One of the best questions a designer can ask a supplier when specifying a project is, ‘What can the product be used for?’ The nitty gritty of correct grain leather, wax finishes, fabric texture is no longer taught at

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university and many designers forget to consider the end use of their chosen products. Nobody wants to get an angry phone call from a client six or 12 months down the road because the finish on that table has scratched off or the sofa fabric has faded from direct sunlight. The supplier has spent so much time and effort training to get that knowledge so designers don’t have to. I believe in the collegiate nature of our industry. We want every project we work on to be a success and we are willing to give up our time to help. Tell us how the space will be used, where the products will be placed and who will be using them, and we can advise on the best solutions for the project With our knowledge, designers can save money, deliver on time, do a better job and foster a reputation that keeps clients coming through that door. So allow us to be part of the design process. At the end of the day, we’re here to make you look good. www.interstudio.com.au

inside adviser

Pedigree paints When Henry Haymes established his business in regional Victoria 84 years ago, it was the beginning of a company that has family, tradition and quality at its heart.

This year Australian comparison site Canstar Blue published its latest results in the Paint Ratings category. The ratings compared five well-known brands of paint and the winner, hands down, for the second year in a row was Haymes Paint with an unbeatable five stars in all categories – overall satisfaction, durability, ease of application, value for money, quality of finish and range/variety. It doesn’t get much better than that. But when you consider the long heritage and serious pedigree of this family run brand, it’s no surprise that it has quality baked into its DNA. It has to be said, however, that some people’s misplaced reliance on DNA nearly derailed the company’s success in the 1960s…

an early feel for the business and the importance of making sure a quality product was always the priority. Sadly Henry died when David was just a boy and the company was taken over by Henry’s brothers. And this is where the unenlightened attitudes to genetics and family came into play. As David was adopted, the brothers neglected to involve him in the business and he was left to forge his own path, working for ﬁrms like Paddles and then the famous Hush Puppies brand. David later told his children that he didn’t begrudge the exclusion, but that he suspected it may well have instilled in him a desire to succeed that was just that little bit more determined.

Haymes Paint was ﬁrst established in the regional Victorian city of Ballarat by Henry Haymes back in 1935. Today it’s run by the third generation of the family – Tim Haymes, his middle brother Matthew, elder sister Belinda and her husband Rod Walton, who is the current CEO.

SECOND-GENERATION SUCCESS In May 1967, however, the Haymes brand was in trouble and heading for extinction. The then general manager contacted David to see if he’d be interested in coming back into the fold. Entering at the foreman level to make sure he really understood the nuts and bolts of the business, David rose to general manager by 1973 and then steered the business onwards and upwards for the next few decades.

Their forebears had a paint and wallpaper shop from the late 1800s but grandfather Henry was always more interested in making than merely selling. He travelled to England to learn how to manufacture paint and then returned to Ballarat to put his new skills into practice.

In the early 1980s, with his three young children earning holiday wages working in the factory or front shop, the business was doing so well that David was able to buy it outright from the other shareholders and it has been a 100 percent family owned and run business ever since.

Tim Haymes recalls his father David talking about a childhood spent in the workshop, experimenting with colours and materials and generally getting

When it came time to step back a bit, while staying involved as chairman of the board, David looked to his family to carry on the tradition.

Tim Haymes – Director, Haymes Paint

“He said, ‘Are you interested in this? Because if you’re not I’ll sell it’,” recalls Tim Haymes. “And we looked at each other as a family and thought Mum and Dad have built something that’s pretty special and to just give it away without us getting involved would be wrong.” The fact that Haymes mentions both parents is testament to just how deeply this company is embedded in the family make-up. “Mum was a nurse,” he explains. “She never physically worked in the business, but she’s been as much a part of the decision-making, the drive of the family, as anyone. “Dad, being the businessman, gets the accolades in the local papers but certainly from our perspective, and those who know us, Mum’s as important a piece of the puzzle.” Haymes adds that the current management team see themselves as the custodians and leaders of a legacy brand. They hope that the next generation will want to take an active role, but they’re intent on building a strong team internally so that the brand is sustainable either way. Haymes is well aware of the superstitions about family run firms, how first generations often establish something, second generations build upon and expand the company and then third generations “generally stuff things up!” But he says with the history of his grandfather and the big gap until his father took the reins, they’re considering themselves as essentially secondgeneration guardians.

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“The statistics point out that 90 percent of family businesses that fail have nothing to do with external factors,” he says. “It’s all internal. Whether it’s succession issues, just poor handover or whatever. It’s really interesting. “But I think with good governance, good mentorship, good leadership, it doesn’t matter what generation it is.” FAMILY FUTURES With a current store network expansion underway, Haymes Paints will have around 300 staﬀ by the end of the year, working with over 380 distributors. The preference is to sell through independent paint specialists and hardware suppliers. The company has also started to export internationally – with particular success in Japan to date – and online is on the horizon, but physical stores are still vitally important for the company, says Haymes. “The paint industry is, globally, a really traditional industry,” he explains, “with traditional business models. And also paint is very tactile. People like to touch and feel and see what they’re going to put on probably their most important asset – their house or commercial building. Which can be a good or a bad thing in terms of the industry itself. It means you have to spend much more money on bricks and mortar, and have stores, and have distribution points. But it’s nice too that it is still that sort of hand-made, handappreciated and visually-appreciated medium.” And when it’s a product with a serious pedigree like Haymes Paint, that appreciation really means something.

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Hee Welling

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The About A Chair is arguably the new go-to chair for a high quality, comfortable chair at a reasonable price point. Marketed through HAY and in turn by Cult Design in Australia, it is the chair that has fame, well beyond the designer himself. And this is just as the designer, Hee Welling, would have it. With a background that starts with a year of art school, followed by architecture and design school, Welling’s degree then switched back and forth between the Royal Academy of Arts in Copenhagen and the University of Design in Helsinki. To say that he is grounded somewhat misses the mark. Rather, he has very methodically covered all aspects of design, including spatial design, plus a six-month internship in Vietnam, where the ability to engineer and produce at scale has left more of an impression on him than the country’s design aesthetics. Establishing his studio on graduation in 2003, Welling set about designing with an extraordinary degree of focus. As he explains it, Denmark had experienced a belle époque of iconic designs and iconic designers – a period that he believes can never be repeated. It was the mid-century era of Arne Jacobsen, Poul Henningsen, Carl Hansen, Hans Wegner, Børge Mogensen, Verner Panton and Kaare Klint. And, while Denmark has continued to produce great designers, it’s hard not to agree. Growing

opposite—About A Chair, lounge chair classic upholstery and slit table, Hee Welling, HAY, Cult Design. above—Hee Welling

up, Welling spent a great deal of time in his cabinetmaker father’s workshop. Despite having to rely on running workshops during the post boon years, Welling senior was a keen supporter of his son’s ambition and vision. That said, when Welling applied for university he was under the impression he wanted to be a fashion designer. Thankfully, the university had other plans. Starting alone from university, however, can be testing and, at one point when nothing was coming through the door, he instigated a ‘one design per week’ agreement with the shared studio and for a year kept this pace. One chair was exceptional and, naming it Hee, Welling took it to Milan where he was wooed by some of the world’s largest furniture producers. Then, along came Mette and Rolf Hay, who, having started HAY in 2002, were essentially on a par in terms of being a start-up. More than that, it was their passion that appealed to Welling, and so, rather than taking the path he thought he was following, he threw caution to the wind and went with his heart. The next major piece to be designed by Welling was the About A Chair in 2006. Elegant, comfortable, streamlined and exceedingly strong, it was the ﬁrst woodbased bucket seat to reach the market. The seat shape and angle were developed by the designer and studio

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below—About A Chair, Hee Welling, HAY, Cult Design

sitting in snow and taking casts from the impression. What they discovered was if you get the back to seat angle right, the seat is comfortable for an extremely broad range of body types. This, with the strength of the base, makes for a highly adaptable chair. Welling notes that once you have what you consider the perfect seat, you are really just looking at ways to deliver that. The next iteration came with a steel base and it is the engineering details of this version that make the chair so very, very good. Developing the piece over three years and trialling various methods, Welling’s primary drive was to keep the base as four separate parts. Effectively, this allows up to 20 times the number of bases to be packed into the same sized box. It also means the machining tool is only a quarter of the size and that polishing is much simpler. Waste is also exponentially reduced. The Hee Welling studio in Copenhagen remains small at three; however, collaboration is expansive with machinists, engineers and such brought in or engaged as needs be. One such collaborator has been Icelandic designer Gudmundur Ludvik, with whom Welling now has a practice, wellingludvik. As Welling explains, the idea was for Ludvik to collaborate as an ongoing business model; however, the degree of mutual respect was such

that Welling soon realised there was no hierarchy and a separate studio as full partners would better suit both parties. Similarly, this practice is focused on industrial design to produce furniture in the Scandinavian style of design. Over the past 16 years Welling has designed and developed myriad pieces, from the incredibly sexy Cone lounge chair to the cute as a button Roll trolleys. Yet, it is Welling’s ability to expand a design that shows his true longevity. Hee, for example, has grown to incorporate a range of different heights, widths and back detailing. Similarly, the About A Chair has been developed over the past 13 years (so far) to become the About A Family. In doing so the design has explored every conceivable variation on base, chair, lounge, table variations. More recently the Family has taken up variations of the classic and soft upholstered seat for a somewhat higher end offering. Again, Welling’s attention to detail is profound with seat feel explored to include different layers of foam and memory foam before an eiderdown layer, while incremental adjustments to seat/back angle and leg tapper ensure the same comfort as the original. And, this is another extraordinary element, the pieces are all, both of the moment and timeless, not a bad place to be in the post iconic school of Danish design.

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Dale Hardiman, design visionary Multi-talented as both a designer and an advocate for good design, Dale Hardiman ﬁts the bill as a design visionary from every viewpoint.

interview—Jan Henderson images—courtesy of Dowell Jones & Dale Hardiman

As a product designer Dale Hardiman is a success by any measure. There is the ﬂourishing design company Dowel Jones with business partner Adam Lynch, a talent for designing furniture pieces that crucially hit the mark of public desirability, and the curation of a plethora of outstanding exhibitions that bring together the who’s who of Australian product design - all fused together with the Hardiman passion for creating. For someone so young, it’s difﬁcult to digest the amount of architecture and design interaction and exposure that Hardiman has achieved. At just 29 this designer has a resumé that someone twice his age would be proud to own, but Hardiman is not just any designer. Let’s call him a maverick among his peers, willing to take a risk and also put his time and resources on the line. The journey began with Hardiman completing his Bachelor of Design (Industrial) with First Class Honours from RMIT in 2013, along the way gathering an Associate Degree in Design (Furniture) again from RMIT and also achieving the accolade of A Designer A Day from Design Hub, Department INDACO Polytechnic of Milan in 2012. After graduation and looking to the future, Hardiman and

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fellow RMIT graduate Adam Lynch established their own product design company in 2014. It is fair to say that in ﬁve short years their ﬂedgling business, Dowel Jones, has steadily achieved success not only in the Australian furniture, lighting and accessories market, but globally, and all from a factory in the regional Victorian town of Geelong. To its credit, and where possible, Dowel Jones utilises local artisans, who help produce the products, and the business has become a thriving part of the local economy. While establishing Dowel Jones, Hardiman concurrently began to explore his desire to organise and facilitate exhibitions. This helped to feed his creative passion and also bring together the many talented product designers from around the country. That’s not to say this has been an entirely solo affair, as Hardiman understands what it is to collaborate with the everwidening circle of friends and colleagues who share his ideals and ideas. The concept of exhibitions became a reality in 2013 when Hardiman collaborated with Suzannah Henty and they developed three iterations of Object Future. The idea of this exhibition was to reinterpret the gallery space as

a new platform for emerging designers and their work in order to interact with a wider audience. Then in 2015 and 2016, Hardiman co-curated two presentations of 1-OK Club 1-43 and 44-52 with André Hnatojko. In these exhibitions, pre-existing designs and specially commissioned limited edition objects were showcased and also available for sale. Working with Tom Skeehan from 2017 to 2019, Hardiman developed four different exhibitions, 26 Original Fakes, two AGM presentations and ﬁnally this year the critically acclaimed Welcome to Wasteland, which featured a diverse and astounding array of truly sustainable design. As Hardiman explains, “It’s not just about creating product; it’s about the community, bringing people together and allowing the spotlight to shine on the many talented creative practitioners within Australia.” It also says something of Hardiman that he receives no payment for development and curation of the exhibitions, but is driven to keep creating through his love of design and his profession. It’s a wonder that there is any time to think, plan and design with the busy schedule of events and interactions that Hardiman instigates, but design he

does and this year Dowel Jones launched four new collections, which include a range of stools, side, coffee and dining tables, pendant lights and the new Sister Double sofa to the Sister collection. There is also the partnership with the family-owned US manufacturer Grand Rapids Chair Company through which select locally made products are available to the US market. Oh, and not to forget social media. Hardiman also has his own Facebook page that informs followers about design competitions and exhibitions. Is there enough time to do everything that he wants to achieve? Well yes, as this is the man to make whatever the next vision may be a reality. As a designer he shines, and keeps inventing and interpreting objects as he wants them to be. As a curator, he is a powerhouse. As a design advocate, he is a leader and one designer who is helping to not only put his own creativity on the map, but also showcase the breadth of ﬁne product design from his peers. May he keep bringing to our attention just how good design can be while also reminding the next generation of product designers that success through hard work and giving back is indeed possible.

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previous left—Dowel Jones’ hugely successful Half Hurdle chair. previous right—Portrait of Dale Hardiman. above— Overview of the 2019 Friends and Associates AGM Expo

Eveneer Alpi Designer Collections Aged Veneer WoodWall Evenex Eply

Timber surfaces for creative space making

At Home — Dan Cox, director interior design, Carr and Jamie McGibbon

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inside co-editor Jan Henderson is invited to explore the private domain of Dan Cox and partner Jamie McGibbon’s innercity warehouse world and discovers a fabulous lightﬁlled interior for work and play.

inside: How long have you lived here and what drew you to the property? Dan Cox: We inherited the current interior design when we purchased the warehouse back in 2014. It was formally the MacRobertson chocolate factory (home to Cherry Ripe and Freddo Frog) and our interventions have been a very, very light touch, painting the walls white and removing superﬂuous elements. The conversion was initially undertaken in the 90s and the detail is quirky yet quite crude. What drew us to the property were the amazing volumes and elegant proportions of the entry opening and original windows to the street. Also it faces north; it is light-ﬁlled throughout the year. We love the interaction with the street; we are perched above a major pedestrian thoroughfare and I love the fact I can watch the world go by, see the styles and fashion change.

interview—Jan Henderson photography—Dianna Snape

When did you produce this design? We are about to renovate and the design to date has been an exploratory process, testing light, testing livability, testing structure, testing where things will

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grow and where people gravitate. It’s very vertical so understanding the modes of living were important – we want to sensitively adapt the architecture to create our perfect sanctuary, understand the context and adapt the architectural proposition accordingly. The design process has forced us to unveil the structural heart of the old building. What was the thinking behind the design? In all the spaces we have lived we constantly have explored the ideas of character, light, sanctuary and entertainment. We have never lived in a ‘regular’ house. I am glad we have lived in this new place for a few years, as our thinking for a redesign has deﬁnitely changed over time. We have been working on a redesign now for over three years and we are ﬁnally out for tender with the aim to start in the new year. Jamie loves the idea of home as sanctuary and that has been instrumental in how we approached the new design. This has been tested through moving and shaping the space and learning from our previous homes.

Are you a good client? Mmm, not quite sure how to answer that given I was the client and the designer. I think I have been! Jamie has had great ideas over the course of the design process and, while I became frustrated drawing and redrawing, I think what we have produced for the future is going to be something we are both proud of. Which is your favourite room and what makes it special? Hands down the kitchen and living space. We spend so much time in these spaces – the light is just fantastic, the volumes, the sense of calm and respite created by space. I also work on this level, often up pre-dawn and at my desk as the sun rises – I love the way the space comes alive and changes with the light. Tell us a bit about working with your art collection. Calling it a collection is maybe a push. We purchased the Peter Daverington from Arc One last year. This was our first and only significant purchase with other artworks having been gifts, limited prints or found objects. Which is your favourite piece of furniture and why? I love the Moooi Smoke chair; it was actually Jamie’s choice for his 40th birthday. My minimalist sensibility initially wasn’t thrilled, but over time I have grown to love its imperfection and the happiness it brings him. For my 40th my friends at Carr bought me the Flos Captain Flint. I love the way it can light the space and the artwork, but can also adjust and create intimacy within the space. Does being in the design industry, where you’re constantly looking at new design, make it difficult to choose products for your own home? No, I know what I like. I just can’t afford what I want straightaway. Sue Carr passed on one piece of advice early on – “sit on milk crates until you can afford the sofa you really want”. I quickly realised it was going to be a while to afford the sofa I really wanted, not to mention the dining chairs and table. The coffee table is sorted (we have a gorgeous B&B Alanda). I have a firm list in my mind about what I want for the forever home; it will just take a while to earn it. Also our AH Beard hand tufted bed – I absolutely agonised over this, the technical specs, how it was made, how it would be dressed, but now we are both so pleased. The Aeron study chair is a staple and I love the way the vintage ‘honey cup’ sofas envelop you and promote conversation when we entertain. Are there any loose elements that you change frequently and, if so, what are they? I’ve really taken to gardening lately. Like cooking it gives me time away from design, but is still creative. It’s calming and I can just forget about the pressure of projects and be at one with the space. We rotate the plants inside and on the deck, so it’s like flower arranging without the death of cut flowers. Further… we like to throw a party and our approach to living and entertaining is not to be precious. I want my friends to feel like this is their space – that they can use it the way they want. Let’s just say we are not a shoes-off household, unless you are dancing on the coffee table (and that would be for safety more than anything else).

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â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Artwork-Peter Daverington The Bowery, 2018 Oil and acrylic on canvas 102 3/8 x 77 15/16 inches

S H AWC O N T R ACT — SPO NS ORE D CONT EN T

How do our decisions make an impact at every scale? You could call this a marriage of the minds. John Stephens is the Vice President of Marketing for Shaw Contract. Shannan Billings is the Global Sourcing Director of Raw Materials for Shaw Industries, the parent company to Shaw Contract. He’s a former history major. She can’t get through a meeting without using the word “molecule” more than a dozen times. They share a belief system, an employer and their home. Is this a house united? Here’s what happens when they sit down to talk in an excerpt from Shaw Contract’s new sustainability Journal Two Degrees.

SUSTAINABILITY IS REALLY TOP OF MIND FOR BOTH OF YOU - AND A MAJOR FOCUS FOR YOUR COMPANY. LET’S JUMP RIGHT IN. WHAT CONCERNS YOU? JS Yeah, so the clock’s ticking, right? I mean last year saw the most carbon dioxide emissions in history and there were 18 billion pounds of plastic put into the ocean. So there’s this sense of urgency I think we all should feel because there are negative impacts happening globally daily. That’s probably my biggest concern. SB My concern is our supply chain, all the way through to the petrochemical manufacturers. They know they need to pivot. They now see there’s a significant burden of sustainability or circularity and that they need to make changes. They don’t have a really good answer at this point, but they are at the point of acknowledging that they have a challenge, and that they can support change, even within existing materials. They are starting to rethink their overall corporate edicts on profitability and doing the right thing. Over the next five, 10 to 20 years, that’s going to be an interesting story to watch. We’ve been doing this for more than a while at Shaw achieving transparency of all ingredients in our materials. How can we partner with them to accomplish the goal?

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE RECENT ADVANCES IN MATERIAL RESEARCH THAT YOU’RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT? SB Bio-based materials are very exciting, utilizing microorganisms to produce some of the petroleum-based chemicals in the marketplace. Those are some exciting advances as well as any sort of material reclamation, using larger volumes of reclaimed materials, much like we do with PET Resilient. How can we bring more recycled content to the products that we’re using? JS We launched a bio-based resilient product last year; our clients are asking for that. There are breakthrough new materials. But also, how do you take existing processes and redesign them in a way that is more sustainable, more responsible and improves product performance? As consumers, we want beautiful products, we want them to be sustainable and we want them to perform. Ideally, you don’t want to make trade-offs. WHAT ARE THE QUESTIONS YOU ASK YOURSELF WHEN YOU’RE EMBARKING ON A NEW PROJECT? JS For me it’s “why?” Why are we doing this? Who are we doing

it for? What kind of impact will this initiative have? What resources do we need to be successful? And then, how do you define success? SB What kind of assumptions are we chasing with the project that we’re trying to put in place? I’m asking about the “how” of it and the resources that we’re going to need. What kind of leverage are we going to need outside of the resources we have internally? What kind of relationships are we going to have to develop in order to see that project or that product all the way through to completion? And, how can we quickly remove any sort of roadblocks to further progress? HOW DO DESIGNERS AND ARCHITECTS PLAY INTO THIS DISCUSSION? SB Design reaches all the way through how a community gets built. When a supplier provides material that is healthy and safe, that helps create jobs and financial security for people and a way to improve their lives, expand their families and improve their communities. JS Several years ago there was an issue of Metropolis magazine with the cover line “Architects Pollute.” 50 percent of greenhouse gas emissions were attributed to decisions that architects and designers make. I think that was a wake up call for all of us. The more knowledge that we can share to make better decisions and understand the impact of those like climate change, like human health and safety, and the wellness of people who are in the buildings that we’re designing or we’re designing materials for. So yeah, there is a huge responsibility, but it’s empowering to make decisions that have longterm, global ramifications. decisions gives us both a responsibility and a sense of empowerment. What we do matters and what designers do matters. Our choices have long-range impacts on things. Request a copy of Two Degrees and view the full article by contacting Shaw Contract: www.shawcontract.com/en-au 1800 556 302

I N S I DE

DESIGN NATION — SPONSORED CONTENT

A local focus As the recently rebranded Design Nation expands its carefully curated local collection in support of the nation’s talented design community, inside takes a look at some of the newly added Australian-designed products.

THE MOODLUM COLLECTION Created by English-born designer Dean Norton, Moodlum is a timeless furniture collection composed of a leaning shelf, coffee table, side table and mirrors. Each piece has been carefully designed in rounded form deﬁnition to set the mood in any environment, resulting in a piece of furniture, but also a piece of art that merges with, and elevates, personal style. Made in Melbourne, the collection is crafted with highquality materials and designed to stand the test of time. ESTEEM CHAIR Developed and reﬁned over several years, the Esteem chair is the result of many iterations and subsequent prototypes. From conception to realisation, the goal of husband and wife team Elliot and Louise Gorham of design studio Apparentt was “to create the perfect package of elegance in design, simplicity for manufacture and comfort to function”.

makes it considerably more durable, and undoubtedly more beautiful. All of Apparentt’s furniture is designed and made locally in the inner Melbourne suburb of Richmond in Victoria, and the studio uses many different manufacturing methods, some fairly common for the industry and others that they believe “are wholly unique to our workshop and our products”. BEVEL PENDANT The Bevel pendant is a design collaboration between Gold Coast-based lighting design studio Fluxwood and Hammond Studio. The ambitious pendant features a sophisticated proﬁle shape with a custom ﬁt diffuser and contrasting cap in brass or black aluminium. Crafted in American cherry and skilfully CNC routed, the Bevel pendant is a striking and high-quality feature or lighting piece with functional up and down lighting.

The Esteem’s backrest is a seamless, ﬂowing curve made from a single, solid piece of steam-bent timber. Steam bending not only creates less waste and therefore a more

The pendant – as with all of Fluxwood’s products – was designed, manufactured and assembled in-house at the company’s studio in Currumbin, Queensland, by a small team

sustainable product, but the absence of joins in the curve

of dedicated designers and craftspeople.

DEAN NORTON designer

I N S I DE

LIVING EDGE — SPONSORED CONTENT

The World of Tom Dixon: Design has the power to create a feeling, to make you question the details and push the boundaries of innovation and creativity. It is a medium in which designers showcase their narrative and their personality – giving them an opportunity to deﬁne their own style.

A pioneer, leader and boundary-pushing creator, Tom Dixon continuously brings exciting design propositions to areas of lighting, accessories and furniture. The Tom Dixon brand itself encapsulates a distinct nature and a joyous, quirky and rigorous design. Breaking barriers in the conventional shapes and textures of lighting and furniture, the meticulous and exuberant craftsmanship of Dixon’s pieces are celebrated within the new studio of The Coal Office by Design Research Studio (DRS). A restless innovator, Dixon established DRS in 2003 under his design direction as a trailblazing creative powerhouse across high concept interiors, architectural design and branding projects for the spaces and brands of tomorrow. Against the historic industrial backdrop of Coal Drops Yard in the iconic area of Kings Cross in London, The Coal Office is the new home for Dixon’s latest experiments and collaborations, and a multi-disciplinary platform that puts the spotlight on innovative and thoughtful design. As one of Britain’s brilliant, anarchic and creative minds, Dixon has crafted a hub of creativity, combining a shop, workshop and office with a restaurant and café to showcase his brand’s latest ideas in interior design and product innovation. It’s a truly immersive experience, elevating our interaction with the brand to a holistic and spatial level. Dramatic and robust within the site’s existing fabric, the interior space allows Dixon to put his refined, sculptural pieces into action. Stepping into the doors of The Coal Office is a transcendent experience of past, present and future, where ornamental collections of lighting and furniture illuminate the space and highlight the brand’s ingeniously engineered materiality and craftsmanship.

As a multi-disciplinary flagship that encompasses the future of living, working and entertaining, The Coal Office works to redefine the way we experience multi-functional spaces in the contemporary context. Dixon’s vision is focused on product development and integration tailor-made for the multi-use, adaptive and agile spaces. Curated with furniture and lighting pieces to represent the story and journey of authentic design, the space encourages visitors to indulge in the brand philosophy and versatility of the new workspace. Consistently changing the pace in food, functionality and future living, the pieces on show enhance the workplace experience and focus on fashion, craft and culture as a collective movement. Statement lighting hangs from the exposed ceiling to create a visual beacon within the space. Defined by sculptural archways, each zone celebrates design through vibrant colours, distinct forms, luminosity and a multitude of furniture pieces. A veritable journey across the full breadth of Dixon’s creative spirit and distinct approach. Sharing Dixon’s passion for sophisticated and extraordinary design, Living Edge is proud to bring his inimitable work to Australian shores. Living Edge believes in brands that represent a lifestyle and a story. A new edition to Living Edge, Tom Dixon redefines the traditional workplace with contemporary pieces and elements that take the nature of the office to the next level. Driven by sophisticated design and exceptional, authentic and innovative spaces, Living Edge celebrates interior pieces that enhance the way people live in the present and for the future generations – synonymous with the philosophy of Tom Dixon.

I N S I DE

KING LIVING — SPONSORED CONTENT

Bringing the inside out King Living introduces the Zaza sofa and Luna chair, two new outdoor pieces that can withstand the Australian sun without sacriﬁcing the contemporary design of their indoor muses. Hot summers and beautiful furniture don’t go together. At least, that was the preconceived notion that King Living set out to defeat

King Living outdoor collection, which includes the King Cove and Jasper and Delta Outdoor, all of which perfectly integrate into the

with its latest outdoor collection.

new collection for a marriage of aesthetics and functionality.

“When it comes to outdoor furniture, Australia’s harsh climate demands a high level of quality,” says King Living head of products

“These new outdoor pieces have been perfectly crafted to embody the relaxation of summer,” says Hardwick.

David Hardwick. So the team made a beeline for the drawing board to design a collection that was not only resistant to UV rays, pool splashes and damaging coastal conditions, but looked good while doing it. Their muses? Two of King Living’s most iconic indoor pieces - the Zaza sofa and the Luna Chair. Both originally designed by the award-winning Sydney designer Charles Wilson, the masterly crafted indoor pieces acted as a starting block for the King Living team when it came to designing their outdoor sisters. “The Zaza and Luna are two of King’s most luxuriously designed pieces, so it made sense to bring them into the outdoors,” says Hardwick.

“We are thrilled that that Kings classics Zaza and Luna could be refashioned to suit the Australian outdoors.” ETO DINING AND COFFEE TABLES Following the success of the award-winning ETO desk, designer Tom Fereday has teamed up with King Living once again to weave the same magic into the new ETO dining range. “Bringing the range back towards the home is my favourite part of the new collection,” says Fereday. The new collection features the same unique detailing of the desk, including its sleek design, oval leg proﬁle, seamless storage system and power accessorising options.

The outdoor Zara features the same contemporary design and modular ﬂexibility as its indoor sister, making it perfect for warm days by the pool or lounging on the terrace.

The ETO dining table comes in two size options, making it truly customisable, but the Eto Coffee and Side Tables offer the same iconic Eto look with the added visual interest of differing heights, making them perfect for layering together throughout the home.

Its deep seats, elegant slender legs and adjustable arms and back are designed for relaxing in the sun, whether than be on an innercity balcony or a sprawling seaside backyard.

“With a larger range of ﬁnishes and sizes, the pieces can be used all together or as individual elements, each piece serving a multifunctional purpose,” says Fereday.

As for the Luna Outdoor chair, it boasts the same generous seat and delicate legs as its indoor version, with a beautifully intricate net-like pattern as its back and base.

Available in classic timber ﬁnishes, as well as luxurious Nero Marquina and Carrara Marble solid stone, the pieces exude purposeful design and celebrate the materials and manufacturing processes that brings it to life.

The comfortable seat pad is made for long meals with family and friends or something a little more solitary, like taking a break to catch up on a good book.

The Zaza Outdoor, Luna Outdoor and ETO range are available exclusively from King Living.

Both the Luna Outdoor and outdoor Zaza will join the established

www.kingliving.com.au

I N S I DE

practice—Doherty Design Studio | project—Marquise | location—Melbourne, Australia | text— Jan Henderson | photography—Sean Fennessy

Well-known for its online presence and product availability in exclusive selected outlets, Marquise has opened a flagship retail outlet in Melbourne and inside co-editor Jan Henderson takes her first small steps into a world where baby fashion and interior design combine to achieve perfect harmony.

Baby heaven I N S I DE

THE PROJECTS

As baby fashion boutiques go they don’t come any better than the new Marquise flagship store located in the Malvern Central shopping centre complex in Melbourne. This is a retail experience that is as much about the mother as it is the child and, along with an atmosphere that oozes relaxation and comfort, purchasing baby clothes becomes a pleasure on every level. Mardi Doherty, principal of Doherty Design Studio, along with associate Phoebe Lipscombe, has created a little slice of baby heaven in this new interior project that combines a fine touch of colour, thoughtful utilisation of materials and clever inclusions to showcase the store and, most importantly, the product. The interior of Marquise is near 60 square metres and the premises, situated on a corner, were just an unassuming shell before the Doherty magic was applied. In keeping with the idea of presenting a unique and experiential shopping occasion, the theme of the project is sophisticated, but also approachable and welcoming. Soft shell pink coloured textured plaster covers the exterior façade, save for the inset large circular window, which showcases product and provides a glimpse to the interior. Doherty has included a striking, cobalt blue, double-width door at the entrance with blue and white signage overhead, and the slash of colour differentiates this store from its neighbours perfectly. Within the interior, tiles have been used to great effect with large soft grey stippled terrazzo tiles on the floor (Fibonacci) and small, square muted pink tiles (Classic Ceramics) on walls, floors and shop fittings. To the right of the entrance, the porcelain pink textured plaster wall features a circular motif of small tiles that flows onto the floor and this imitates the front window within the interior. There is a bespoke hanging system of tubular champagne-coloured, powder-coated steel affixed to all walls and the free-form design provides ample display areas for the collections. The colour palette is baby appropriate in creamy beige and shell pink, with those highlights of champagne and the exterior blue utilised on two side columns to help define the space. To lift the ubiquitous pink and take the visual to greater heights (literally) Doherty has created an installation of intersecting blue, gold, orange, clear and mirrored acrylic geometric shaped panels, which have been attached to the ceiling and this element adds a certain sophistication, but is also a fabulous sculpture in itself. The circular motif has also been used elsewhere in the fitout, in lighting (Euroluce) and a free-standing shelving cabinet that can be modified to display a variety of product. Affixed to the back wall is a curved low-slung storage unit topped with a seating cushion and, opposite, somewhat reminiscent of a changing room, there is a floor-to-ceiling beige-coloured curtain that encircles the back of house area. This is a brilliant inclusion and the use of fabric helps to soften the interior form. Central to the space, and critical from the client’s brief, is the custom designed and made point of sale, gifting and display counter, which has been constructed on multiple levels to differentiate each activity. Placed off-centre on the floor and angled to the entrance, the elongated and curved plinth has been partially clad in square tiles laid on the diagonal on the gifting station and complements the textured plaster façade of the point of sale area. Another tall plinth with glass top is situated at the back of the store

previous—The entrance to Marquise with the stunning cobalt blue door. opposite—The exterior walls are covered with soft shell pink textured plaster and complement the inset circular window. above—A bespoke hanging system in a variety of formations allows for every collection of baby fashion to be showcased

I NS ID E

aboveâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;An installation of blue, gold, orange, clear and mirrored intersecting geometric shaped panels affixed to the ceiling is a sophisticated visual inclusion. oppositeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;The bespoke point of sale, gifting and display counter has been designed for multiple use in the compact space

In a successful project it is the little things that make all the difference and in this regard Marquise is an exemplar.

and serves to display all manner of items or just a beautiful vase of flowers. Every detail has been fully explored and resolved in Marquise, where each centimetre of space facilitates an opportunity to display product to best advantage, browse in comfort with or without a pram or just enjoy the seriously good, pint-sized fashion. In a successful project it is the little things that make all the difference and in this regard Marquise is a stand out. For example, a white powder-coated steel grid has been installed on the ceiling above the window display to allow for ease of use when changing the front window installations and then there is the meeting and merging of disparate materials on floor, walls and cabinetry that adds texture. Or there is the overhead lighting grid that has been installed to illuminate the clothing, but also adds shadow and dimension to the interior. Of course the interior is consummate, but so too are the tiny playsuits, sleep attire, tights, socks, vests and bonnets that are Marquiseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s signature pieces. In this store there is room to display collections for the premature babe or newborn to the toddler aged child and everything is within the eyeline and a mere armâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reach away. Every commission needs like-minded collaborators and, for the Marquise fitout, Doherty gives credit to branding agency Ortolan and her masterful builder, Super Duper, which not only expertly realised the interior plan, but also aids sustainable practice by reusing old shop fittings wherever possible. Marquise is a destination shopping experience and Dohertyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interior has been designed to delight, no matter the age. There is an authenticity of materials expertly applied and crafted; however, the real joy of this project is the obvious love that shines through the interior design, which speaks of young life, caring and nurturing. Marquise is truly a baby heaven and a fabulous place to shop.

THE PROJECTS

belowâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;At the rear of the store is a curved low-slung storage unit with seat cushion and to the side is the sweeping curtain that encircles the back of house area

INS I DE

P ROJ EC T

A Grand Dame Revisited

T H E P R OJ E C TS

practice—Greg Natale | project—James Said Showroom & Le Plonc at James Said | location—Armadale, Melbourne, Australia | text—Gillian Serisier | photography—Anson Smart

Utterly gorgeous, the result of the pairing of designer Greg Natale and design house James Said is a virtuosic exploration of Hollywood Regency that just gets better and better with the impeccable James Said showroom and Le Plonc wine bar and restaurant, writes inside co-editor Gillian Serisier.

I N S I DE

previous left—The intense blue of walls and lounge fades away to white as the hand painted ombre walls rise. previous right—Furniture nooks and displays sit within loosely defined rooms. above—The restored staircase is made contemporary, while scale is reduced through opulent chandeliers. opposite top—Switching between showroom and private dining room, the interior space of the vestibule is defined by arches. opposite bottom—In its dining room iteration the space is clearly separate from the restaurant, while affording patrons a glimpse into the private realm

THE PROJECTS

Housed in an old theatre in the leafy suburb of Armadale in Melbourne, the space is vast, really vast, at 1400 square metres with ceiling heights of up to six metres. Additionally, the upper floor ceiling is arched with impressive Heritage detailing, most of which has been covered for decades. First opened in 1912, the theatre has been through a number of iterations, including cinema, vaudeville playhouse, toy factory, auction house and once even an indoor ski school complete with ski slope, which is possibly when the ceiling was hidden. Greg Natale’s task was to humanise the space, and create scale and backdrop to the furnishings, while delivering an accord with the James Said brand. Heritage concerns were also addressed, with Natale championing the decorative arch detailing and bringing this lost element back into play. The premises are split over two floors – the lower floor houses the luxury accessories showroom and Le Plonc restaurant and wine bar, with a grand staircase cutting through the whole to the main showroom and interior design studio above. Tying both floors together are the pared back white walls and black stained timber floors, which on the ground level mimic the original floor of the upper storey. The lower level is somewhat more contained with high but manageable ceilings. A trio of contemporary chandeliers over the staircase are used to drop the height, while largeleaved plants (Strelitzia nicholii or giant birds of paradise) to either side broaden the staircase visually. The Heritage detailing of the banister has been restored and brought into focus via the crisp white walls. Natale is exceptionally good at creating context and here the era and particular style of Armadale is allowed to hold sway. To this end a large open corridor of dark timber flooring, golden pendant and wall lights and a hall table provide an intermediate space between the leadlight of the original windows and modernity of the accessories display. To the right is the first glimpse of Le Plonc, and what a glimpse it is! Hand painted ombre’d walls shift from the black of the stained timber floors to deep blue before fading to the crisp white of the ceiling. “I wanted to give the restaurant a strong signature that was very Armadale, and really make it separate from the Californian restaurants,” says Natale. A fluted wall detail provides a containing element and accentuates the colour shift beautifully, as does the furniture upholstered in a shade to match the deepest of the transitioning blue. Brass rimmed white Spiridon wall lights further envelop and posit this area as discrete. Within the Le Plonc space the blue is mitigated through a marbleised fabric of blues and greys used on the densely padded banquette. A full wall of fluted blue detailing gives

“You need to create a way for people to see that contemporary and Heritage can work together.” —— GREG NATALE

dominance to the enfilade of arches, while further into the room, and closer to the street view and leadlight windows, the mood shifts again with the blue intensified with lounges and lounge chairs of the same dense rich blue of the wall. The simple gold and white lamps are similarly escalated to a magnificent pendant feature of 12 Spiridon orbs. Looking backwards through the space, the same orbs run as a continuation from the wall to pendant in a straight line across the bar. Glass and bronze, the detailing of the coffee table, side tables, lamps, chair feet and accessories, create areas of reflection and absorption while keeping the palette minimal and rich. Having split the lower floor in two, Natale has designed the interstitial space behind the stairwell to facilitate both the showroom and restaurant. Obscured by a series of high slim arches the room is read by degrees. Effectively, the space is a continuation of the showroom where a tableau of lounges and lighting has been selected to wow, while deep gold upholstery gives the room an incredible richness. When transformed to read as a natural extension of the restaurant with deep blue chairs and white damask, the room also works as a private dining room. Arguably it is in

this iteration it is most successful, with the arches forming the architectural equivalent of a velvet rope. The upper floor is the showroom proper with its soaring ceiling heights. Rather than conceal the ceiling or play on the scale for a single grand space, Natale has designed walls and beams that create rooms within the room without negating the whole. The beams, while additionally providing a vehicle for suspended lighting, create a rhythm of human and domestic scale, whereby a bedroom suite is roughly the size of a bedroom and so forth. “It’s important to get that scale right so people can see their own home in the space and see that you can have a magnificent light over a bed or a stronger colour than they may have considered,” says Natale. Panelling to the lower third of most of the walls compounds the scaling device and gives containment and intimacy to each of the 20 spaces. Forgoing his usual white on white, Natale has used a slightly softer shade. “I love stark white, but went for cream to add intimacy, and soften the space and architectural lighting,” he says. The softer shade has also allowed a range of feature walls, including a corner of velvety deep blue, a vestibule of teal

THE PROJECTS

above—The restored dome and arch detailing brings the Heritage to sit beautifully within (and define) the contemporary. opposite— Shifting from pendant over the bar, to wall lamp in the restaurant proper to a grand chandelier in the longe, the Spiridon lamps provide variation and rhythm

Japonaiserie and a vast wallpapered wall of wild tropical foliage. In this area furniture in bronze, dark timber, cream and a soft mushroom beige works magnificently. As does the exuberant feature lighting seen throughout. “We’ve put in architectural lighting to focus on the product, but the feature lighting is allowed to be the main focus,” says Natale. Glass is a recurrent theme and one that dates back to the store’s origins. “There has always been glass with the James Said brand from when it started in Perth. I wanted to incorporate it beyond the furniture and really bring it into

defining the brand, while adding texture within the space,” says Natale. As such, all working design areas, reception desks and office areas use black and white glass extensively. The main counter on the upper floor, for example, is made of interlocking panels of black and white glass. “The office needed to deliver contemporary clean lines against the arches. It’s really beautiful and you need to create a way for people to see that contemporary and Heritage can work together,” says Natale. Housed on a mezzanine, with a massive arched window as backdrop, the counter and desks beyond read

belowâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Making sense of the vast space, Natale has created room sized zones that give intimate and human scale to the showroom

as symmetrical expanses. It is here that the restored architectural details are most evident, with the arches once again defined and sweeping, while a magnificent dome dips back into the room to flood the whole with light. With every project Natale undertakes, his ability to capture the clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vision becomes more apparent. Granted, there is a Natale style for which his clients seek him out, but underlying his aesthetic is a highly trained architect and interior designer who understands space like no other. James Said showroom and La Plonc are perfect examples of this superstar designer at his best.

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Warehouse 76

T H E P R OJ E C TS

practice—WOWOWA | project—Keano warehouse | location—Melbourne, Australia | text—Jan Henderson photography—Martina Gemmola | styling—Ruth Welsby

inside co-editor Jan Henderson visits a warehouse in Melbourne’s inner city to experience a new interior that has been expertly realised in both function and form by WOWOWA.

wonderful I N S I DE

Moving into an inner city warehouse from an established home in the outer suburbs is an exciting and eventful decision for many empty nesters. While downsizing generally means condensing living into a smaller space, there is also a new lifestyle to embrace, with more café outings and ‘out to dinner’ soirées that occur with the faster pace of the city. Concurrently, architecture and interiors should reflect the change of postcode and so it is with Keano warehouse, a perfectly formed gem with outstanding facilities and an impressive floorplan for this multi-level home. Initially WOWOWA was commissioned to advise on details such as paint colours and other incidental design; however, the client quickly understood that to maximise the potential and provide ultimate requirement for the family a complete redesign and refit within the spatial footprint was necessary. What has emerged is a family home that has been carefully and expertly re-crafted. The design embraces the existing Heritage structure and sensitively merges the new with the old to create flow and movement, facility and functionality. The warehouse is one of a group with differing spatial configurations that have been adapted for each resident and so it was with Keano warehouse where WOWOWA principal architect, Monique Woodward, has cleverly reinvented the ‘house wheel’ and also incorporated history into a new design.

The floorplan is loosely divided into an entrance with void, a self-contained unit, with bedroom, bathroom, kitchenette and living area on the ground floor, kitchen and public spaces on the first level with study, outside entertaining deck and master bedroom suite on the uppermost floor. All levels are linked by sections of the original staircase that twist and turn with perfect geometry and the existing hardwood floors have been retained and lightly whitewashed. There are natural slate tiles on the ground floor and, throughout, the original steel-rimmed windows frame views and allow light to stream into every room. Colours of warm browns, copper, pink, a flash of burnt orange and a mélange of taupe and cream feature, while white painted ceilings and white walls integrated with the original raw brick help lift the palette. It is the masterful use not only of colour, but of materials, however, that transforms this project from ‘same same’ to sensational. Take, for example, the kitchen and food preparation areas where three different Marblos (a polymer-based hybrid solid surface material) have been used to great effect. In the first instance, the Marblo on the kitchen island bench is all swirls of soft browns, terracotta with saturated pinks (Woodward has dubbed this pattern ‘chocolate mousse’) and it complements the ironbark veneer cupboards that sit on a pink pill-shaped plinth. With the addition of the slim lines of an extended overhead pendant light in matt black (Wireflow Lineal, Vibia) the total design is magical.

THE PROJECTS

previous left—The entrance hall is awash with colour and is the start of the journey to the levels above. previous right—It is the attention to detail such as the cabinetry and the use of different Marblos on benchtops that make Keano warehouse a stand-out project. above—The magnificent kitchen features a variety of Marblos that complement the warm colour of the ironbark veneer cupboards. opposite—The butler’s pantry behind the kitchen has ample storage and also features a concealed bar

It is the masterful use not only of colour, but of materials, however, that transforms this project from â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;same sameâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; to sensational.

THE PROJECTS

belowâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;The entertaining area is generous in proportion and offers comfort in sofas and easy chairs

I NS ID E

Behind the island another Marblo pattern on the main kitchen splashback and bench incorporates pinks and taupes with a whisper of brown (Jean Paul, Stonelux) to showcase the blackbutt veneer cabinets with copper clad faces; while the benchtop in the butlerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pantry is rich and light with an iridescent pink Marblo (Sydney Rock Pearl) that adds glitz and glamour. Beside the kitchen and dining suite are two entertaining areas. The first is a generous space with elongated curved dusty red sofa (Valley, Jardan) and comfortable armchairs (Oscar, SBW) grouped together on a Halcyon Lake rug (Trenza). The second, while annexed off the main area, is more intimate and features custom shelving in blackbutt

and ironbark veneer with a built-in television unit and Marblo sliding doors (Sydney Rock Pearl). Two high back moss green velvet armchairs with ottomans (Kelly, Jardan) have been placed together for easy television viewing and take pride of place within the space. Upstairs the study is contained on one side by a raw brick wall and a white painted half wall in front that allows for a singular vista of the outside treetops and roofs. There is ample natural light from the skylight above and with custom joinery (blackbutt and ironbark veneer); it is not only a room with a view, but an excellent space in which to work. The master suite is all that it should be with freestanding bath (grey mist, Sapphire, Apaiser), blackbutt veneer robes, velour carpet (Lotti, SuperTuft) and custom-coloured raspberry highlights.

THE PROJECTS

left and belowâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;The master bedroom features a free-standing bath and customcoloured raspberry highlights that add drama to the suite of rooms

Keano warehouse is a triumph for both WOWOWA and its client. Thoughtful inclusions such as the mirror-backed, brass detailed, red travertine bar behind closed doors in the butlerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pantry, ample storage in every room and the attention to detail throughout the fitout has been expertly designed. Downsizing it may be but this is certainly upscaling in amenity, functionality and beauty. Woodward and her team have applied architectural and interior design rigour to the challenging floorplan and Keano warehouse is indeed an exemplar in both substance and style.

IN S I DE

P ROJ EC T

Città

T H E P R OJ E C TS

practice—HASSELL | project—Di Stasio Città | location—Melbourne, Australia | text— Gillian Serisier | photography—Peter Bennetts

There is a fine line between what works and what falls flat when it comes to the theatrical that few can master. HASSELL’s interior for Di Stasio Città exemplifies mastery of that divide with aplomb, writes inside co-editor Gillian Serisier.

I N S I DE

previous left—The space’s materiality is defined by hand poured and finished terrazzo and polished plaster. previous right—The magnificent Murano chandelier was trialled as a one-to-one model in cardboard. right—The glow from the half tinted glass doors fills the vestibule and beyond with a rosy glow. opposite—Reko Rennie’s OA_RR_2017 video work plays across a vast wall behind the long expanse of Carrara marble bar

Art, particularly large-scale art, is an area where most designers are at sea. Again, HASSELL has proved itself consummate with an interior scale that manages to hold both monumental projections and intimate dining. Starting with a residential development and retail tenancy, the restaurant site was tenant-ready in plasterboard and aluminium. The client, however, was a known entity having initially commissioned HASSELL to create a pastry kitchen some years previous. With a driving passion for art and, in particular, the art of Reko Rennie and Shaun Gladwell, Di Stasio was never going to be an out of the box restaurant. Rather, both client and design team, led by HASSELL associate Di Ritter, were ready to allow the space to inform their decisions to effectively ‘feel’ the space towards something exceptional. “The whole project was organic. The way we worked wasn’t the traditional ‘do a render, make plans, do an elevation, get it built’. It was experimental; it was all derived from us running around the site pulling things together and experimenting with how things were made,” says Ritter. To this end, the space was stripped to bare bones of exposed concrete. To create scale within the extremely large volumes – comprising six-metre ceilings in the dining room and between four and two metres in the bar – the large portions were built at one-to-one scale in chipboard, including the entry hall and bar. “We moved it around, with a lot of model making – at first small and then life-sized – to really fully understand how the space would inhabit the pieces, and itself be inhabited in turn,” says Ritter. One such portion made at scale, this time in cardboard, is the extraordinary pale blue Murano glass chandelier. Located in the corridor leading to the bathrooms, the chandelier in a way exemplifies the spirit of the design, where “you get to enjoy all the different moments of the restaurant experience,” says Ritter. The corridor also houses a Reko Rennie artwork, a 31-piece installation, comprising small paintings and a neon work, which, due to the confined space, you can only ever experience as a single event by being there. The same artwork can be glimpsed from the outside, where a window is bisected by a concrete wall with the art on one side only. In a world where everything is Instagram-able and laid out to be camera ready, it is a brave design that posits experience above documentation. Materiality was addressed with an early decision to deliver the large moves with pared back clarity. “The exposed concrete is where it all started, and beyond that it really was very few simple solid elements. There are not a lot of finishes, but what is there is handmade,” says Ritter. The terrazzo floor, for example, was hand mixed in buckets onsite, churned and poured by hand with the care of artisans. Similarly, the plaster stucco walls were hand applied and

THE PROJECTS

“The exposed concrete is where it all started, and beyond that it really was very few simple solid elements. There are not a lot of finishes, but what is there is handmade.” —— DI RITTER

I NS ID E

polished. The result for both floor and walls is a very fine feeling of handmade perfection that is more akin to a beautifully tailored suit than an arts and crafts object. Much of the furniture is similarly handmade in Victoria (Dewhurst), with inspiration coming from odd finds rather than catalogues or showrooms. The chairs, for example, are based on an old Italian office chair that had horsehair and strings piling out of the seat. Obviously, the working versions are intact, but there remains a feeling of nostalgia and weight to the chairs that can’t be forged. Additional furniture was sourced from Grazia & Co. Spatially and dynamically the bar is physically balanced by horizontal weight before art and an angle create a soaring presence: “When you are stripping back to the basics you see things that are fantastic. The underside of the car park ramp was something we knew we wanted to keep,” says Ritter of the angled ceiling line that shifts from four metres on one side to an intimate two at the other. A long bar of Carrara marble provides an intimate and humanising scale, while also gently reflecting the slowly moving images from the wall behind the bar. Here, the large, in fact extremely large, projections of Reko Rennie’s OA_RR_2017 video work play a slow-motion ballet of bruised Australian colours. The three-channel work shows a graffiti-covered gold Rolls-Royce describing donuts on the desert floor. Drawing parallels between the obscenity of flagrant wealth embodied in the Rolls-Royce Corniche of 1973 (the artist was born in 1974) and the displaced Aboriginal people of rural Australia, the work uses camouflage to overlay the need for visible identity of culture – on a symbol of colonialism. Viewed from above, the landscape shifts from mauve, orange and green, to orange and then yellow as dust builds. Within the car, Rennie has a photo on the dashboard of his grandmother (a stolen generation Australian Aboriginal woman) with the artist on her lap. How the artwork interacts

THE PROJECTS

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THE PROJECTS

with the room, however, adds to both the experience of the art itself and the interior experience of the bar. Granted it is an immersive way of viewing the work, but it is the way the colour shifts in the moving image, that create colour temperatures that changes the whole room. On a technical note, the projectors are close to the wall to avoid blinding the bar staff. Lighting has been adjusted for day and night to facilitate video legibility and the actual digital films are extremely sharp to mitigate surface nuance of the stucco walls. For the dining room, the technical concerns were amplified from four metres to six, with the lighting (Clearlight) needing to pass through the projected image to the tables below. Occupying the entire wall, Shaun Gladwell’s Nancy Bird 2, which was developed for the project, shows a swimmer perpetually moving forward. The scale is even more exaggerated here, with the chairs and tables providing a lower layer of warm caramels and mushroom. The red half glazing of the entrance door pervades through to this area with a soft glow that warms the wall, but is negated by the projected image. It is an extraordinary manipulation of light that sets the image as though within a frame, when in fact all the walls are a uniform soft off-white. Another artwork by Gladwell, which shows a hand perpetually walking across a surface, will be rotated into play with time. Where the balance lies is in the design’s ability to support the artworks, make them the hero, then let them slide from and into focus as dictated by the individual. Effectively, the immersion becomes light and colour or image as attention shifts. But then the journey to the bathroom triggers the senses and brings attention back to the art, arresting the viewer again on return to the restaurant or bar.

previous—Shaun Gladwell’s Nancy Bird 2, fills the six metre wall of the dining room with a cool elegance of motion and image. left—Reko Rennie’s OA_RR_2017 video work imbues the bar with shifting colour temperatures

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Designed for success

T H E P R OJ E C TS

below—Incorporating the hot pink and acid green in soft furnishings in one of the breakout areas of Thinkerbell is both bold and ‘on brand’. opposite—The main working area of Thinkerbell with a visual of the glass box meeting room named the Think Tank

practice—Cera Stribley | project—Thinkerbell | location—Melbourne, Australia | text—Jan Henderson photography—Willem-Dirk du Toit

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As the first project completed by Lucy Marczyk in her position as creative director of interior design at Cera Stribley, Thinkerbell is perfect. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not to like about hot pink and acid green on soft upholstery, graphics and decals? But of course the home of creative agency Thinkerbell is much more than simply its corporate colours; there is homage to Heritage, measured restraint, unexpected interactions and a wonderful flowing floorplan to bring everything together. Designing an interior for a single level workspace of 600 square metres within a Heritage building, Marczyk, managing principal of Cera Stribley, Chris Stribley and their team have achieved a creative hub that helps to define this communications agency with form, function and flair. The premises were previously a knitting mill in the inner city suburb of Richmond, Melbourne that spoke of history but required major updating. The brief was to create open plan working areas for some 45 personnel that would reflect the brand of the dynamic business, but also allow for future growth and provide ample room to move and spaces for brainstorming and relaxation. From start to finish the

inside co-editor Jan Henderson explores the new workplace of Thinkerbell designed by Cera Stribley and discovers an interior that has been designed for success on every level.

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design was an immersive and collaborative venture where interior designers and creative communication designers met, and the distillation of combined ideas has been a great success. Understanding the agency, its identity and way of working was paramount. The premise of Thinkerbell is to ‘practise magic’ through the coming together of scientific enquiry and hardcore creativity. The name encapsulates this message and is literally a union of Auguste Rodin’s statue The Thinker and Peter Pan’s Tinkerbell. And so it was Marczyk’s job to translate these ideas into a functional yet fun interior. The visitor alights from the elevator at the entrance and the doors open to a waiting area located in the corner of the floorplan. Here there is no furniture and no reception desk, just a semi-circular faceted mirror façade to disguise a storage area for bicycles and two enormous stone boulders, ‘the thinking man’s stools’ referencing, Rodin’s The Thinker. A long hallway with grey carpet runner (carpet tile, River Rock, Shaw Contract) traverses the length of the floor, while overhead a fabulous awning-like installation of woven and pulled woollen yarn (Studio Peter King) provides a canopy and references the history of the building. To the side of the walkway is a black steel and glass box named the Think Tank, which is populated by custom-made, freestanding dark green resin tables (Tina Alesi) and Masters chairs (Kartell, Space). It is a grand space for a meeting, but also affords stellar views of the city beyond. Marczyk has incorporated a large decal on the entry sliding doors to the room that showcases the company logo of two halfcircular images of faces – one side a famous scientist, the other an iconic creative – in pink and green respectively and this becomes a visual anchor point within the entirety of the space. Arriving at the back of the floor area suddenly reception is in sight, and it’s time for the fun to begin. Here a 12-metre long hot pink custom poured island resin bench (Tina Alesi) has been positioned front and centre and encompasses the services of reception on the left,

THE PROJECTS

a full working bar in the middle and a DJ booth on the opposite end. This is one reception area that definitely stands out both literally and figuratively. It’s fun and unexpected with Hay bar stools in front and faceted mirror behind the bar to refract and reflect light and images of bottles and glassware. The meeting rooms and breakout areas have been placed around the perimeter, and the open plan work in the middle has long tables with bespoke black workstations two by two and side by side. Beyond is the boardroom with resin table (Tina Alesi) and chairs (client’s own) and another room, the Consumer Think Tank, for more intimate gatherings with staff or clients. Where possible Marczyk has purposely incorporated existing furniture into the design reusing the existing office chairs and board table while the original spotted gum timber floors have also been retained with walls and ceilings painted white. These neutrals complement two large bespoke box-like constructs in green and pink, which sit independent of each other and adjoin the open

plan workstations. The interior of one box has become a print room and the other has been designed to resemble a library, but both have been clad in fabric and provide ample pinnable space for hard copy client briefs. Beyond these are two custom booths with upholstered fabric banquette seating, again in pink and green (Meld, colours Wild and Fuchsia, Maharam) accompanied by pink Mummy chairs (Edra, Space) and lime green S chairs (Verner Panton, Vitra, Space) that help facilitate private meetings or just comfortable quiet time in the office. On either side are areas for more workstations to help future-proof the functionality of the office. The interior of Thinkerbell is a grown-up workspace where creativity meets hard work, and function and fun combine. Marczyk and her team have brought a special quality to an interior that has been fashioned for success on every level. The design of Thinkerbell incorporates the whimsy of fluttering pink wings and the steely resolve of heavy duty thinking all wrapped up in style and panache that becomes a fabulous place in which to work.

INSI D E

opposite top—The entrance to the workplace is devoid of furnishings save for two enormous boulders or ‘thinking man’s stools’. opposite bottom— Designed as a canopy over the corridor is an installation of woven and pulled woollen yarn that references the history of the building. above—The reception area is incorporated into a stunning bar at the rear of the space

P ROJ EC T

Flacktacular

T H E P R OJ E C TS

practice—Flack Studio | project—Castorina & Co | location—Melbourne, Australia | text—Gillian Serisier photography- Sharyn Cairns

Taking vintage to the high street has never been so contemporary, writes inside co-editor Gillian Serisier

I N S I DE

The world of retail is fast and trepidatious, particularly when taking a mid-century Italian vintage store from a cosy and known location to the fast lane of the high street. Granted, the vintage is more a collection of unique and iconic masterpieces but, still, nerves of steel are required. Moreover, a three-month turnaround from first concept to doors open was needed. For David Flack, a challenge is more or less a springboard for creative adventure. Yet, there is nothing frivolous or light about the design. Instead, a palette of deep and moody colours creates a serious backdrop to the very elegant tableaux. Making good use of the long thin footprint, the landscape of the interior reads as a series of room settings – dining, living and so forth with a clear frontal perspective. This is augmented by large portholes cut into the dividing walls, which invite a glimpse to the next and then the next arrangement. “It’s like a pinball machine: with such a large open space in traditional retail, consumers never seem to get to the back, so you need to navigate them through the room: think of a ball getting pinged! We created lower partitions, but with cut-outs to give weight and define the room, but really it’s a divisive design strategy to get clients through the spaces and make it a more intimate experience of the furniture,” says Flack. Moreover, the renovation is structurally deep with no Band-Aid solutions to carry it over. Working with a dilapidated shell, rotten floors, a staircase with a footing

so broken it appeared to float in mid-air and the layout legacy of the former furniture bazaar, Flack’s response was a structural greenfield solution via a complete overhaul before any design could take place. To this end all floors were replaced, the staircase rebuilt, new walls introduced and the end room reconnected to the whole. The complementing tones of blue and olive are a perfect pairing with the mustards, timber and glass of the store’s era. The colours are also rich and deep enough to blur corners and create a cocooning effect that allows each setting to exist in its own right. “The last showroom was more of a warehouse: all white with no partitions. I did a lot of testing and, really, vintage looks better against dark colours. It’s often patinaed and worn, so when you put it against a dark colour it looks fresh and vibrant and emphasises the product; it just feels sexier. And it has worked, it gives depth. Italian furniture has depth, so you don’t need to show it in a wishy-washy environment,” says Flack. It’s a neat trick and rarely done well, but Flack has been working towards this expertise with a talent for colour that few could refute. To expand on an old saying, there are no two colours that can’t be put together if you choose the right third, there is no combination that Flack can’t improve with something just a little bit wrong! And it is here that he excels, with combinations that, on paper, fly in the face of good taste, but with his touch become layered, decadent and so much more interesting and exciting than the safe.

THE PROJECTS

previous left—A textured screen in gunmetal blue contains the tableau while the grey wall softens the whole. previous right—Porthole-like cutouts lead the eye through and afford glimpses into the next rootlike arrangements. above—Diaphanous drapes create the room, while the symmetry of a pendant lamp and rug anchors the whole. opposite—Vertical and horizontal textures create a rich layering to the vintage pieces on show

There is a pairing of materials to create a bold gesture that is still soft and serene, despite being highly questionable.” —— DAVID FLACK

belowâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;The grand gesture of a flutted pelmet above a geometric chandelier adds extreme theatricality and focuses the eye on the pair of chairs below. oppositeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Detailing the olive wall creates rhythm, while the colour harmonises with the purple and gold combination

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right—A grey-blue wall softens and complements the patinaed vintage pieces while adding an era hue to suit the colours of mid-century Italian design

Texture and form are similarly combinations he deliberately delivers counter to convention. “It’s an Italian furniture store, so [I was] thinking about Milan and the beautiful entry ways that are often scarce on materiality, so there is a pairing of materials to create a bold gesture that is still soft and serene despite being highly questionable together. It’s a weird little balance that you have to strike,” says Flack. To understand how the shop would work and how to create a frame for display, the current portfolio of merchandise was closely scrutinised. Flack also went through the lists and images of the next few shipments to ensure the platforms being created were universal to the style and not just of that particular moment in the store’s inventory life. “Creating that sense of permanence and longevity was really important to the design. And because we do like working with colour and texture, we are always looking to find those materials that will work together and have that longevity without being overpowering for the products or consumers, because ultimately it has to work as a showroom.” Lighting plays a pivotal role in focusing attention on each of the settings as a stand-alone arrangement, while showcasing the whole by night. It was essential that window shopping be taken to new heights of an immediate ‘wow’ factor, generating aspiration that would ultimately turn any passing driver or pedestrian into a potential shopper. To this end, the front window is a beacon of artfully lit eye candy that has been very carefully curated to set both tone and calibre. “It’s on Gertrude Street with not much sunlight, so at night it’s all about the theatre, hence the dramatic curtains and really beautiful lighting. It was important to have that stage for people to be intrigued,” says Flack. Intrigue is exactly what this design provokes. Yes, there are grand elements and bold gestures, but nothing feels overblown or out of step with the whole. For Flack it was about creating the feeling that equates to the charming nature of Italian style. Effectively, he is seducing the audience, but, and this is where he is oh so very good, while the seduction is subtle, we are aware of it and willing to be seduced.

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I N S I GH T

Personalised design

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Residential interiors for the individual textâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Sarah Hetherington

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previous—Paciﬁc Bondi by Amber Road. Image Prue Ruscoe. below left—Semper Planter by Dale Hardiman and Hemera lamp by Ross Gardam. Volumes Collection 01 by Artedomus. Image Sean Fennessy. below centre—Artisan Metal Trace, Burnished, Haymes. below right top—Unity storage, Krost. below right bottom— Methven Aio shower system in matte black

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When it comes to residential design, whether it be minimalist or maximalist, designers are creating unique interiors as a truly personal reflection of the client, their needs and lifestyle choices. Home is a refuge, a sanctuary from the outside world where one can retreat and entertain, away from the white noise, to connect with ourselves, our families and, when we so desire, our friends. Sustainability and wellness are paramount; natural materials, a low carbon footprint, nature inspired colour tones and palette are at the forefront of design concepts. Within the continuation of open plan living, the desire for even greater flow by simultaneously bringing the outdoors in, while also extending the indoors out, is an overriding principle. Add to this, new innovations in residential products and technology for maximum effect. All of this combined ensures cool, comfortable and understated luxury. Residential winner at IDEA 2018, Pacific Bondi by Amber Road eschews predictable and homogenous trends in favour of a pared back yet highly sophisticated interior, which has been transformed into a richly textural emotive oasis. Interior designer Yasmine Ghoniem and landscape architect Katy Svalbe, co-directors of Amber Road elaborate on the client’s brief, noting he was “an integral part of the design journey; he was intimately involved in how the design was detailed and ultimately built”. Further, the result was to be a “nonfussy design, simple yet sophisticated, understated yet wildly interesting, a sensory experience through the use of rich textures and colours, to better connect the inside and out, and integrate the client’s own varied art collection”. Amber Road states, “The six-month time-frame was challenging, but not crippling, so we started the design process backwards with the selection of a few key furniture

PROD U CTS

pieces that then helped inform our design approach and spatial planning.” Sourcing from Vamp Vintage, Amber Road chose the Saporiti dining table, which comprises a solid concrete block and 20-millimetre crystal glass top. The bravura table is paired with a built-in custom banquette dressed with leather seating, a pair of Cassina Zig Zag chairs and Charlotte Perriand’s LCT chair for Cassina all from Cult. “The lounge area is relaxed,” says the studio. “The E15 Shiraz lowline modular sofa from Living Edge provides a solution that can be easily shifted to suit and does not interfere with the view or flow.” A Cassina Utrecht armchair in Charlotte from Cult injects colour, while not detracting from the owner’s private collection of objects from Papua New Guinea. A softening of silhouettes is occurring in seating options with enhanced comfort and more low-lying options to ensure sightlines and flow are not interrupted. Designed by Charles Wilson, from King Living is the Zaza chair, which combines Wilson’s intuitive approach to creating design solutions and King Living’s history of innovation in modular sofa technology. The Zaza is an elegant design piece with a sleek, organic form, deep seats and soft lines that belie a fully modular format and ingenious functionality. Alternatively, from Zenith Interiors is the Platforma lounge – a modular soft seating and table collection. Drawing its name from the solid ash base on which it sits, Platforma showcases clean architectural lines juxtaposed with relaxed upholstery. From Stylecraft, Costura from Stua is ideal for short lead projects. Featuring a slim profile with tailored details, Costura is available in a range of generous options. Pair this with the Byte, a versatile and lightweight side table ideal for living or home-office use from Krost. Available in two sizes and in

black or white with the option of a custom top, Byte’s appeal lies in its practical, sleek design. For a more sculptural look, the New Volumes Collection from Artedomus, a 12-piece furniture and objects range, made from Elba, a stone sourced from Greece, may inspire. Conceived by Artedomus managing director Phil Brenton and Melbourne-based designer Thomas Coward, New Volumes “sees the Elba material used in such distinct ways and we hope each piece brings pleasure,” says Brenton. For those looking to maximise space, and not sacrifice comfort, the Elfin lounge from Schiavello Design Studio is suitable for flexible and minimal apartment living. The lounge’s lightweight nature allows it to be shifted and moved easily, adapting to any of life’s changes. The sofa’s relaxed personality, combined with the Schiavello ColourLab finishes palette, allows it to be tailored to suit a diverse range of aesthetics.” At Pacific Bondi, injecting light was a design challenge to overcome. Amber Road says, “Despite its ocean front location, the low ceilings that the base build presented made the apartment feel dark and airless.” In order to create light, warmth and texture Fernando De Oliveira (New Era Building Solutions) was engaged to undertake a Marmorino polished plaster wall finish in white throughout the living spaces. “The polished walls were a delicious way of bouncing light into the space. We chose to contrast these with the warmth of the raw limestone floor and more textural renders and, in the case of the client’s bedroom, wallpaper to the ceiling to provide a sensual yet neutral base palette,” says Amber Road. Additionally, custom wall mounted fixtures by Anna Charlesworth were “a natural choice to complement the textural backdrop and salute

the transition to the outdoor patio”. A brilliant vintage brass wall light sourced from France acts as the hero to the wall from the public into private domain. Whereas, in the client’s bedroom, a glowing dome light was introduced late as a custom design charette. For those looking to transform through custom finish, Haymes’ Artisan range provides a wealth of options to play with. Burnished Artisan Metal Trace adds understated luxury and, when used with textiles, plays with light and shade to add depth and intimacy into a home. Alternatively, Artisan Real Copper with Oxidising Patina creates unlimited nuances in tones and layers of subtle colour variations. One of the most significant changes in residential design is the blurring of lines between indoors and outdoors. At Pacific Bondi, Amber Road has used typically hardier materials inside, such as the raw sawn limestone tiles, while reflective ceramic tiles inset as a strip highlight the path from the front door to the balcony. The outside area features a custom barbecue, which follows one wall, while a Dandy Module lounge from Roda and Trace coffee table by Adam Goodrum from Tait contains the immediate outdoor space. An Isole table by Paola Lenti and Harp chairs from Roda create a sunset cocktail nook, while planters from Robert Plumb, Spence and Lyda and Exotic Nurseries complement and embellish the area. With recent advancements in outdoor materials and technologies, outdoor design is beginning to take on the luxury and sophistication of its indoor counterparts – while achieving increasingly high outdoor performance attributes. “In recent years, performance advancements in outdoor materials have improved, so much so that we can readily achieve the luxury of an indoor lounge with one that is allweather,” says Tait’s creative director, Susan Tait. Tait’s Trace collection features sumptuous, cocooning volumes formed with varying densities of reticulated, exterior-grade foam. Upholstered in Mokum’s high-performance range of outdoor textiles, with patterns designed by Catherine Martin, Trace achieves the soft touch and high texture of an interior textile, but for outdoor use. At Pacific Bondi, Amber Road and the client chose to retain the original kitchen features – rich wooden surfaces contrast the polished plaster living area walls. For clients looking for an update, upgrading appliances can be a straightforward decision. The newly launched Miele Generation 7000 Builtin range features a number of exclusive features. Available in four design lines: ContourLine, PureLine, VitroLine and ArtLine, the minimalist design of the Built-in appliances will integrate harmoniously into any kitchen style, from contemporary to traditional. Alternatively, revitalising kitchen seating options to keep your island bench or dining table on trend is a consideration. From Stylecraft, the Sedis seating range, informed by Art Deco architecture, balances sculptural curves with strong, minimalist lines. Designed by Melbourne-based AnneClaire Petre of anaca studio, Sedis is the first collaboration between StylecraftHOME and anaca studio. Featuring six

below left—Platforma lounge, Zenith Interiors. below centre— Costura, Stua, Stylecraft. below right—The Zaza by Charles Wilson, King Living

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variations, from low stool to chair, to low and high barstools with or without backrests, Sedis’ simple design offers modest proportions and comfort – blending versatility with a sophisticated, timeless aesthetic. The need for flexible and adaptable storage solutions is increasingly important in compact spaces. If custom-built solutions in natural materials are not an option, a welcome addition to any home office or study environment is the Unity range of storage units from Krost. It is available in many different sizes, with or without a sliding door to conceal files, or with an open shelving system to allow room for beautiful displays. Unity boasts practicality and style, while being contemporary and adaptable. When it comes to bathrooms, clients are looking for a relaxing yet luxurious oasis. Nicholas Swan of Methven says, “The bathroom plays a vital role in your daily life. It invigorates you in the morning and relaxes you in the evening. The bathroom is not only functional, but an experience.” From Methven comes the Aio Aurajet Twin shower system, featuring advanced showering technology, such as invisible nozzles to generate individual jets of water that collide against precisely angled surfaces hidden within the contours of the unique halo-shaped showerhead. The result is fans of luxuriously dense droplets that deliver a highly efficient shower with 20 percent more spray force and twice the coverage. Artedomus is setting the benchmark in truly exceptional bathware, tiles, stone, architectural surfaces and furniture. From Artedomus comes the new Neb bathware collection from Agape. Designed by Benedini Associati, Neb includes a sleek bathtub and basin that have an extremely thin profile, demonstrating the technological developments of Cristalplant biobased technology. Composed of 50 percent minerals and 50 percent polyester bioresin, and offering a repairable, recyclable, high-performance and sustainable surface, the Italian-made material has exceptional aesthetic versatility and a velvety texture reminiscent of natural stone. Agape has been transforming bathrooms from purely functional spaces to places of well-being and relaxation. Its latest releases continue this trend with minimalist forms, luxurious materials and inspiration drawn from nature and traditional bathing experiences. Gone are the days of homogeneity and predictability in residential design. Brought about by the rise of ‘personal minimalism’, where designers are highlighting the client’s personality, travels and history, we are now more than ever playing with texture, depth, curves and softer lines to create emotion and individuality. As Amber Road comments, “As a studio that prides itself on offering solutions that are unique and project specific, trends don’t really mean a lot. We believe a movement towards ‘less designed’ interiors is, however, on the rise, as clients become more comfortable with integrating their travel stories into their Australian homes.”

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top—Miele Generation 7000 Built in range; H7840BM, CVA7840, CVA7845, ESW7010, EVS7010, DGC7840, DGC7845 PureLine CleanSteel. middle— Tait Trace modular sofa in Mokum’s Miami Bronze and Tait Trace armchair in Mokum’s Tropicalia Gilver designed by Catherine Martin. bottom—Elﬁn sofa, Schiavello

P ROD U C TS

FOLIO SHOW

Folio show Dyson Airblade 9KJ hand dryer Dyson Airblade 9KJ hand dryer: The fastest most energy eﬃcient HEPAﬁltered hand dryer. The Dyson Airblade 9KJ produces up to 85% less CO2 & costs up to 99% less to run than paper towels. The Dyson Airblade 9kJ hand dryer uses 9.1 kilojoules of energy per dry and costs just $19 a year to run in Eco mode. Reduce Single use paper towel waste. Hygienically dry hands with Dyson’s quietest Airblade hand dryer. 10 Second dry time in max mode and 12 second dry time in Eco mode. dyson.com.au

King Living Zaza Outdoor Sofa The outdoor Zaza features the same. His contemporary design and modular ﬂexibility as its indoor sister sublime for warm days by the pool or for lounging on a sun terrace. Originally designed by the award-winning Charles Wilson, Zaza Outdoor keeps its enticing deep seats, elegant slender legs and adjustable arms and back making it the most decadent lounging option. The outdoor Zaza is available in King Living’s premium outdoor fabrics. All of which are resistant to UV rays, pool splashes and damaging coastal conditions, ensuring King Living furniture delivers long term enjoyment and lasting visual appeal. kingliving.com.au

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THE PRODUCTS

Phoenix NX Orli Refined by design, NX elevates the essential elements of showering. From the award-winning design and engineering team at Phoenix, realise the true freedom of showering. The new Orli features HydroSense® – a revolutionary water spray technology. With HydroSense®, water is transformed. This patent pending technology accelerates water flow tenfold, resulting in more even coverage. The internal engineering ensures a fully immersive shower experience and the sense of total escape. With a focus on contemporary design, Orli was created with soft square detailing and flush design features at its core. Positioned as if floating against the wall, Orli is sleek and solid in appearance. phoenixtapware.com.au

Stylecraft Bauhaus Seating System The Bauhaus Seating System is defined by its compact, gently curved, quilted soft form. Combined with a sophisticated palette of seating configurations, the flexible and inviting collection is perfectly suited across a diverse range of interior workspaces, public seating or education environments. Designed by Australian designer Helen Kontouris for LEN, the defining shapes of Bauhaus; squares, circles, triangles and rectangles, were inspired by Kontouris’ childhood. “With ‘Bauhaus I’ve conceived a collection that’s rich in expression, conceived from childhood memories that have informed my designs from a formative age - it’s been an opportunity to explore the articulation of creative process through these recollections” says Helen Kontouris. Bauhaus elements may be grouped in multiple compositions or in individual settings, with the addition of backrests allowing for the creation of compact, organic seating volumes. Available in an extensive selection of colour palettes and textures, Bauhaus can be finished in fabric, leather or two-tone upholstery for added depth. stylecraft.com.au I N S I DE

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S P OT L I G H T

MI ELE

Generation 7000

Designed to make everything in the kitchen as seamless, effortless and flawless as possible, the Miele Generation 7000 built-in range is the largest new offering by any built-in manufacturer. With extraordinary new technology, the range features a selection of ovens, speed ovens, built-in coffee machines and Miele’s most powerful steam appliances (including steam-combination, straight steam and steam-microwave-combination ovens). Each comes equipped with revolutionary technology, enhanced connectivity and clear, intuitive user interfaces. New technologies include: – TasteControl—an automatic function that cools the oven rapidly after cooking to a maintenance temperature so food will not overcook, meat can rest and food can stay warm – FoodView—a camera integrated into the ceiling of the oven means you can monitor your cooking via your smartphone or tablet. You can even adjust the controls through your mobile device with the Miele@mobile app – MotionReact—thanks to motion detecting technology, select appliances can now react to people’s movements: oven lights and displays turn on and end-of-cycle signals automatically switch off when someone approaches – DualSteam—maintains uniform temperate and humidity throughout the oven, with extreme accuracy levels to the one degree Celsius, and – AutoClean and AutoDescale—self-cleaning cartridges allow selected Generation 7000 coffee machines to automatically descale and degrease brew units and clean milk lines. With more than five years of research and development, the range has been designed to ensure optimum creativity in the kitchen through solutions that make cooking simpler and more intuitive as per Miele’s ‘Immer Besser – Forever Better’ guiding philosophy. These innovative technologies will enable the user to cook smarter, healthier and sustainably while staying connected. Recipient of Red Dot Product and iF Product Design Awards, the range is available in four design lines: ContourLine, PureLine, VitroLine and ArtLine, and four premium-quality colour options: Graphite Grey, Obsidian Black, Brilliant White and CleanSteel. The minimalist design ensures harmonious integration into any kitchen style, from contemporary to traditional. Generation 7000 appliances all feature intuitive touch operation systems designed to ensure cooking remains effortless. Tested to the equivalent of 20 years’ average usage, the Generation 7000 range will truly stand the test of time. With state-of-the-art technology, software updates for Generation 7000 can be downloaded for installation with ease. Miele is the world’s leading manufacturer of premium domestic appliances. Founded in 1899, Miele is celebrating 120 years of innovation and is now in the fourth generation of family ownership. With company headquarters in Gütersloh, Germany, Miele now has over 70 showrooms in metropolitan areas around the globe, including nine Miele Experience Centres in Australia and New Zealand. miele.com.au

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PROD U CTS

Since its inception in 1972 Seville Estate has been a pioneer in elegant and perfumed wines, and was this year crowned James Halliday’s ‘Winery of the year’. The property has undergone a transformation over the last 18 months, with a new restaurant space delivering seasonal fare from independent growers, and it was recently ranked #27 in the Delicious top 100 restaurants in Victoria! The property also lends itself to overnight stays with the original homestead lovingly restored and reimagined by Melbourne interior architect Welcome to Here – featured in Est magazine. Phillip Johnson Landscapes has tied the property together with an imaginative native garden, complete with river beds and views over the purple-tinged mountains. It’s the perfect place to enjoy a glass of our award-winning wine or a weekend away with friends.

Since its inception in 1972 Seville Estate has been a pioneer in elegant and perfumed wines, and was this year crowned James Halliday’s ‘Winery of the year’.

sevilleestate.com.au

S P OT L I G H T

LAU FEN

Sonar

Laufen’s reputation as a market leader in the manufacture of porcelain sanitary products and bathroom accessories is unrivalled. The company was founded in Switzerland in 1892 and from inception has been at the forefront of design, creating some of the world’s most innovative products to enhance and complement the bathroom experience. With Sonar, the benchmark has been raised, as technical expertise coupled with fine design has set new horizons for sanitary products within the home. The Sonar collection comprises multiple configurations of washbasins, a new bathtub and wall hung and wall pan toilets, but it is Laufen’s revolutionary new material SaphirKeramik that sets Sonar apart. Already this collection has achieved a prestigious iF Design Award and this is just the beginning of Sonar’s achievements. The collection has been designed by Patricia Urquiola, the much-lauded Spanish designer, who also created the Laufen showroom in Madrid. Urquiola has designed some of the world’s most iconic products and her expertise comes to the fore with Sonar as the smooth lines and D-curve silhouette of the forms creates a contemporary look that speaks of refined elegance and style. Working with Laufen’s extraordinary material SaphirKeramik, Urquiola has designed basins that defy normal convention. Urquiola has even created a 1000mm

double-bowl washbasin – no larger than a large single washbasin – which can be installed in the smallest of urban bathrooms and, covering all eventualities, is available wall mounted or as a countertop. There is even a floor standing ceramic washbasin with a washbowl width of just 340mm that conceals all plumbing. This model can also be affixed to the wall with brackets and so appears to magically float above the floor. Urquiola has incorporated other aesthetic innovations into the collection, such as a sloping base within the basin bowls to channel water into a transverse recess and the three-dimensional texture on the external surface of the washbasins adds a sensuous tactility. Floor-standing and wall-hung WCs have also been given the Urquiola design touch. Each is rimless and easy to clean and the designs are tapered to the front to add to the visual lightness. Laufen has again created a new dynamic in the world of bathrooms, where beauty, technical achievement and ultimate user satisfaction are perfectly combined in Sonar. This is a collection that will define the next generation of bathroom products and they are certain to become iconic, by which all others are judged. laufen.com.au

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PROD U CTS

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2019 WINNERS

Overall Sponsor

Event Sponsors

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Gold Medal Sponsor

Jury Report

With nearly 500 submissions received for IDEA this year and a shortlist of 291, our illustrious jury was certainly presented with a challenging day to judge the winners and highly commended projects and objects over 14 categories and five special awards that comprised IDEA 2019. This year the jury convened in Sydney having enjoyed the Designer of the Year presentations the previous evening at the Shortlist Reveal event. The jury day was held at the beautiful CULT showroom in Chippendale and many thanks to the staff of CULT who cared for us wonderfully and supplied a private space to meet as well as sustenance throughout the day. With the breadth of talent and expertise between our seven jurors there was much knowledge to share. As in other years some categories took longer to decide than others; however, in conclusion the jury achieved consensus and the accolades were ultimately decided. The Hospitality and Single Residential categories were again heavily subscribed and much debate ensued to achieve an ultimate winner. In the Event category, however, it was deemed too close to call and joint-winners were the order of the day. Colour was a new category included in IDEA this year and the plethora of remarkable projects provided much food for thought until the winner was finally decided. It was good to see that strong colour is certainly the focus of many projects and Australian designers proved themselves to be experts in application and creativity. The Retail space is certainly burgeoning and the projects in this category were diverse and expertly designed. Public Space and Institutional projects were judged to be of an extremely high calibre and there was much debate with multiple projects discussed as possible winners. As we have come to expect, Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s object makers again presented their stand-out designs to rival the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best and it is safe to say that we are in good hands for the future of innovative product design in our country. Proceedings ran smoothly over the course of the day and it is a credit to our jury that projects and products in every category were reviewed in detail and with precision. The standard of shortlisted entries this year was indeed remarkable and the general consensus was that the abundance of talent within the Australian design community is creating extraordinary and beautiful work. After the winners and highly commended entries in the general categories were decided it was time to turn all attention to the special awards. There was much debate, but ultimately the accolades were awarded and the day drew to a close. We would like to thank our seven jury members for their tireless work throughout the long and demanding day. Each juror participated in the process with rigour and generosity that truly showcased their individual professionalism. Jan and Gillian

Jeff Copolov

Dan Cox

DIRECTOR, BATES SMART

DIRECTOR, CARR

Byron George

Nicholas Karlovasitis

DIRECTOR, RUSSELL & GEORGE

CO-FOUNDER & DESIGNER, DESIGNBYTHEM

Tina Engelen

Yasmine Ghoniem

JOINT-PRINCIPAL, CO-AP

DIRECTOR OF INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN, AMBER ROAD

Jeremy McLeod CO-FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR, BREATHE ARCHITECTURE

Winner

Overall winner

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Winner

Overall winner

Dangrove Art Storage Facility D – Tzannes P – Ben Guthrie “Dramatic scale and the manipulation of volumes has always been a powerful tool in the designer kit. Combining this with an uncompromising pared back palette of concrete and blackened steel and skilfully juxtaposing the highly refined with the brutal, the Dangove Art Storage Facility is a truly memorable composition where architecture, engineering and interior are as one.” – Jeff Copolov, IDEA 2019 Jury A hierarchy of dramatic interior experiences is explored and extrapolated through distinct spaces to deliver an art storage facility of immeasurable beauty.

A refined material palette of concrete and blackened steel creates a monumental backdrop to sculptural lighting, bespoke joinery and considered furniture selection. Moreover, all functionality has been meticulously detailed to set a new benchmark for art storage and curation reflecting the vision of the client – an important collector, philanthropist and artist. The project showcases the everimportant integral approach of interior design and architecture. The journey through these spaces is choreographed, enhancing viewing opportunities and encounters of the collection. Organised over two levels of 10,000 square metres of internal space, the upper floor presents the ‘front of house’ experience with reception, library and research, a sculpture courtyard and two large art evaluation spaces. Providing capacity for functions and exhibitions, this relatively low, horizontal proportion features a large north-facing window spanning the width of the site. A sculptural concrete ‘scoop’ brings northern daylight to the threshold of the second floor, the functioning heart of Dangrove – ‘The Great Hall’, which comprises a magnificent space 90 metres long by 18 metres wide, for art to be temporarily displayed, evaluated and curated. The design is a direct response to a brief that called for a new approach to standard museum art storage, to support the requirements of a private collection of contemporary Chinese art and all that is needed to document, conserve and share this important cultural asset while working with the clients’ nearby gallery. The outcome delivers art storage that is integrated with curatorial, conservation, research, library, workshop, administration, exhibition and performance spaces, and other related functions. While the design facilitates these fundamental practical and functional aspects, through consideration of all components within the facility, the innovative response has yielded interior spaces with drama and beauty in their proportions, and precise and careful detailing. Material were chosen for long life and robust operations, which was integral to the clients’ original brief and core ethos. Colours and textures are neutral in greys, blacks and whites to enhance the appreciation of the collection on display.

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Winner

Gold Medal

top—Peninsula residence. Image Nicole England. above left—MG Garage. Image courtesy SJB. above right—Arnold Bloch Liebler. Image courtesy SJB. opposite—Villa d’Arte. Image Lucas Allen

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Winner

Gold Medal

Andrew Parr The IDEA 2019 Gold Medal is presented this year to the formidable Andrew Parr, director of SJB. As founder and director of SJB Interiors, Parr’s contribution has been immeasurable and his vigour and expertise have helped shaped the Australian design landscape beyond measure. As a young boy Parr was influenced by his grandmother and mother, who both embraced modernism and colour within their own homes. Always passionate about creating, Parr designed the family home, inspired by Graham Gunn, at the tender age of 16 and at his family’s request this plan was then documented by his father’s friend, architect Ian Barr. Concurrently Parr began work experience at Wainwright’s Display. Here he became acquainted with the fast-paced life of exhibition design and arguably formed his introduction to a style of design that required quick thinking and constant change, helping to prepare him for his future career. Parr also worked at Arqeon Design as an intern with Joseph Wyman and experienced architecture and interior design in the real world for the first time. Initially his preference was for architecture; however, enjoying the immediacy of interior design he enrolled at RMIT where he achieved his bachelor of interior design.

On leaving RMIT in 1987 his first position was with renowned Melbourne architects Synman, Justin and Bialek (who later became SJB) and so began his stellar career. As an interior designer with SJB his work was varied but focused on high-end residential and commercial projects in Melbourne. A fitout for Grey Advertising and Clemenger won the practice accolades and a wealth of boutique and bespoke interior design projects came flooding in. At this time SJB Interiors won a prestige hospitality project for Crown Casino in Melbourne and this mammoth three-year undertaking provided a springboard to success for the newly formed SJB Interiors, and for Parr personally, who was bringing projects to the practice in record numbers. In 1994 he became director of SJB Interiors with a team of four people that expanded to 22 over the following years. His early career took him all over Australia and much of his time was spent in Sydney with a plethora of hospitality commissions for hotels and bars, such as Establishment, Kinselas and Hugos to name but a few; however, after several years of much work, travel and life in Sydney, Parr decided to return to Melbourne and settle, and it was at this time that his love affair with high-end residential projects began to manifest in earnest. To say that Parr is a force for design change is to state the obvious. His prowess in creating exciting bespoke and upscale residential homes is legendary, although his hotel commissions – which encompass multiple projects for Hyatt Hotels, the Royce Hotel, Art Series Hotels and the Adina brand in both Europe and Australia – is enviable. He is able to turn his hand to every design genre should the client request and the outcome is always the same, perfect. His more than 1000 completed projects throughout the 32 years of his tenure with SJB have won countless awards and accolades. Moreover, his mentorship has shaped the talent of generations of interior designers who have passed through the SJB doors, including Greg Natale and David Hicks. Testament to his ongoing professional life is the fact that his portfolio of current commissions is stronger than ever with some 50 projects on the drawing board at any one time. Parr has produced a body of work that is daunting and exhilarating in both size and stature. Many of the best residences in Melbourne have his design signature stamped on the entrance portal and there are many more in progress. Andrew Parr has dedicated his life to design and creating interiors that sustain both his practice and the broader industry through his creativity and individuality. He is a credit to the industry he works within and is truly an extraordinary and worthy recipient of this year’s Gold Medal award. Along with his prodigious talent, anyone who knows Parr will attest to his sense of fun and zest for life and it is these combined attributes that he brings to the fore in his professional career that mark him as a design icon of his time. Congratulations Andrew.

Winner

Designer of the Year

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Designer of the Year

Kennedy Nolan

Winner

“Deep thought and intellectual rigour are the consistent foundations for the practice’s work. Each project displays a unique language specific to its context with the commonality being a clear and strong visual language, reinforced through the confident use of colour, texture and pattern making and often delighting in an evolving sequence of carefully considered vignettes.” – Jeff Copolov, IDEA 2019 Jury

opposite top left—Melbourne Central Arcade, category Public Space. opposite top right—Caroline house, category Residential Single. opposite bottom—Oak house, category Residential Single. above—Sandy Point house, category Colour. Photography Derek Swalwell

This year the IDEA Designer of the Year accolade has been awarded to Kennedy Nolan. As architects Rachel Nolan and Patrick Kennedy distil the essence of their architectural intention into every project, creating innovation and promoting connectivity between landscape, buildings and people. Patrick Kennedy and Rachel Nolan met as two young students studying architecture at Melbourne University and it was at this time they identified a true meeting of minds. In 1999 their friendship led to the establishment of Kennedy Nolan where they have created an enviable reputation for fine architecture and interior design over the past 20 years. The practice is perhaps best known for its residential projects; however, Kennedy Nolan has organically grown to include commissions within the institutional, education, hotel and commercial sectors, and this was evident through the variety of projects shortlisted in IDEA 2019. The residential projects are considered and beautifully resolved and each is individual to client and site to become an exemplar of style and substance. Kennedy Nolan brings a distinct intention to all of its designs, where shared memories of history and landscape coalesce with texture colour and light. There is a deep reverence for the handmade and the artisanal and these inform its process at every turn. The practice delivers its own particular style of modernism where form and function are fashioned in tune with the practicalities of everyday life, whether the project is a house, a public space or a workplace. Kennedy Nolan’s always thoughtful, sometimes provocative and expertly detailed resolution of all its projects ensures the practice is a worthy winner of Designer of the Year and we applaud the talent and expertise of the practice, especially the principals Rachel and Patrick. Kennedy Nolan understands that good design is meant to enhance life and effect positive change and its work is the true embodiment of this.

Winner

Emerging Designer

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Emerging Designer

Winner

Adele McNab Architect “The judges were unanimous in awarding this category. This young architect shows a design eye that is sensitive, mature and confident in her approach to design of interior space. The judges were particularly impressed with her ability to create a sense of richness with the use of simple materials, finishes and tones, and the crafting of compelling spaces with minimal and thoughtful intervention.” – Byron George, IDEA 2019 Jury With a single entry, Adele McNab’s project was so highly regarded by the IDEA 2019 jury that it became a natural fit to select her for emerging practice. Indeed, the quality of the Workplace Under 1000sqm project, Marrickville Warehouse, a speciality sausage factory and cooking school, was so very beautiful, and so well resolved it was clear that this young architect was bringing something new to the interior design community. Using only a few materials, the project is resolved, warm and infused with light. “For each project I focus on understanding the uniqueness of the environment and inhabitants, designing with authenticity to connect people with their surroundings in an environmentally sustainable way. In their simplest form buildings provide shelter, so my goal is to make architecture accessible to everyone by adapting scale, form and materials to suit budget and function,” says McNab. New Zealand born, McNab graduated from Auckland Unitec School of Architecture before moving to Sydney where she worked with Bruce Stafford Architects for seven years, while honing her skills as part of the support crew for Glenn Murcutt’s International Master Class. In 2018 she established her practice and to date has three complete residential and commercial projects, with five currently in council or construction phase in New South Wales in Australia and New Zealand.

Marrickville Warehouse D – Adele McNab Architect P– Ben Hosking C– Workplace under 1000sqm The kitchen sets the tone of the warehouse as an open and warm space, while the Casing Boutique inspires conversation about sausage-making. With capacity for cooking classes, a specially designed sausage-making room, and interactive product display, the space makes butchery fun.

Winner

Sustainability

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Sustainability

Winner

Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Primary School D – BVN P – Brett Boardman, John Gollings, Stefan Hefele C– Institutional “Simple, sophisticated, warm and meaningful. The design utilises a singular, renewable material, crosslaminated timber, simultaneously as structure, stair, wall and ceiling to send a message of sustainability and strength. This is a school for the next generation. It is honest and smart, spatially dynamic and its materially provides a sense of warmth and calm. This is sustainability embedded deep into the very fabric of the school, one that is elegant and beautiful, one that helps nurture and inspire our future generations. – Jeremy McLeod, IDEA 2019 Jury Optimally sustainable, the 1970s concrete building features the addition of a mass-timber structure, while the entire building is enclosed with a highperformance cross-laminated timber (CLT) envelope and highly insulated (R-4) zinc cladding façade, with double-glazed, airtight high-performance timber/ aluminium windows. The additions to the school feature a prefabricated timber structure made of spruce glulam post and beams, CLT walls, floors and roofs. The benefits of using timber are high-quality, precise and environmentally friendly construction (carbon storage), as well as long-term well-being for occupants and an energy efficient use of the school. To maximise daylight penetration and enable natural ventilation, the external concrete façade of the existing building was replaced by high-performance timber-framed double-glazing. The building can be naturally crossventilated (mixed-mode). Deep balconies shade the north side of the learning spaces, and the custom perforated zinc is partially used for shading. Rainwater is collected for irrigation and WC flushing.

Sustainability

Highly Commended

Piazza Dell’Ufficio D – Branch Studio Architects P – Peter Clarke C– Workplace under 1000sqm Economically clad in cardboard tubes ($2.50 each) that bring a rich textural warmth while being fully recyclable, the interior space is conceptualised as a central public piazza to reduce visual barriers between staff and students, and encourage informal initial chats towards student well-being.

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Sustainability

Highly Commended

Welcome to Wasteland D– Friends & Associates, Mr Kyle Mac, More Studio and Natalie Turnbull P – Josh Robenstone, Kristoffer Paulsen C– Event All projects were manufactured locally using Australian waste streams (Public Office explored digital waste) with no printed collateral, all queries led to the solar-powered website, exhibition signage was printed directly onto walls, and there was hand-pumped alcohol and BYO cup on event night.

Winner

Hospitality

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Winner

Hospitality

Ban Ban D – Genesin Studio and Peculiar Familia P – Jonathan VDK “This fresh narrative is eloquently resolved through the use of a single material. Perfectly marrying graphics, clever spatial design and fast food culture, it speaks whimsically without compromising on graceful detailing – a hard combo to come by but Ban Ban’s nailed it.”– Yasmine Ghoniem, IDEA 2019 Jury Adelaide’s first Korean fried chicken and beer eatery sports a low-tech K-Pop minimalist interior with playful branding to capture freshly cooked share foods. All aspects of the branding and spatial design are recognised through the digital, print and built space. The use of a 3D tiling system (D-Tile) allows no direct sightlines and shifts proportions, much like a Korean market, where open space, tight spaces and varying framed views run throughout the venue. The handmade 3D tiles additionally allow the monolithic forms to continue over high bars, walls, bench seats and benchtops to platform the food and beverage offering. Collaborating with Peculiar Familia and a Japanese illustrator, Genesin has drawn together the softness of illustration and a palette with soft greens, blues and pinks, while the use of gridded tiles is continued in the menu design and pixilated branding, weaving built space and digital space together. Fundamental ideas, such as share plates, have been extrapolated to shared two-person stools. These options are even more fun when they are shared between odd numbered groups!

Hospitality

Highly Commended

Love Machine D – Blackmilk Interior Design P – Ari Hatzis Located in the hub of Chapel Street’s entertainment precinct, this iconic club has been reinvented as the imaginary digital world of Tron. The futuristic design references a younger generation, captivated by a fast-paced technologically-based world of light and movement.

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Hospitality

Highly Commended

Many Little D â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Hecker Guthrie P â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Shannon McGrath Drawing inspiration from the rural views, the muted green landscape perfectly frames the internal palette, bringing the beauty of the surrounds inward through textural brick, terrazzo and rich timber elements. Objects and furniture create a varying interior landscape.

Winner

Retail

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Winner

Retail

Mastani D – DesignOffice P – Haydn Cattach “The Mastani boutique translates an evolution and vision of inspired femininity through a layered environment that showcases the collection in a series of salons designed to create a sense of journey and discovery. A sense of calm and place is created through the selected colours, finishes and dedicated vignettes that guide customers through the collections.” – Nicholas Karlovasitis, IDEA 2019 Jury Responding directly to the brand vision of the founder, Kudrat Makkar – whose inspiration to start the label began as a child in India, accompanying her mother on studio visits to local textile artisans and craftspeople – the success of the store lies in its ability to facilitate an accumulative experience. The design maintains a feeling of openness and invitation leading the customer through a challenging site of less than four metres width and more than 25 metres deep. The layered design is underpinned by the rhythm of the new felt-lined ceiling beams, which add definition and increase the sense of depth and richness. Articulation of the ceiling and walls, accentuated with custom freestanding wall screens, define a series of three salons, which notate the separate collections and direct the customer through to a styling suite and fitting rooms at the rear. Encapsulating the values of strength and beauty, a sense of craftsmanship and detail translates from the product into the store – composing an ephemeral journey punctuated by considered and carefully edited detail throughout.

Retail

Highly Commended

The UNSW Bookshop D – SJB P – Anson Smart This dynamic retail space distils qualities from some of the world’s best-loved bookstores into a unique design vision that celebrates the book. The most evocative material in the project palette is the book itself, which becomes the walls of each space.

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Retail

Highly Commended

Tongue n Groove Flagship Showroom D – Tobias Partners P – Anson Smart Reinventing the showroom experience as a playful display of engineered, solid European oak boards on the floor, walls and ceiling, the space acts as a stage to showcase the product’s potential, and design flexibility, while being entirely open to the street.

Winner

Residential Single

138

Residential Single

Winner

GB house, Sydney D – Renato D’Ettorre Architects P – Justin Alexander “On a busy street, a family home overlooking Gordons Bay offers its visitors a beautiful sequence of spaces that are open to the environment, yet private. View glimpses tantalise and tease, to slowly reveal the 180-degree ocean view. A wrap-around veil of bricks provides the interior with privacy, colour and texture, as well as a welcome respite from the Australian sun.” – Tina Engelen, IDEA 2019 Jury Responding to the magical site overlooking Gordons Bay, this house embodies the spirit of seaside living in a design that is discreet in scale, has a quiet focus and layered materiality, and is sensitive to site and neighbours, providing mystery and privacy along one of Sydney’s busiest coastlines. The various interconnected spaces, with alternating experiences of compression and expansion, create a sensory perception, which is heightened by the combinations of simple raw material (concrete, glazed breeze blocks and white painted bricks) to contribute to an atmospheric and tranquil atmosphere. Interiors unfold and engage with the natural beauty of the site, opening to the elements while tempering them. Overhangs, double-glazing and mass construction control the sun, and concrete flooring absorbs it in winter. Strategic apertures boost crossventilation, solar panels supplement the grid, and plants on walls and roofs shelter and absorb stormwater to create a thermal buffer. Terracotta breeze blocks were designed with a local brick maker for passive cooling. They are perforated and finished in a white ceramic glaze and wrap the façade, tempering views and weather, and letting the house breathe.

Residential Single

Highly Commended

Castle Cove house D â&#x20AC;&#x201C; TERROIR and Pascale GomesMcNabb Design P â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Brett Boardman Responding to the natural rocky escarpments found in Middle Harbour with its concrete form, this primary gesture is then inhabited with timber lined pockets that act as a threshold between intimate moments of habitation and the monumental landscape of Castle Cove.

140

Residential Single

Highly Commended

Oak house D â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Kennedy Nolan P â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Derek Swalwell An adaptive reuse of a double-fronted Victorian house is distinctive for its large oak tree and red steel brisesoleil, which performs many functions, including that of sun shading. The interiors range from the dramatic to the tranquil using concentrations of colour in varying intensities.

Winner

Residential Multi

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Residential Multi

537 Elizabeth Street

Winner

D – Woods Bagot P – Trevor Mein “In 1980, ‘Turning Japanese’ was a hit song for The Vapors. In 2019, Australia’s economic greed has resulted in an affordable housing crisis. Woods Bagot project lead, Dominic Alvaro champions Tokyo style micro-sites, where high design quality is proffered for the reduction of space. Poured concrete shells form 12 sustainable apartments. Considered joinery has been carefully placed within to arrange simple and functional interiors. 537 Elizabeth Street is an exemplar for how small residential projects with less can be more.” – Tina Engelen, IDEA 2019 Jury On a micro inner city site measuring just 6.7 by 29 metres are 12 highly appointed apartments, where a fully inclusive residential proposition heralds a new level of amenity and liveability. Each apartment interior is made up entirely of joinery components and modules for a wholly integrated outcome. Timeless and maintenance free, the joinery optimises internal space in the building’s modest footprint. Sliding timber panels conceal a fold-out guest bed, laundry and storage, alongside a full kitchen and fully integrated desk and shelving in the media (study) space, the choreographed residential package, where literally everything you see is what the buyer gets – from the furniture and soft furnishings, to the appliances, through to the glassware and cutlery. Owners need to bring only a few pieces – artworks, lamps and a bed – to impart their personal touch. Craft and materiality drove the architectural and interior design intent. The material unity between the building’s board-marked (timber imprint) concrete architecture and its timber-clad interior design defines the development. The materials relate to people in a humane and tactile way. The developer sought to target owner occupiers with a high level of amenity internally and to the adjacent context. The building’s corner site allows for dual outlook from each dwelling, with glazed doors and large windows to two sides providing ample daylight and natural cross ventilation.

Residential Multi

Highly Commended

Prahran residences D â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Travis Walton Architecture P â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Elisa Watson Redefining the standard of luxury design in townhouse residential living, the apartments have been designed and finished for a low-maintenance lifestyle of the finest calibre. The chic interiors offer sophistication, style, functionality and seamless indoor-outdoor living.

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Residential Multi

Highly Commended

Sussex D â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Mim Design and Powell & Glenn Authenticity, proportion and sculptural form are realised in a design that connects the residences with their surroundings through an understated palette and rounded lines, while finer details, inspired by sculptor Alexander Calder and painter John Coburn, draw the eye during moments of calm.

Winner

Residential Decoration

146

Residential Decoration

Winner

Elmore D – Flack Studio P – Sharyn Cairns “A country home that carefully balances its historical bones and contemporary interiors. Colour and texture has been expertly used to highlight the clients’ incredible art collection and create a comfortable and casual home that manages to feel like it has been in the family for generations.” – Byron George, IDEA 2019 Jury In this unique and extraordinary interior, Australian country is reflected in the colours and materials of the central Victorian countryside. Effectively, a contradiction of the brash Australian parrots and the hardness of the Australian farmers that have worked the land for centuries, the inspiration for the interiors came from these conversations and the relationship David Flack had with the rural landscape as a child – growing up a mere 20 kilometres from the site – from the hues of the canola fields, the glorious sunsets, sunburnt land to the blackened bushfire prone eucalypts. Flipping the entire structural layout of the old homestead, the design intervention includes reorientation of the kitchen, creation of scullery, powder room, laundry and boot room, plus large living room. The former kitchen chimney was converted to the main central fireplace, while French doors open to the veranda to deliver a new outlook. The master bedroom provides a sanctuary from the guest bedrooms and bathrooms, while a series of rooms creates a narrative and journey to each space. Deep colours and rich materiality explore the clients’ journey from South Yarra to Burnewang – a drive full of colour at all times of the year. The renovation feels effortless and empathetic to its roots: humble and unexpected, robust and humorous.

147

Residential Decoration

Highly Commended

The Prahran residence D â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Flack Studio P â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sharyn Cairns This 1800s Victorian property overlooking the Botanic Gardens has been infused with colour, texture and detail. Focusing on a bold and confident language, the magnificent home takes shape through layering of considered detail and colour with a focus on the permanent.

148

Residential Decoration

Highly Commended

Under The Tree D – Arent&Pyke P – Anson Smart The palette of sandstock bricks, bagged blockwork and polished concrete required warmth, personality and more intimate atmospheres. The lightwell and its sixmetre tall fiddle-leaf fig – with retractable glazed roof overhead – provide a centrepiece for an open plan hub that leads to the garden.

149

Winner

Colour

150

Winner

Colour

NGV Rigg Prize - “We’ve boundless plains to share” D – Flack Studio and Grazia & Co P – Sean Fennessy “Cleverly weaving an artful social voice within the interiors arena, Flack’s installation proves that the interiors industry can be a strong disruptor too. Never has colour been such an integral element in conveying the Australian Dream – our anthem perfectly reinterpreted through a gilded box of opportunities. Bravo Flack.”– Yasmine Ghoniem, IDEA 2019 Jury The multilayered interior honours Indigenous history, while simultaneously celebrating diverse cultures drawn together by migration to make Australia what it is today – a culture of shared identity. Design is an act of collaboration and generosity, that can ignite a conversation around Australia’s ‘golden opportunities’. Drawing on verses in the Australian national anthem – “We’ve golden soil and wealth for toil”, and “For those who’ve come across the sea, we’ve boundless plains to share” – the project discusses contemporary Australia through the lens of domesticity. With art and design in dialogue, the room reflects upon the idea of inclusion and Australia’s unique situation. Mixing genres, materials and collaborating with over 30 artists and makers, the project focuses on centrality of diversity and tolerance in the creation of a successful society and asks Australians to question the modern meaning of “We’ve boundless plains to share”.

Colour

Highly Commended

Sandy Point house D – Kennedy Nolan P – Derek Swalwell Perched on the coastal dunes of eastern Victoria, this holiday house suits the family’s long association with the modest beachside hamlet. It is built from timber suitable to its bushfire prone setting and is designed to grey off and be camouflaged in its indigenous-planted setting.

152

Colour

Highly Commended

Elmore D â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Flack Studio P â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sharyn Cairns Requiring a complete overhaul, the simple brief for this 19th century homestead was to create a beautiful country home with the emphasis on country and colour via a non-precious approach that took on the persona of Kate Winslet, at home in jeans or gown.

Object, Furniture & Lighting

Winner

Professional

154

Object, Furniture & Lighting – Professional

Ecoustic Sculpt D – Instyle P – Large Arts “The Ecoustic Sculpt is an elegant system that is well-considered, versatile and sustainable. The modular design responds to all stakeholders with its ease of customisation, high acoustic performance, Group 1 fire rating and its ease of installation. The judges were impressed by the attention to detail, simplicity and innovation of this well-designed product.” –Nicholas Karlovasitis, IDEA 2019 Jury Made from recyclable 100 percent PET with low VOC and Oeko-Tex certification, this elegant acoustic ceiling tile system is easy to install into new and existing spaces. Available in a range of 12 designs, from understated simplicity to dramatic sculptural shapes, for new and existing interiors, the innovative system provides relatively large surface areas of sound absorbent panels within a modular, lightweight tile that is simple and quick to assemble, and easy to install into suspended ceiling grids. Moreover, the tiles can be easily removed to gain access to building services. Highly versatile, the tiles can be assembled into varying orientations to create a large-scale ceiling design feature or installed in an identical linear formation, mirrored to create larger shapes across multiple tiles or in a random orientation. Ecoustic Sculpt achieves the highest fire rating level, achieving a Group 1 result (AS/ISO 9705) and has been awarded an Australian Innovation Patent, New Zealand, United States + Patent Co-operation Treaty Patent Pending. With a high noise reduction coefficient value, achieving between NRC 0.65 – 0.95 and Ðw0.7 – 0.95, Ecoustic Sculpt offers superior acoustic performance, assisting with reverberation management and improving acoustic comfort in openplan building interiors. A slim profile Ecoustic Infill is additionally available to significantly improve the low-frequency absorption, which includes the often difficult to absorb human speech range.

Object, Furniture & Lighting – Professional

Highly Commended

Hemera D – Ross Gardam and New Volumes P – Sean Fennessy, Haydn Cattach Like the Brutalist architecture that it references, the Hemera desk lamp is powerful in its simplicity of form. Featuring two solid circular volumes of stone, which intersect with no visible light source, the design delivers a striking desktop monolith that appears to emit light naturally.

156

Object, Furniture & Lighting – Professional

Highly Commended

Tableau D – DesignOffice and Cantilever Interiors P – Haydn Cattach, Dan Hocking Bridging the gap between procurement of custom joinery and the assembly of a predetermined kit of parts, Tableau offers a component-based kitchen system of two primary elements: Block and Bench, which can be joined together and are supported by Shelf and Store.

Object, Furniture & Lighting

Winner

Rising

158

Winner

Object, Furniture & Lighting – Rising

(OUYSE)/brass wall sconce_.. D – Studio Ephebe P – Pauline Tsolos “Somewhere between art and design object the luminaire is beautifully resolved as a warmly glowing jewel that seems to shimmer in space. An extraordinary piece from this fine young studio.” – Jan Henderson and Gillian Serisier, co-editors inside Individually crafted in Melbourne, each jewellery-like piece of functional sculpture and collectable design is uniquely created to evoke intimacy through the oyster-like form that borrows from nature a wild beauty that is art-by-day and light-by-night. Conveying a meditation on mood lighting and natural forms that inspire intimacy in living and dining spaces, the form evolved from a simple sketch, depicting an organic shell adorned with jewellerylike ornamentation. This form evolved into a gesture emulating an oyster and illuminated pearl within the resultant form. This process was highly informed by the fabrication techniques that focused on experimental and incremental sheet forming of the brass shell, whereby each piece is uniquely individual and hand finished. The result is an heirloom piece that is intended to be treasured and enjoyed for its sculptural form as well as its functional purpose. Each piece is a labour of local love, with all components crafted by artisans in Melbourne. Materials are sourced ethically from Melbourne suppliers and each piece is hand assembled and finished in the Ephebe studio.

Object, Furniture & Lighting – Rising

Highly Commended

Oceania D – Simon Haeser P – Paule Scantlebury Inspired by Australia’s coastlines, the form, functionality and aesthetics of this couch were designed to suit two people comfortably, while being ergonomically correct. Using highquality materials from local suppliers, the design supports local industry and sustainable manufacturing.

160

Object, Furniture & Lighting – Rising

Highly Commended

Shard mirror D – Special Things Furniture P – Colin Whitehead Through a production process that combines technology and craftsmanship, the Shard mirror can be created in a wall mounted or free stand version. The organic and visual design is derived from the combination of a random bevelled edge and plain mirrored section.

Winner

Public Space

162

Winner

Public Space

Dangrove Art Storage Facility D – Tzannes P – Ben Guthrie “Subtle restraint and a masterful manipulation of space and scale have created an interior that is both calm, breathtaking and absolutely fit for purpose. This project has a level of richness the belies its humble material palette of concrete, glass and steel. A perfect balance of light, proportion and scale.” – Byron George, IDEA 2019 Jury The project showcases the everimportant integral approach of interior design and architecture. The journey through these spaces is choreographed, enhancing viewing opportunities and encounters of the collection. Organised over two levels of 10,000 square metres of internal space, the upper floor presents the ‘front of house’ experience with reception, library and research, a sculpture courtyard and two large art evaluation spaces. Providing capacity for functions and exhibitions this relatively low, horizontal proportion features a large north-facing window spanning the width of the site. A hierarchy of dramatic interior experiences is explored and extrapolated through distinct spaces to deliver an art-storage facility of immeasurable beauty. A refined material palette of concrete and blackened steel creates a monumental backdrop to sculptural lighting, bespoke joinery and considered furniture selection. Moreover, all functionality has been meticulously detailed to set a new benchmark for art storage and curation reflecting the vision of the client, an important collector, philanthropist and artist.

Public Space

Highly Commended

161 Collins Street D – Bates Smart P – Peter Clarke Incorporating a distinct Collins Street entrance, a Flinders Lane pedestrian entrance and a repurposed atrium with a new façade, which functions as an internal oasis retreat, the redevelopment of the T&G Building beautifully befits its prestigious location.

164

Public Space

Highly Commended

Green Square Library and Plaza D – Studio Hollenstein and Stewart Architecture P – Tom Roe This open, flexible and inclusive public space posits a fusion of building and landscape, interior and exterior, where the library and plaza is envisioned as an ‘urban living room’ for a growing community that maximises the visibility of the library programs.

Winner

Institutional

166

Institutional

Winner

Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Primary School D – BVN P – Brett Boardman, John Gollings, Stefan Hefele “A highly considered and strategic adaptation of an existing building, in which the interiors give new life to the next generation of students. The design focuses on inspiring imagination, fostering communities and enhancing well-being. Congratulations to the team for setting a new benchmark in education environments.” – Dan Cox, IDEA 2019 Jury Comprising spaces that invite imagination and innovation, and support independent learning and well-being, the project reuses a rundown 1970s Brutalist building and includes the addition of a four-storey atrium, a new hall, arts space, balconies and rooftop playgrounds in prefabricated masstimber construction. With a wealth of research in support of timber being used in learning spaces to promote wellness and better learning outcomes, the material has been used throughout internal spaces extensively both as finish and structure. The benefits suggest increases in concentration and productivity, and decreases in stress levels. The design is a realisation of the school’s vision of creating spaces that invite imagination and innovation, and support independent learning and student well-being. Flexible, open and inviting learning spaces support the school’s vision. Classes are situated on either side of a central circulation spine, which forms an extension to the learning spaces. The diverse range of learning options are supported by joinery with built-in nooks and withdrawal spaces, and varying ceiling heights. Furniture is movable, as are large sliding panels to allow easy reconfiguration of spaces by students to suit learning needs.

Institutional

Highly Commended

Green Square Library and Plaza D – Studio Hollenstein and Stewart Architecture P – Tom Roe Located at the heart of Australia’s largest urban renewal precinct, the library and plaza provide a flexible and inclusive public space, a fusion of building and landscape, with the interior and exterior envisioned as an ‘urban living room’ for a growing community.

168

Institutional

Highly Commended

The Ian Potter Southbank Centre D â&#x20AC;&#x201C; John Wardle Architects P â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Trevor Mein Outwardly focused and inviting, the building balances the concentration required of students with camaraderie and social engagement. The Green Room of the arts, it is a place to rub shoulders with fellow musicians and the milieu of the wider campus and precinct.

Winner

Workplace Over 1000m

170

Workplace Over 1000m2

Winner

Arup Melbourne D – HASSELL and Arup P – Earl Carter “A masterful approach to both planning and design, this workplace is a living showcase of Arup’s people, process and expertise. Great thought has been given to volume and scale; the result is a highly connected interior that promotes innovation and community engagement.” – Dan Cox, IDEA 2019 Jury The unique collaboration between HASSELL and Arup’s multidisciplinary teams led to the development and implementation of new design and construction techniques, allowing them to push the boundaries of workplace design while keeping within the constraints of a standard industry budget. Spread over three floors, the workspace is disrupted by expansive voids with mezzanines inserted to create a cascading, terraced effect resulting in five separate levels. Arup’s day-to-day active culture is on show across multiple zones, visible through the voids and mezzanine levels. The exposed soffit allows up/down lighting throughout the workspace to increase melanopic lux without overlighting the space. Programmable RGB lamps were introduced, which can adjust colour temperature to reflect circadian rhythms or, more interestingly, simulate external cloud formations internally. Clever lighting placement creates the appearance of volume and height like a warehouse in a traditional office building. The project is on target to achieve a 6-Star Green Star interiors rating, with the building targeting that and a 5-star NABERS Energy rating. The tenancy will use 100 percent green power as part of Arup’s commitment to sustainability, working towards being carbon neutral by 2020.

Workplace Over 1000m2

Highly Commended

International House D – HASSELL P – Nicole England A workplace that showcases the integrity and beauty of Australia’s first engineered timber building, every detail accentuates and pays respect to the quality of the building fabric, while creating an environment where the users feel welcome and energised.

172

Workplace Over 1000m2

Highly Commended

The Australian Ballet D â&#x20AC;&#x201C; HASSELL P â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Lillie Thompson Responding to the unique requirements of the dancers, the design considers emotional and psychological needs. The connecting staircase has generous proportions to allow two ballerinas in tutus to pass without a costume disruption and mimics the ribbon of the pointe shoe.

Winner

Workplace Under 1000m

174

Winner

Workplace Under 1000m2

Piazza Dell’Ufficio D – Branch Studio Architects P – Peter Clarke “A thoughtful approach to space planning combined with an experimental approach to materiality has resulted in a project that reduces barriers and encourages engagement. Highly distinctive and impactful interior design.” – Dan Cox, IDEA 2019 Jury Following the conceptual idea of a traditional town piazza into an architectural form, the design reduces barriers and encourages engagement between staff and students. This is particularly pertinent to student welfare, which often requires an initial informal chat between a staff member and student, before moving into a more private meeting room. Effectively the notion of meeting a friend in a piazza and then going to a ‘destination’ for a coffee has been repurposed. Given the nature of the project and budget, the cardboard offered a rich textural warmth and the ability to use it with ease to create the formality of curves. Importantly, from an economical perspective the cardboard tubes were $2.50 each. The execution of the material in line with its conceptual framework makes the material far more substantial and enriched than its often-temporary natured context. The existing space was a dark rabbit warren of small disproportional office spaces with very little to no natural light, providing little to no humanistic interaction for its users.

Workplace Under 1000m2

Highly Commended

COX Architecture Studio Brisbane D â&#x20AC;&#x201C; COX Architecture P â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Christopher Frederick Jones This is a sensitive restoration of a Heritage-listed 1890 studio as a creative workplace full of natural light. Formerly a warehouse for metal foundry Smellie & Co, the refurbishment conveys a journey of exploration and discovery that engages with adjacent gardens and river to deliver the Heritage as hero.

176

Workplace Under 1000m2

Highly Commended

Marrickville warehouse D â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Adele McNab Architect P â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Ben Hosking The kitchen sets the tone of the warehouse as an open and warm space, while the Casing Boutique inspires conversation about sausage-making. With capacity for cooking classes, a specially designed sausage-making room and interactive product display, the space makes butchery fun.

Winner

Event

Dust D – Liminal Spaces and Dancenorth P – Dianna Snape “Dust does the impossible. One simple device simultaneously acts as barrier, scenery, prop, topography, backdrop. One simple piece brings performers together and then keeps them apart. This work is elegant, engaging and smart beyond belief.” – Jeremy McLeod, IDEA 2019 Jury The deceptively minimal design, which begins as a monolithic ‘wall’, plays a critical role in enriching and amplifying the narrative of the performance through transformation. Conceived as a transformable ‘installation’ and integrated part of the performance, the design allows choreography and design to come together to support and enhance one another, leading to an immersive theatrical experience, framed by the unexpected. The multidimension of each element delivers visual versatility through the many different configurations that support and enhance the narrative, while integrating maximum efficiency in its travelling mode. Every steel element is dismantlable and the design of the boxes enables a nesting ‘Russian doll’ effect maximising a compact travelling kit that fits in one container. Unleashing something new and profound for contemporary dance, the collaboration between the spatially-tuned sensibility of the architects/interior designers and the dance company has delivered the spatial context in which to heighten meaning, while aiding visual interpretations and dramaturgical understanding.

178

Winner

Event

Escher x nendo | Between Two Worlds D – National Gallery of Victoria and nendo P – Takumi Ota “A visionary endeavour that pushes the boundaries of what exhibition design can be. The work of MC Escher and nendo is seamlessly woven together to create thought-provoking spaces, installations and all encompassing environments that transport the viewer deep into Escher’s world.” – Jeremy McLeod, IDEA 2019 Jury Beautifully and dramatically realised, the unique spatial environments within the museum push the boundaries of what exhibition design can be, integrating Escher’s artwork seamlessly into the design of the space. Throughout the exhibition the basic form of the house is used as a building block to explore Escher’s concepts and spatial forms. The exhibition, when experienced sequentially, invokes the process of design. Basic forms, geometric shapes, the contrast of black and white, and light and darkness mimic and complement Escher’s practice, seamlessly folding the work and design into the other. Each room provides a unique design gesture that exhibits nendo’s own methodology while aligning with Escher’s practice and preoccupations, creating a symbiotic relationship between the space and the work displayed. There is an equal footing within this exhibition between artist and designer, leading to an outcome that is greater than their pairing.

Event

Highly Commended

NGV Rigg Prize – “We’ve boundless plains to share” D – Flack Studio and Grazia & Co P – Sean Fennessy The project draws on the lines from the Australian national anthem – “We’ve golden soil and wealth for toil”, and “For those who’ve come across the sea, we’ve boundless plains to share” – to discuss contemporary Australia through the lens of domesticity in a dialogue of art and design.

180

Event

Highly Commended

Welcome to Wasteland D â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Friends & Associates, Mr Kyle Mac, More Studio and Natalie Turnbull P â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Josh Robenstone, Kristoffer Paulsen The exhibition presented projects by creative disciplines exploring the use of waste materials, while offering visitors an insight into how leading practitioners are approaching Australian waste issues, not just with a sense of obligation but as an opportunity of crisis.

Winner

International

182

International

Sibling Espresso

Winner

D – Travis Walton Architecture P – Elisa Watson L– Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia “This carefully judged sculptural stage set is the perfect tableau for playing out the theatre of coffee. Barista, patron and light activate the negative spaces formed by the harmonious interlocking sculptural planes that slide effortlessly from inside to out. The reduced palette of steel, concrete and mirror is tempered by the warmth of timber and sensitive lighting.” – Jeff Copolov, IDEA 2019 Jury A hole-in-the-wall concept where Melburnian devotion to the perfect coffee drives a design response, and where customer connection to the barista and showcasing the brew defines the experience. Branding integrates via subtle plays of materiality and shadow. Working with precision finishes of in situ poured concrete with laser cut steel accents and large steel framed windows, the project showcases excellence in local craftsmanship. Minimalist design features are expertly curated to strike a balance between light and dark, inside and out, organic and inorganic materials, allowing the coffee and culture to take central stage. Conceived as a single concrete element integrating the espresso bar through the shopfront to a small urban concrete courtyard, the standup espresso bar allows interaction with the outside environment through an unobstructed window connecting patrons, the local climate and people. The Brutalist-inspired forms are softened by perforated natural oak panelling abutting the walls and ceiling, all of which are illuminated by warm lighting from within. Bringing an influential design sensibility to Seminyak’s growing luxury travel market, Sibling is an ambassador to Bali’s tourist scene, seeking to break ground for the inevitable evolution from beachside Bali to luxury resort town.

International

Highly Commended

Caravan 2:0 D – Flack Studio P – Sharyn Cairns L– Seoul, South Korea Located in Gangnam, Seoul, Caravan 2:0 references 1950s Italian design through layered elements of the hand-made, craft and texture. Powder blue Featherston Scape chairs, custom artwork and Flack Studio designed lighting and joinery converge with aplomb.

184

International

Highly Commended

Mantab Workplace D – S/LAB 10 P – Heartpatrick L– Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Intentional mismatches are articulated in the design’s volumetric handling of spaces, as well as the contrasting play of colours, textures, materials and complementary custom detailing. The result is a confident, bold architectural presence and visual identity.

Winner

Editors’ Medal

Flack Studio

above—The Ivanhoe residence, category Residential Decoration. Images Sharyn Cairns, Caitlin Mills. right—The Caulfield North residence, category Residential Single. Image Anson Smart

186

“It is with absolute delight that we award this year’s Editors’ Medal to a practice of extraordinary talent, flair and optimism. Defining a new generation in Australian interior design with exemplar projects both here and overseas, the team at Flack Studio have proved themselves consummate professionals in everything they undertake. Bringing colour, texture, sculpture, an extraordinary sense of style and just a little bit of mischief to every project, David Flack is one of those rare individuals to realise a very particular and singular vision. Spanning residential, colour, event, international, retail, residential multi and hospitality, the projects shortlisted for IDEA 2019 included 22 nominations across 13 projects: Caravan 2.0, Castorina Co, NGV Rigg Prize: ‘We’ve boundless plains to share’, Nth Fitzroy by Milieu, Pettigrew – Boyd house, Storey Timber, Caulfield North residence, Elmore, Fitzroy, Hawthorn, Ivanhoe, Prahran and Sandy Bay residences. Each of these very fine projects is unique, while each has that certain Flack touch, that brush with daring and fun that has become the hallmark of his work. Stone, colour and art are always present in a Flack project, but so too is a surprisingly broad aesthetic of wonderful furniture and gorgeous accessories. Perhaps though what is most remarkable about the projects is the sense of positive optimism and sheer joy that seems to radiate from every design.” – Jan and Gillian, inside co-editors

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