inside – Interior Design Review: Issue 93

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ISSUE #93 | SEPTEMBER + OCTOBER 2016

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Contents #93

STUDIO #10 #14 #16 #18 #23 #26 #29 #32

THE PRODUCTS

Editorial Contributors Read: 4 Books In Review: 21_21 In Review: Green Ladder Dateline Designwall Survey: Lounges and Sofas

#37 #42 #44 #48 #50

Insight: Workplace Objects: Scott Weston Folio show Spotlight: Workspace Spotlight: CULT

THE PROJECTS #70

Harbour House KPDO

#78

University of Queensland Oral Health Centre Cox Rayner Architects in association with Hames Sharley and Conrad Gargett Riddel

#84

East Gallery House ROAM Architects

#88

St Kilda Road Penthouse David Hicks

#96

IFC Public Restrooms Sean Dix

THE MINDS TOP

One of Scott Weston’s favourite objects, the Kreoo Nabhi basin.

Page 42

RIGHT

Profile Nick Rennie.

Page 53

FAR RIGHT

Harbour House by KPDO. Image Richard Powers.

Page 70

#53 #56 #60 #64

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Profile: Nick Rennie Practice: Korban Flaubert In-house: Melbourne Theatre Company Discourse: Missoni

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inside

EDITORIAL

s winter nears its end and spring takes centre stage, issue 93 of inside is a breath of fresh air guaranteed to brighten your day and brush away those design cobwebs. In keeping with the idea of a new season and things reborn, in this issue we present a two-part magazine: Part One features our usual attractions of news, products and people, while Part Two presents the IDEA 2016 shortlisted practices, projects and products. Updating the look of inside is all about moving ahead and challenging preconceived ideas of what a magazine should be, so we hope that you will enjoy the change of format for this issue.

As usual we have gathered a stellar lineup of interviews, reviews, profiles and a fine array of diverse projects. Scott Weston tells us about his favourite things (p42), while Nick Rennie (p53) and Korban Flaubert (p56) talk about their life and work. Visiting the Melbourne Theatre Company (p60), we discover set design at its best. We also explore the iconic house of Missoni (p64), the products of which embrace pattern like no other. Projects feature luxurious and beautiful residences in Sydney and Melbourne with KPDO’s Harbour House (p70) and David Hicks’ St Kilda Road Penthouse (p88). The University of Queensland’s Oral Health Centre (p78) by Cox Rayner sets a new a benchmark in public design and ROAM Architects’ East Gallery House (p84) is an art collector’s delight. Add to the mix an unusual project by Sean Dix (p96) and the amenities of every shopping centre will need upgrading.

As usual, with the penultimate issue of the year and this year in Part Two of inside, we have the great pleasure of presenting the shortlisted projects from this year’s entries in the Interior Design Excellence Awards (IDEA). We received a record-breaking number of submissions and applaud all who entered. Thank you for sharing your outstanding work. As happened last year, the Designer of the Year nominees will present their work to their peers and the IDEA judges on 17 August at Rokeby Studios in Melbourne. The winner of the newest category in IDEA, the

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Object, Lighting and Furniture Rising award, will also be announced at this time.

So there is much to look forward to – the Shortlist Reveal event in Melbourne and the IDEA 2016 Gala Party in Sydney at the Dockside Pavilion on 18 November. In the meantime, there is a chance to read inside and see exactly what our extraordinary community has been up to. Both the quality and quantity of projects received for IDEA 2016 have exceeded all expectations and Australian design has never been better.

See you all soon

JAN & GILLIAN

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A Life Individual

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inside PUBLISHER

DESIGN

FIND US ONLINE

Chris Rennie

EDITORIAL DESIGN Marcus Piper

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EDITORIAL PRODUCTION CO-EDITORS Jan Henderson jan@hendersonmc.com.au +61 412 198 156 Gillian Serisier gillian@gillianserisier.com +61 416 025 195

COVER

Image Richard Powers.

Harbour House by KPDO

SUB-EDITOR Madeleine Swain CORRESPONDENTS BRISBANE Michelle Bailey ASIA Elizabeth Chu NORTH AMERICA David Sokol EUROPE Joy Weideman UK Rebecca Roke

ADVERTISING BRAND DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Laura Garro laura.garro@niche.com.au BRAND AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Brunetta Stocco brunetta.stocco@niche.com.au

PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Alicia Pinnock DESIGN & DIGITAL PRE-PRESS Monique Blair PRINTING Graphic Impressions

PUBLISHING

PHOTOGRAPHERS Jeff Busby Elden Cheung Nicole England Christopher Frederick Jones Shannon McGrath Richard Powers Toby Scott Dianna Snape Andrew Worssam

CHAIRMAN Nicholas Dower MANAGING DIRECTOR Paul Lidgerwood COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR Joanne Davies CONTENT & DIGITAL DIRECTOR Chris Rennie FINANCIAL CONTROLLER Sonia Jurista

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BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Neha Minhas neha.minhas@niche.com.au

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 © 2016 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 1 Queens Road, 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 offers 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 may also provide this information 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.

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IDEA 16 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 2015 and June 2016. 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 signing the entry form all entrants warrant that they have permission from all parties including

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clients, copyright holders and collaborators allowing inside and its partners to publish their work in the shortlist categories, the inside IDEA 2016 Special Edition and any associated promotional material, posters etc. including the IDEA 2016 website, without limitation. 7. By signing the entry form you indemnify Niche Media, inside IDEA 2016, its employees and agents and supporting partners from any 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 2016 Special Edition and any associated promotional material, posters etc. including the inside IDEA 2016 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 final and no correspondence will be entered into relating to the judging process or the outcome. 15. Privacy Information. inside, Niche & IDEA 2016 maintain a database of registered details. We may send you promotional material or pass your information to other companies that support inside IDEA 2016.

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THE CONTRIBUTORS

SUSAN MULDOWNEY WRITER Susan Muldowney is a Melbourne-based freelance writer with a keen interest in how architecture and design can enrich our cities and our lives. She has worked in publishing for almost 20 years and is a former editor of Australian architecture and design magazine, Monument.

SARAH HETHERINGTON WRITER Sarah Hetherington moonlights as an arts writer based in Sydney, Australia. 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. Hetherington is also a member of the International Association of Art Critics (AICA). She has been known to make art pilgrimages to remote locations including the Chinati and Judd Foundations in Marfa, Texas and Dia:Beacon, New York. She has also recently discovered a passion for indoor plants.

RICHARD POWERS PHOTOGRAPHER British photographer Richard Powers specialises in interiors, architecture and the built environment. Working worldwide, he has been based in the south of France for several years. Today his editorial client list includes such publications as US and European editions of Architectural Digest, Elle Décor, World of Interiors and Vogue. He also works directly with architects, interior designers, hotels and publishing houses such as Thames & Hudson, Penguin, Random House and Octopus. With 15 coffee table books to his name and 20 years of experience, Powers is a true force in his field, bringing equal amounts of enthusiasm, attention to detail and Zen calm to his work.

CHRISTOPHER FREDERICK JONES PHOTOGRAPHER Christopher Frederick Jones left England after university to relocate to Brisbane. He transitioned from the drawings board to work behind the lens and has been shooting architecture professionally ever since. Jones works for many of the leading architectural firms in Queensland and is an award-winning photographer. He is a regular contributor to architectural media throughout Australia and the world.

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STUDIO

BRESICWHITNEY HUNTERS HILL _ Chenchow Little Photography Peter Bennetts, Aimee Crouch, Karina Illovska Winner of the workplace under 1000sqm category IDEA 2015 “Instantly noticed because the detailing, lighting and materiality was executed so beautifully and skillfully, it quickly became apparent that a very clever conceptual idea was at work.

That is, an urban design planning approach to a small space that resonates with the very nature of the residential market. The scale and materiality of a house is evoked without being thematically domestic, while the notion of exploring a baroque village defines a refreshing spatial outcome.”

ROBERT BACKHOUSE, IDEA 2015 JURY

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STUDIO

{ BOOKS }

ON THE SHELF Kaleidoscope: Living in Colour and Patterns Stepping way beyond the realm of beige, these interiors are densely layered, highly individual and astoundingly eclectic. Granted, they are not to everyone’s taste, and this is perhaps the point: an interior should never be one-size-fits-all. In tune with the current trend for pairing contemporary elements with period pieces or architectural elements, the better interiors, including Prospect Park Town House (MADE Architecture, with interiors by Elizabeth Roberts), allow colour or pattern to marry disparity of form. The preface elaborates rather than defines and is best read last. That said, the interwoven texts are neat snapshots that allow the images to speak, while the essays, such as Restoring Opulence, which looks at the incredibly intimate restoration of Italian architect Carlo Mollino’s Casa Mollino, are as rich as the subjects.

PUBLISHER Gestalten DISTRIBUTOR Books@Manic RRP $99.50

Furnitecture: Furniture that Transforms Space

INFINITE SPACE

Contemporary Residential Architecture and Interiors Photographed by James Silverman

Documenting and exploring the newly reawakened 70s trend for built-in and modular furniture being realised as part of the architecture, Yudina hasn’t limited the milieu to space organisers (though this category is amply represented). Rather, she posits space as a definable condition. Whether creating fluid connected spaces and comfortable nooks (House in Megurohoncho by Torafu Architects, Tokyo) or a display for clothes (Snarkitecture for Richard Chai, NY) the walls, floor and ceiling are redefined as integral and active components. March Studio’s Aesop Saint-Honoré, Paris, for example, uses walls of jutting horizontal timber to create surfaces, shelving and a suspended counter, while Graft Architects’ KU 64 offers a surreal and spa-like ambience through a complete sculptural immersion that is unlike any other trip to the dentist.

AUTHOR Anna Yudina PUBLISHER Thames & Hudson DISTRIBUTOR Thames & Hudson RRP $35

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Infinite Space “If architecture as an applied practice is about designing space, then the architectural photo is volume made visible,” says Alan Rapp in the quietly brilliant essay on the history of the window. More than introducing this collection of remarkable architecture, where their remarkability is made legible by architectural photographer par excellence, James Silverman, the essay establishes the view as a cultural evolution of living. It is then the view as delivered by architecture that connects these projects from grand lake and mountain views (Casa Brissago, Jérôme de Meuron, Switzerland) to perfectly framed pockets of green (Villa Brask, Jesper Brask, North Zealand, Denmark). The title promise of infinite space is in this case completely apt, with the view per se taking secondary place to the effect of extrapolated perspective on the interior space.

PHOTOGRAPHY James Silverman PUBLISHER Gestalten DISTRIBUTOR Books@Manic RRP $95.00

Perfect Imperfect: The Beauty of Accident, Age and Patina Drawing on the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi made popular in the mid nineties by Leonard Koren’s book Wabi-Sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets and Philosophers, Perfect Imperfect is very much about styling. And, most particularly, about the styling of Glen Proebstel. He is in fact one of those rare individuals who can make near dead flowers, seed pods and peeling paint look gorgeous, and should come with a ‘don’t try this at home’ type warning. Similarly, it is Sharyn Cairns’ consummate ability as a photographer to frame and create compositional harmony, drama, perspective or flow that delivers such beautiful and varied images.

McCartney’s text is first person poetic and well-suited to a domestic audience.

AUTHOR Karen McCartney PHOTOGRAPHY Sharyn Cairns STYLING Glen Proebstel PUBLISHER Murdoch Books DISTRIBUTOR Murdoch Books RRP $59.95

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STUDIO

{ IN REVIEW }

ZAKKA – GOODS AND THINGS 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT TOKYO

text - Gillian Serisier photography - David Serisier

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I

n a smallish building (read architectural masterpiece) designed by Tadao Ando, in Roppongi Hills, 21_21 Design Sight has continually delivered some of the best and most relevant design exhibitions of our times.

Under the directorship of three leading Japanese designers, Issey Miyake, Taku Satoh and Naoto Fukasawa, the museum has proven a stronghold of design intelligence with all aspects of design, from robotics to graphics equally endorsed. The recent exhibition, Zakka – Goods and Things, has been curated

by Fukasawa and looks at the humble household objects of Japanese life. According to the exhibition literature a rough, flexible definition of zakka denotes “things that accompany our everyday lifestyle spaces and provide a subtle element of decoration”.

Readily available, ordinary objects are arranged and given beauty and intimacy through Fukasawa’s superb ability to curate these humble objects. A collection of plastic hooks, for example, has been laid across the internal courtyard in an intricate pattern of swirling curves reminiscent of Islamic art. Conversely, haphazard arrangements interspersed with grouping like-with-like inform the large sculptural installation on the mezzanine foyer. For this site, Fukasawa has suspended brooms, baskets, funnels, mats,

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#19

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LEFT AND ABOVE

Detail of the large installation piece created from everyday objects

OPPOSITE

Grouped to highlight sculptural form over practical utility a trio of brushes and stone vase with lotus pods are simple aesthetic forms of considerable beauty

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{ IN REVIEW }

ABOVE TOP

Ridiculously cute plastic toys are as necessary to the joy of living as their more utilitarian counterparts

ABOVE

Made from bright yellow foam these unidentified items are a visual delight of whimsy, while their practical application may be as ordinary as padding or cable protection

RIGHT

A staple of Japanese living, these simple yet elegant ceramics, while a ubiquitous household items, remain a thing of beauty encapsulating the idea of Zakka

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pokers and a million other household objects together as a floating mass. It is, however, the artistry of his eye that delivers perfection with each item essential to the balance of the whole.

In 21_21 form there is an educational undercurrent with a timeline and influence chart that few but Fukasawa can endorse.

This is not to say it is inaccurate in any way.

In fact the reverse, but it is his position in the design world that allows a firsthand retelling of the design impacts Japan experienced post WWII. In particular it is the influence of Scandinavian design on Japan that makes this so intriguing. And, the objects are proof.

Scandinavian ceramics, including work by Alvar Aalto, Wilhelm Kåge, Carl Harry Stålhane and Stig Lindberg in particular, show a clear influence, while the simplicity of form Fukasawa himself is known for echoes Scandinavian designers such as Arne Jacobsen or (Peter) Bang & (Svend) Olufsen.

That said, the joy of the exhibition is the care and contextualisation of each object as unique, beautiful and rare. A red rubber glove is given the same reverence as a pretty ceramic bowl, for example. In the case of the glove, it looks bright and sturdy, but, above all else, highly desirable. Similarly, the bowl looks rare and elegant and, like the glove, far more desirable than when seen stacked in a pile of 20 at the local handy-mart.

Fukasawa is never shy to humanise or insert his own personality; one of the more unusual elements of the exhibition is a shelf of lost and found objects. Each object in fact comes from his home and each is an object he has not used or thought of in a while, hence the ‘lost’ moniker. The ‘found’ is delivered as a bagged and tagged parcel with a neat handwritten description and photograph.

The strange intimacy of this display is hard to explain as the shapes give very little away about the object within the white cloth bag. It is perhaps their role as authentic accoutrement of day-to-day life that gives their record weight. Perhaps it is the care with which they are labelled and brought back to mind. Either way, it is an insightful delivery of the abstract place objects – whether ordinary or privileged – have in our hearts.

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#23

{ IN REVIEW }

d .

s y

GREEN LADDER: VO TRONG NGHIA SHERMAN CONTEMPORARY ART FOUNDATION SYDNEY 7 JULY – 10 DECEMBER

text - Adrienne Hughes photography - Brett Boardman

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F

or the past 30 years Dr Gene Sherman, executive director of SCAF (Sherman Contemporary Art Foundation), has championed care of the planet. It is not surprising then, that she concludes the SCAF Architectural Series: Fugitive Structures, with a work advocating sustainability across vast and interwoven modalities. Presented in association with BVN over four years, four works have been commissioned by architects of significance: Andrew Burns, AR_MA, Sack and Reicher + Muller with Eyal Zur and now Vo Trong Nghia Architects (VTNA). Each has in some way addressed how we live, whether that be how we take a moment of respite or how we can reduce our footprint.

Vo’s architecture is simply extraordinary, and very well-known, with work such as Diamond Island, Roc Von Restaurant and Farming Kindergarten garnering huge publicity and accolades for their hybrid model of cultural and physical sustainability. Farming Kindergarten, for example, provides a continuous green roofed amenity for 500 preschool children. Located next door to a shoe factory,

ALL IMAGES Vo Trong Nghia Architects: Green Ladder

(detail), 2016 Bamboo poles, wooden pots in bamboo matting, flora, rope, acrylic panels, steel foundation elements Installation view, Sherman Contemporary Art Foundation, Sydney Commissioned

by Sherman Contemporary Art Foundation, Sydney, 2016

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STUDIO

{ IN REVIEW }

the roof space grows edibles for the children, but is also a safe outdoor space. This, however, is just one example of the hundreds of exceptional projects within his oeuvre.

Green Ladder is then, as Sherman states, a token of Vo’s practice. Effectively a series of upright bound ladders housing boxes of growing flora, the installation functions as a city scaped jungle. Elegantly beckoning, the work is concerned with the problems of cities such as Ho Chi Minh City, where the population has reached 10 million (each person enjoys less than .5 square metres of green space). It is in fact almost impossible to not approach the work. The piece is located in the SCAF courtyard, where the smell of smoked bamboo is pleasant and gently acrid, increasing in strength as you near the pavilion.

Australian natives are starting to sprout and grow from the boxes and, while delicate and frondy now, will be floriferous and abundant with birds, bees and insects by spring. The scale and pockets of quiet draw visitors into the interior, where few can resist touching the silky bamboo.

Interestingly, where the world has abandoned bamboo in favour of concrete and steel, Asia has continued to understand its flexible strength. To wit, bamboo has continued to be the material choice on even the most high-tech of builds. What was lost, however, was the faith in its longevity and, fair enough, even VTNA’s early work is showing wear and tear. Then came modern science, and bamboo treated with chemicals, including creosote and copper chrome arsenic, was suddenly back in vogue, despite the fact that it is disastrous for the environment and even worse for the workers. Vo started exploring traditional alternatives and has developed a natural method. Soaked in the river for three months the bamboo is then smoked with rice husks (an otherwise discarded by-product of rice harvesting). The result is ‘Green Steel’ and, for Sydney, the very beautiful work, Green Ladder.

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#25

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{ DATELINE }

DATELINE SEPTEMBER – NOVEMBER LONDON DESIGN FESTIVAL LONDON, 17 – 25 SEPTEMBER One of the ongoing highlights of the London Design Festival is the series of pieces commissioned by the American Hardwood Export Council, Arup, Merk and the London Design Festival. The designers and architects invited to take part have been consistently at the forefront of British talent and this year’s choice of Alison Brooks could not have been better. The installation, The Smile, proposes an interactive architectural intervention of construction-sized panels of hardwood CLT realised as a 36-metre long curved rectangular tube (3.5 metres high). This will be the first mega tube made of timber. The rest of the festival is just as fabulous with every London designer taking part along with a huge British, European and Scandinavian contingent.

PARIS DESIGN WEEK PARIS, 3 – 10 SEPTEMBER

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TOP

London Design Festival, Alison Brooks, The Smile, render

MIDDLE

Paris design Week, Ecole Bleue. Now!

BOTTOM

Subodh Gupta: Everyday Divine, NGV International, Installation view.

Image Tom Ross

Merging four distinct festival formats: installation/exhibition, emerging exhibitions, talks and project networking, with competitions and oodles of socialising and product launches, Paris Design Week has a program that necessitates selection.

Moreover, it sprawls across the entire city, tying a considered selection to navigation skills and forces an outside the box exploration of Paris. The calibre is high with Chantal Hamaide, director of Intramuros magazine, vetting the call for projects and curating a series of talks with the mercurial remit of The Mutation of Know How. Anne Wodrascka, Astrid Hauton, Atelier Errance – Yijie Huang & Xiang Chen and Studio Grafico are just a handful of designers to be discovered.

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#27

SUBODH GUPTA: EVERYDAY DIVINE NGV, MELBOURNE TO 23 OCTOBER Arguably India’s greatest contemporary artist, Gupta’s work is chiefly concerned with ideas of poverty, displacement and stereotypes of sexuality, religion and race.

Typical to his work is a contextualisation of everyday objects into the role of the venerated and divine. Cow, 2003, for example is realised as a life-sized sculpture of a bicycle and milk pails. Rendered in bronze and aluminium, the piece makes comment on changing village life, while referencing and questioning the sanctity of the sacred cow. Drawn from the collection of New York art collector, Larry Warsh, the exhibition includes key works such as Hungry God, 2006 and Gober Ganesha, 2004.

TRAGÉDIE: OLIVIER DUBOIS CARRIAGEWORKS, SYDNEY, 2 – 3 SEPTEMBER

TOP

Lamar Advertising Headquarters, green roof – Spackman, Mossop+Michaels.

Image Elizabeth Mossop

MIDDLE

Carriageworks, Olivier Dubois, TRAGÉDIE. Image Francois Stemmer

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BOTTOM

Mason&Objet Paris designer of the year, Ilse Crawford interior, Duddell’s, Hong Kong.

Image from ‘A Frame for Life’, Rizzoli

Marked by form, repetition and vulnerability, there is an obsessive pounding quality to Dubois’ work that has catapulted his choreography to world renown. “Olivier Dubois has created with Tragédie his very own Sacre du Printemps or his own Boléro.”

(Libération, Paris, France). There is also the very real pounding of a single relentless drumbeat that galvanises the 18 nude performers who fold, merge and undulate in a hypnotising rhythm, where the fact of being human is pushed to the limits. Tragédie is part of an extraordinary calendar of performances and exhibitions Carriageworks has presented this year that has included Björk and will exhibit the US artist, Nick Cave, later this year.

2016 INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE: NOT IN MY BACKYARD CANBERRA, 27 – 30 OCTOBER Subtitled, Adventures into the profoundly frightening, deeply uncertain and yet somehow incredibly optimistic landscapes of the 21st century, the festival is that fabulous Canberrian mix of Utopian dream and pragmatic certainty. Resolved as a 20-event festival with talks, exhibitions, research summit, conferences, awards and a mix of public and industry tours, exhibitions, city activations, screenings and talks, it is also very much about connecting visitors to Canberra via the planned landscaping.

Creative director Richard Weller is an exceptional choice with a portfolio of books, papers and previous roles to support his vision; he is also Professor and chair of landscape architecture at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia (US).

MAISON&OBJET PARIS PARIS, 2 – 6 SEPTEMBER Timed to coincide with Paris Design Week, M&O Paris continues the tradition of this fine event with an expanded repertoire of activities, including the nomination of Ilse Crawford as Designer of the Year. More a treasure trove of delectable collectables than most, the range of objects is astoundingly comprehensive with textiles, ceramics, glass and artworks curated and delivered with exceptional style. With interior designers increasingly asked to populate their interiors with the accoutrement of life, M&O offers an ever-changing assortment of options. Increasingly used as a platform to launch unique products, it is also the place to discover the must-haves, colours and textures that will reign in 2017.

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HONEY HELENE TIEDEMANN Jonas Ihreborn

melbourne | sydney 1300 785 199 | info@interstudio.com.au

www.interstudio.com.au

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BISTROT GAVROCHE DESIGN Design Portfolio PHOTOGRAPHY Andrew Worssam

Bistrot Gavroche in Kensington Street, Chippendale, is unmistakably French, from the menu through to the interior. It is modern yet authentic to the ideals of a French bistro.

The design was brought together by Design Portfolio and sits well in the renovated surrounds that were once a Sydney rum factory.

With antiques imported from France placed throughout the space, the atmosphere is familiar, comforting and unpretentious. To create a truly French atmosphere the entrance door comes all the way from the iconic and revered Brasserie Georges in Lyon.

The existing architecture of the space – with the rafted ceiling, brick walls, awning windows and Heritage lift doors – works well with the imported French tiles, which evoke a farmhouse country feel to complement the bistro look. The totality creates an approachable, relatable atmosphere.

The space has been divided into the main dining area and bar area. The dining area is classic bistro with a red leather upholstered banquette around a central island feature with a brass railing. Timber herringbone flooring frames the space with antique bentwood chairs and a communal chef’s table.

The main bar is mahogany timber with modern metalwork to the back bar shelving and overhead gantry, creating an industrial look that melds with the existing factory feel and bistro look.

WWW.DESIGNPORTFOLIO.COM.AU

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TURRISI PROPERTIES’ HEADQUARTERS DESIGN Rothelowman PHOTOGRAPHY Toby Scott

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Rothelowman has completed a new office for Turrisi Properties in Brisbane’s West End. The office is located at the rear of the Glass Factory, a new development by Turrisi Properties.

The brief called for an office design that was sympathetic and responsive to the surrounding residential character, which references the industrial aesthetic.

The exterior of the office reflects the style of a ‘sawtooth’ warehouse, a genre of architecture that has historically characterised the West End area. “The commercial office mediates the transition from the five-storey residential Glass Factory development on Vulture Street to the existing two-storey character housing at the rear of the site,” says Rothelowman senior associate Duncan Betts.

Rothelowman drew design inspiration from the West End’s industrial aesthetic and, with limited space for sidewall window openings, created a series of sawtooth blade walls with slot and clerestory louvre windows to provide natural light and ventilation.

The office design deliberately blurs indoor and outdoor spaces, facilitating the opportunity to engage with the character street interface and an elevated view of the CBD. “In Queensland’s subtropical climate, ventilation is of the utmost importance, not only for comfort, but for a building to be sustainable and environmentally responsive,” says Betts.

The design of the office has created a very engaging, warm residential feeling that reflects the client’s brand. The office layout enhances Turrisi’s working style, with meeting rooms near the entrance that can be configured into a variety of layouts as needed.

Rothelowman has further developed the relaxed, friendly atmosphere of the interior through the use of warm timbers, cleverly contrasted with leather, steel and concrete to match the material palette of the Glass Factory development next door.

WWW.ROTHELOWMAN.COM.AU

22/07/16 2:32 PM

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FITZROY HERITAGE HOUSE DESIGN Mills Gorman Architects PHOTOGRAPHY Nicole England

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Mills Gorman’s brief and challenge was to design a contemporary infill building within a Heritage streetscape. The dwelling was to provide a flexible and sustainable environment for living and working – part of which could be zoned off at times for family and guests to stay.

From Napier Street, the built form responds to the proportions of the adjacent terraces. Finely detailed steelwork was adopted to acknowledge the scale and rhythm of the Victorian streetscape with bespoke woven steel strap screens creating familiar vertical window proportions when viewed from the street beyond. Muted tones and colours were deliberately selected so as not to overwhelm the Victorian streetscape and emphasise the simple proportions of the façade.

From each room occupants glimpse views – towards the courtyard garden, the central light court, the Heritage streetscape or the Fitzroy rooftops from the cantilevered rear deck. The intimacy and warmth of the interior, and the careful and subtle design, are enhanced by the outdoor spaces it addresses, creating a sense of openness and light.

The interior and architectural concept melded through the use of ‘real’ materials: the original bricks form a feature spine through the house and the garden walls, set against a palette of warm solid timber floors and custom integrated joinery. Blackened

steel, both structural and decorative, has been used through the home – from the garden to the custom firebox, laser cut staircase, and woven façade screens and framing – to provide a sharp modern contrast and reference the industrial past of the neighbourhood.

From the outset, the design was focused on efficiency and sustainability. Solar energy and hot water provision, an underground rainwater tank, low-energy fixtures and fittings, low VOC (volatile organic compounds), and local materials and fittings were sourced by the whole team for a holistic solution.

WWW.MILLSGORMAN.COM.AU

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R PLEASE BE SEATED

text - Sarah Hetherington

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esidential, commercial and hospitality interior design projects have a number of commonalities; however, one of the most important necessities is a perfect sofa or lounge. As we welcome spring and reminisce about Salone del Mobile in Milan and DENFAIR in Australia, the global trend for this furniture essential is that it be modular with flexible seating that is compact yet spacious, features design that is innovative and the end product is of the highest quality.

The frenetic pace of our technology-filled lives demands that our residences become a place of sanctuary – primed for retreat but also entertaining – and furniture must therefore be flexible and comfortable. In terms of finishes and colour, residentially, clients are selecting fabrics over leather and, at present, there is an impulse towards the use of velvet.

Fabric is a form of personal expression, so while neutral or muted colour tones are timeless and can be easily updated with accessories, the trend is towards sophisticated jewel-like colours, particularly inky blues and deep purples paired with metallic frames and supports. Contrast stitching and two-tone fabric are favoured; however, solid colours are generally in vogue and pattern is used in a minimal way.

There are different needs for commercial or corporate projects with a major focus on privacy and collaborative breakout areas. The trend is towards compact, flexible forms and firm, raised seating with higher back heights that ensure ergonomic posture is preserved.

Workspaces are required to be flexible and so modular systems with multiple configurations are essential to adapt to suit the activity of the space, provide privacy and maintain noise absorption. There is also a trend towards a mix of high and low seat backs that integrate with technology and adapt to various tables, but also create a more interesting office landscape. Overall, office spaces are becoming more ‘residential’ in appearance as the boundaries between work and life become increasingly blurred.

1. HIGH NEST SOFA FORM US WITH LOVE FOR +HALLE Designed by the Swedish group, Form Us With Love in collaboration with Danish +Halle, the High Nest sofa uniquely combines height with essential comfort, and directly responds to society’s desire to see what is occurring around us from an elevated position, or bird’s-eye view. Proving popular in both commercial and residential projects for its flexibility and multiple functions, the High Nest sofa allows for breakout meetings in an office space; elegant and intimate seating for restaurant, bar and hospitality environments; as well as a relaxed, social setting for families to congregate or dine at a kitchen island. A contemporary reinterpretation of a bar stool-meets-sofa or indeed a luxurious umpire’s chair, the sofa comprises steel frame legs and a rounded, cocoon-like seat upholstered in either fabric or leather.

The High Nest sofa not only creates a visual impact, it is ultimately inviting. www.interstudio.com.au 2. BRYDIE SOFA DIDIER Inspired by Evelyn Waugh’s 1945 novel Brideshead Revisited, Australian designer Ross Didier for Didier has created the Brydie Collection, fusing a sense of nostalgia and elegant luxury with contemporary proportions and generous comfort. The Brydie sofa features refined, timeless styling with a tailored, individual aesthetic – structured upholstery balances on elliptical shaped legs and is available in multiple seating sizes, fabrics or leather. One hundred percent Australian manufactured and designed, the Brydie sofa reinforces the importance and integrity of handcrafted, hand-invested philosophy at the core of its design. www.didier.com.au 3. HUSK-SOFA PATRICIA URQUIOLA FOR B&B ITALIA Designed in 2014 by Patricia Urquiola for B&B Italia and timeless in its appeal, the Husk-sofa comprises a series of structural cushions in the seat, back and armrests.

Ideal for client projects that require privacy and comfort, the Husk-sofa features an elongated back and armrest height, allowing for hospitable seclusion during meetings, but not total isolation. The sofa has only one depth of 102 centimetres, and two lengths of 225 centimetres and 261 centimetres. While there is no intention to further develop the Husk-sofa into a system, its compact nature evokes warmth and enhanced comfort. www.spacefurniture.com.au

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OPPOSITE

The High Nest sofa designed

by Form Us With Love For +Halle

ABOVE

Didier’s Brydie sofa.

Image Shannon McGrath

RIGHT

Husk sofa by Patricia Urquiola for B&B Italia

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4. CLOUD MODULAR SOFA 2980 WITH CHAISE AND ARMREST FRANCESCO ROTA FOR LEMA Cloud, by Italian designer Francesco Rota for Lema, is a symphonic range of modular forms capable of shape shifting to suit a multiplicity of individual structures according to varying surrounds. Voluminous seats, backs and arms provide generous proportions and a relaxed atmosphere. This, coupled with an inherent curvilinear playfulness, creates an enveloping, harmonious atmosphere. Solidly constructed, Cloud modular sofa 2890 with chaise and armrest is ideal for residential or über-contemporary commercial environments – myriad compositions, fabrics and colours are available, and playing mix and match with different segments is highly encouraged. www.rogerseller.com.au 5. EDO MODULAR HIGH BACK LOUNGE SCHAMBURG + ALVISSE Following the current commercial requirements regarding privacy and compact shapes in an office environment, Schamburg + Alvisse, the sustainable furniture studio with interests in eco-innovation, has designed the EDO collection. Inspired by Tokyo city’s former name, the EDO modular high back lounge comprises a toolkit of modules allowing for endless configurations in a definitive manner. Variable, supportive backrest heights, removable armrests, loose cushions and a selection of leg options fulfil clients’ desires for spatial diversity in a more activity-driven and agile workplace environment.

Clean lines, geometric shapes, diverse colour finishes and an overall minimal yet humanised aesthetic make EDO the epitome of a refreshing workspace of the future – collaboration, conversation and creativity. www.zenithinteriors.com

TOP

Cloud modular sofa 2980 with chaise and armrest designed by Francesco Rota for Lema

BOTTOM

The Edo modular high back lounge by Schamburg + Alvisse

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7. BEAM SOFA PATRICIA URQUIOLA FOR CASSINA Inspired by the brand’s heritage and paying tribute to Italian Vico Magistretti’s work, Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola has created the Beam sofa for Cassina in her first collection as creative director. Launching at Salone del Mobile in 2016, and described as “architectural rigour in a warm embrace”, the Beam sofa is a modular system comprising soft, enveloping seating and cushions supported by a ‘beam’ base that results in a sectional sofa. The articulated system includes three sections – a traditional two-arm configuration in two or three seats, a sofa with one arm in both two- and three-seater versions and a chaise longue with one arm.

Additional elements include an ottoman and centre or end low tables. The result is a rigorous design characterised by non-conformity, yet is wholly inviting and comfortable. www.cultdesign.com.au 8. NEWTONE SOFA MOROSO Designed in the late 1980s by Massimo Iosa Ghini for Moroso, the Newtone sofa represents unparalleled glamour and luxury, fused with modern streamline architecture.

Best suited for residential interiors, collaborative workspaces and also reception areas, the Newtone sofa’s sensuous curves, raised back height and decadent jewel-like fabric create a stylish appearance, ensuring privacy and noise-absorption. The horizontal form appears to be hydrodynamic in nature – the wooden frame has been covered with a stress resistant polyurethane foam and fibrefill and sits atop either satin aluminium or turned beechwood. While the Newtone covers are not removable, optional back cushions can be made in a range of fabrics. www.hubfurniture.com.au

6. SOFT MODULAR SOFA JASPER MORRISON FOR VITRA

9. CAN SOFA HAY

The British industrial designer, Jasper Morrison, known for his ‘super-normal’ aesthetic, launched his new collection for Swiss brand, Vitra at Salone del Mobile during Milan Design Week in 2016. The Soft modular sofa, expected to be in high demand, is just as it states – a low-slung, modular sofa with a decidedly horizontal emphasis.

The lounge provides a residential informality with a sculptural, architectural essence that can easily be integrated and customised to suit diverse interiors. Comprising a series of modular ‘cushions’ that sit atop a black base frame, or plinth-like platform with rounded corners. Superior comfort is achieved through detailed attention to the construction of the interior foam and spring core; the Soft modular sofa is voluminous yet balanced, understated yet sensual. Pure in its detailing and finish, the sofa invites the sitter to lounge and relax, revelling in its functionality and simplicity. www.livingedge.com.au

The introduction of the Can sofa designed by the French duo, Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec for Danish brand HAY, has pioneered the growing residential trend for flat packed furniture. The designers have created a customisable self-assembly sofa available in two- or three-seater variations in muted colour tones.

The range also includes armchairs. The seat and backs rest on a steel framework, and these cushions can be removed to transition the piece into a bed. Driven to innovate and answer the increasing online demands of custom furniture services, as well as a speedy delivery time, the Can sofa embodies the designer’s concept – ‘you can do it’ – in a simple, relaxed and versatile fashion. www.cultdesign.com.au

22/07/16 2:42 PM

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TOP LEFT

Soft modular sofa by Jasper Morrison for Vitra

TOP RIGHT

The Newtone sofa designed by Massimo Iosa Ghini for Moroso

ABOVE

The Beam sofa by Patricia Urquiola for Cassina

RIGHT

Can sofa designed by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec for HAY

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22/07/16 2:42 PM

MESA Designed by Franco Crea Manufactured by Workspace Exclusive to Workspace ĂƐĞĚ ŝŶ DĞůďŽƵƌŶĞ͕ sŝĐƚŽƌŝĂ͕ &ƌĂŶĐŽ ƌĞĂ ŝƐ Ă ĚŝƐƟŶĐƟǀĞ͕ ƐƚLJůŝƐŚ ĂŶĚ ƌĞƉƵƚĂďůĞ ĚĞƐŝŐŶĞƌ ŽƉĞƌĂƟŶŐ ǁŝƚŚŝŶ ƚŚĞ ŚŝŐŚͲĞŶĚ ƵƐƚƌĂůŝĂŶ ĨƵƌŶŝƚƵƌĞ ƐĐĞŶĞ͘ ĞƐŝŐŶĞĚ ŝŶͲŚŽƵƐĞ͕ &ƌĂŶĐŽ͛Ɛ DĞƐĂ ĐŽůůĞĐƟŽŶ ŽĨ ƚĂďůĞƐ ĂŶĚ ƐƚŽŽůƐ ĂƌĞ ĂĞƐƚŚĞƟĐĂůůLJ ůŝŐŚƚ͕ ĞdžƚƌĞŵĞůLJ ƐŽůŝĚ ĂŶĚ ĚƵƌĂďůĞ͕ ĂŶĚ ŝƐ ƐƵŝƚĂďůĞ ĨŽƌ ŝŶĚŽŽƌ ĂŶĚ ŽƵƚĚŽŽƌ ĂƉƉůŝĐĂƟŽŶƐ͘ tŽƌŬƐƉĂĐĞ ĂƌĞ ƉƌŽƵĚ ƚŽ ƉĂƌƚŶĞƌ ǁŝƚŚ &ƌĂŶĐŽ͖ ŚŝƐ ƉĂƐƐŝŽŶ ĨŽƌ ĚĞƐŝŐŶ ĂŶĚ ƵƐƚƌĂůŝĂŶ ŵĂŶƵĨĂĐƚƵƌŝŶŐ͕ ĐŽƵƉůĞĚ ǁŝƚŚ Ă ĐŽŵŵŝƚŵĞŶƚ ƚŽ ĞŶǀŝƌŽŶŵĞŶƚĂů͕ ƐŽĐŝĂů ĂŶĚ ĞĐŽŶŽŵŝĐ ƐƵƐƚĂŝŶĂďŝůŝƚLJ ƌĞŇĞĐƚƐ ƚŚĞ ĞƐƐĞŶĐĞ ŽĨ ŽƵƌ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ͘

www.workspace.com.au Sydney | Melbourne | Adelaide | Canberra

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THE PRODUCTS Susan Muldowney wanders through the new workplace and discovers that much has changed over the years.

The spaces in which we work are mobile, provide the comfort of home and promote collegiate interaction as never before‌

Schiavello’s Parley table

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text - Susan Muldowney

{ INSIGHT }

I

f mobile technology means we can work from anywhere, why bother going into an office? The contingent workforce is on the rise, flexibility is a greater expectation and many employees claim to be more productive when they work from home. If that’s the case, why not create a workplace that resembles it?

Workplace designs are now taking their cues from residential and hospitality environments. Opaque corner offices are becoming a rarity in a push for open communication and transparent governance. Grey pod farms are all but extinct and expansive open plan offices can lack a balance between collaboration and concentration. The new focus of workplace design is movement, comfort and enhanced productivity, and furniture is being designed to promote this.

ALL THE COMFORTS OF HOME People naturally feel more relaxed at home. Ergonomics will always be important, but workplace furniture is becoming playful too. Zenith’s Hang Loose swing, launched last year, is a perfect example. “While it might seem a little gimmicky, as soon as you sit in it, it takes away the cares of the world,” says Celia Quattrociocchi, marketing and product manager with Zenith. “If you’re having a stressful morning and you need to get away from your desk, you can sit in the swing and gently rock back and forth and it has such a relaxing effect.”

Anton Schiavello, director of Schiavello International, says residential references in workplace furniture make offices more relatable. “The kind of furniture you have in a workplace can make people come to work more willingly,” he says. “Furniture with a residential feel just makes people feel more comfortable.”

Schiavello’s Parley table is designed with this in mind. Although it is used

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for meetings, its soft natural timber finish and rounded edges give it a distinctly residential feel. “It feels like a dining table more than anything else,” says Schiavello.

Tony Russell, brand director of Stylecraft, says companies also want workplace furniture with a residential aesthetic as it promotes productivity.

“We enjoy our time at home or out at a bar or café more than we do in a traditional office environment,” he says.

“These places tend to make us happier and idea generation comes to the fore.

I think our work and social spaces are blurring.”

Stylecraft’s Guell modular seating system by Derlot Editions reflects this trend. The flexible design is ideal for collaborative breakout areas in a workplace and would appear equally at home in a café.

While workplace furniture is becoming more casual and relaxed, it must still comply with health and safety requirements and be of a high commercial grade. Quattrociocchi cites Zenith’s All Sorts collection of ottomans and lounges as an example.

“When we developed the range, we knew that it had to be very structured and wouldn’t collapse like a beanbag, because corporate environments don’t want to deal with that level of maintenance,” she explains. “You can’t just take a piece of residential furniture and place it in a commercial environment.”

WORKPLACES ON THE MOVE The best workplaces today are agile, adaptable and healthy. They are designed to get people moving. Advances in technology mean we’re no longer tethered to a desk and the health benefits of regular movement at work have been well-documented. Smart workstations provide the choice of sitting or standing while you work – some even come with apps to alert you when it’s time to get on your feet.

UCI, which specialises in commercial furniture and fitouts, knows all about height adjustable furniture. The company used to manufacture hospital beds 15 years ago and applies similar electronic actuator technology to its sit-to-stand desks today.

“We’ve noticed that sit-to-stand desks are becoming a priority in workplaces,” says Mike Radda, CEO of UCI, which specialises in flexible designs such as the Interchange electric sit-stand workstation. “We have produced apps that tell you when it’s time to stand up, so rather than a Fitbit, you can have a kind of ‘fit desk’.

It’s important not to stand at your desk all day and we’re actually part of some research into this at the moment, but

22/07/16 3:13 PM

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The new focus of workplace design is movement, comfort and enhanced productivity, and furniture is being designed to promote this.

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ABOVE

From the Softscape collection by Helen Kontouris for Stylecraft

OPPOSITE

Zenith All Sorts collection of ottomans and lounges

LEFT

UCI’s Paradigm sit stand workstation

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Acoustics are also an important consideration in open work environments.

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#41

the best workstations are now about choice and promoting well-being.”

Humanscale is another company passionate about integrated technology and ergonomics and these are showcased in its M Connect, Quick Stand and Horizon products. Kirsty Angere, ergonomist with Humanscale, says, “We are most certainly going the right way when it comes to incorporating technology and ergonomics into our workstations. However, we are seeing that many of our clients are going down the agile working route.

Agile working is about bringing people, processes, connectivity and technology together, allowing for flexible working patterns and office space.”

Katerina Ali, marketing and executive manager with Australian Workstation Manufacturers (AWM), has also noticed an increase in demand for sitto-stand workstations, such the company’s Alto collection. “Engineering has come a long way and the electronics are really the most important feature,” she says. “No one really wants to be bothered winding a desk up or down and the cheap versions can wobble.”

ALL TOGETHER NOW Agile workplace designs break down hierarchies and create greater transparency, which can send powerful messages to both employees and clients.

“People who may not have had direct access to their line manager in the past are now more likely to be sharing communal tables, so there are more opportunities for open communication in agile work environments,” says Stylecraft’s Tony Russell.

Collaborative spaces and breakout areas are designed to enhance both creativity and productivity. “The stuffy boardrooms are still there, but meeting rooms are being replaced by breakout areas because they feel like a more natural way of getting together and reference a lounge area,” adds AWM’s Katerina Ali.

TOP

Herman Miller’s Metaform and Wireframe sofas

ABOVE

Humanscale’s Quickstand Lite

LEFT

Nook Booths from AWM

RIGHT

The IN task chair from Wilkhahn

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Herman Miller’s Living Office environment, where products are designed to support the needs and activities of an organisation, also provides for the many requirements of today’s workplace.

Louisa Moran, marketing manager at Herman Miller Australia, New Zealand, says that the aim is to, “Bring humanity into the workplace by providing a choice of furniture settings to support the type of work taking place throughout the day, from informal catch-ups on lounge settings to sharing concepts in collaborative meeting settings conveniently located near flexible desking.”

Of course those who do sit in a chair at a desk require maximum comfort and there are advanced ergonomic solutions available. For example, Wilkhahn’s IN chair allows for 360 degree movement and provides increased and adjustable lumbar support that helps reduce back pain.

Workplace furniture can bring people together, but it must also cater to private time. “You can’t be in collaboration at all times,” adds UCI’s Mike Radda. “Furniture needs to allow for a balance so there are opportunities for quiet focus.”

UCI’s Muffle pod features a desk and streamlined contours that gently surrounds a worker to shut out noise and distractions. AWM’s Nook design resembles a private booth, while Zenith’s Cloud system gently cushions workers from distraction through an organic pod formation.

Acoustics are also an important consideration in open work environments. Schiavello’s Focus booths, for example, feature high curved panels that create a shield from the surrounding workplace and absorb noise.

Stylecraft’s Tony Russell notes that workplace furniture should also be flexible enough to respond to varying workplace needs. Stylecraft’s Softscape modular lounge is ideal for breakout spaces, reception areas or quiet work zones due to the privacy screen that can be affixed to the upholstered modules. “It’s such a flexible design – it can be configured for meetings or for quiet, independent work,” says Russell.

Schiavello’s Kayt Village range also provides a multipurpose space with surrounding walls that dampen background noise. “They provide focused settings, but can also be used for collaboration,” says Anton Schiavello.

Workplace designs now promote comfort and well-being and this all translates to the goal of greater productivity. “Companies like Google may have been among the first to introduce the comfortable and fun environments,” says Zenith’s Celia Quattrociocchi, “but the root of that is keeping employees happy and at work for longer.”

25/07/16 9:34 AM

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SCOTT WESTON: SCOTT WESTON ARCHITECTURE DESIGN There are few architects with the flair or pizzazz of Scott Weston, in particular his use of colour, which has signatured his work with several ‘Best use of Colour’ awards under his belt. These include the Medusa boutique hotel, which Conde Nast Traveller magazine voted as one of the ‘21 coolest hotels in the world’. Awarded the University Medal and a suite of scholarships, Weston has an innate skill that has expanded with travel and a passion for odd and interesting elements.

“Scott’s ability to borrow from the past and reinvent to a modern context is his forte, so is a theatrical flair for rich and dramatic architectural concepts based on a rigorous set of design rules. This is clearly demonstrated in the alterations and addition to ‘Hobart’, a grand Victorian terrace in Pitt Street, Redfern,” his website states.

“I’m about to build my new home in Paddington and these are on my Object List,” says Weston.

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01 | Vitra Slow chair and ottoman in pink Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec, 2006 The perfect outdoor lounge chair for its ergonomics and it comes in pink!

02 | Sherwin Williams paint colour: Blue Peacock The perfect rich and moody feature wall to display my Reuben Paterson glitter artwork entitled Thanks Indigo, glitter and synthetic polymer on canvas, 120 x 120 cm. Photo: Bridget Webber

04 | Linde Ivimey bone sculpture, Duplicem, 2016, steel armature, acrylic resin, dyed cotton, woven bird vertebrae, shellac, rubies 65 x 33 x 85 cm.

A true maverick, who creates mystical gothic creatures from animal bones, hair and concealed talisman objects.

05 | Kreoo Nabhi bowl, Emperador Dark from Quorum Furniture The perfect vessel carved from a solid block of marble.

03 | Fornasetti Architettura Trumeau Bar designed by Gio Ponti and decorated by Piero Fornasetti, first exhibited in 1951.

A very witty and chic black and white cabinet that is not only decorative but allows me to display my collection of Di Holdsworth sculptures.

22/07/16 2:44 PM

Next generation joinery coatings.

Distributed locally by Intergrain Timber Finishes, Teknos coatings are manufactured in :JHUKPUH]PH [V WYVK\JL ÄUPZOLZ VM [OL OPNOLZ[ X\HSP[` HUK WLYMVYTHUJL >P[O P[Z HK]HUJLK MVYT\SH[PVUZ ;LRUVZ KLSP]LYZ OPNOS` K\YHISL MHJ[VY` ÄUPZOLK JVH[PUN Z`Z[LTZ [OH[ WYV[LJ[ HNHPUZ[ ^LH[OLYPUN <= KLNYHKH[PVU TV\SK HUK M\UNHS NYV^[O A Teknos factory applied coating system can be customised to meet your ULLKZ ;V ÄUK V\[ TVYL JHSS VY ]PZP[ ^^^ [LRUVZ JVT H\

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8/07/2015 2:52 pm

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{ FOLIO SHOW }

FOLIO SHOW

CULT DESIGN CH22 & CH26 CHAIRS

BILLI THE BILLI QUADRA RANGE

Carl Hansen & Søn is now manufacturing the elegant CH22 lounge chair and CH26 dining chair, two of Hans Wegner’s earliest designs, which until today have never been produced. Made with solid timber, both chairs are available in walnut, oak and mixed finishes. The seat is available in natural or black paper cord. Hans J Wegner is undoubtedly one of the most original and influential furniture designers Denmark has ever produced, and Carl Hansen & Søn’s reintroduction of the CH22 and CH26 chairs emphasises his talent for designing and constructing wooden furniture.

Smarter, safer and more convenient drinking water, the Billi Boiling and Chilled product category delivers invigorating filtered boiling and chilled drinking water. The Quadra range blends elegant style, futuristic design and cutting edge technology, meeting green building requirements, disability access and ergonomic design imperatives.

Our Australian designed and made products are quite simply the world’s premium drinking water systems. Billi has a range of tap designs that will complement your space. Choose from handcrafted, artisan colours and finishes including matte black, rose gold and matte white.

www.cultdesign.com.au www.billi.com.au

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HALLIDAY + BAILLIE HB685 LARGE PUSH BUTTON EDGE PULL To add to the Halliday + Baillie Cavity end pull family Halliday + Baillie introduces the New HB685. The big brother of our famous HB680, the HB685 is a serious push button activated edge pull catering for heavy sliding doors/barn doors wherever a D handle is required to pull a heavy slider along. Couple this with any number of Halliday + Baillie’s flush handles for a complete aesthetic. Available in: SC, brushed nickel, bronze, unfinished brass, matt black, mirror chrome + white powder-coat. Follow us on Instagram: www. instagram.com/hallidaybaillie. www.hallidaybaillie.com ROGERSELLER HANGAR WARDROBE SYSTEM BY LEMA Renowned Italian brand Lema has taken the humble wardrobe to the next level with the Hangar wardrobe system, designed by acclaimed architect and designer Piero Lissoni.

Created to be a fully personalised storage and organisational solution, the Hangar wardrobe system provides complete customisation. The ability to play with configurations, organisational structures, interior accessories and finishes creates a bespoke product as unique as the individual whose belongings it houses.

HUMANSCALE QUICKSTAND LITE

www.rogerseller.com.au/lema-hangar-wardrobes

The Red Dot Award-winning QuickStand Lite transforms any fixed-height desk into an active one. Its minimalist aesthetic complements every office environment and supports a variety of hardware. An adjustable keyboard and monitor arm platform provides exceptional stability while typing. An innovative counterbalance mechanism enables users to transition from sitting to standing positions with ease and encourages more movement – creating a truly active workspace.

QuickStand Lite can be attached to any existing, fixed-height desk. Its minimal footprint frees up space, and its unique adjustability is perfect for home or corporate workspaces, temporary hot desks, collaborative workstations and check-in points. www.humanscale.com

INSTYLE ECOUSTIC VENEER Ecoustic Veneer is a new modular system that combines superior sound absorption with the sophistication of timber veneer. The acoustic panels are available in 11 perforated or non-perforated FSC-certified reconstituted wood veneer types and are easy to install along walls and ceilings in a wide range of interior spaces including workplace, retail, public building and hospitality. Ecoustic Veneer was awarded the Best of Neocon 2016 Gold Award for Architectural Products. www.instyle.com.au

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inside

THE PRODUCTS

{ FOLIO SHOW }

SCHIAVELLO FOCUS BOOTH

LAUFEN TWINPLUS Laufen’s new twinplus collection exudes sophistication and iconic style.

Designed by Andreas Dimitriadis (platinumdesign studio), the twinplus collection is an indispensable, all-round design solution for modern bathrooms.

The collection consists of three washbasin mixers available in different heights, representing superior quality tempered by restrained elegance. The range also has a shower and bath mixer for a coordinated finish.

The twinplus collection is exclusively available through Reece.

Focus is a curated selection of soft barriers and booths that provides a quiet refuge for reflection or private conversation. Empowering the user to choose the space they need, the units come equipped with power and data connections and an expanding range of accessories, including signage blade, coat and bag hook and a splash back available in a variety of finishes such as leather or pinable board. An innovation in the furniture sector, Krossi height adjustable tables bring sit-stand work surfaces to Focus. www.schiavello.com/focus

www.laufen.com

ROYAL OAK FLOORS HERRINGBONE BLOCK Royal Oak Floors Herringbone block flooring is available in 15 different colours throughout its collections. The individual block pattern is a typical French inspired pattern, but the beauty of this board is, that the length is an exact multiple of the width, intricate patterns such as basket weave or double block can be utilised to create another dimension to designs. Usually 148 by 888 by 15 millimetres thick, it’s a stunning way to add interest to any floor. www.royaloakfloors.com.au

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ZENITH INTERIORS BUZZIBREEZE

MAXIMUM AUSTRALIA TECHNICAL PORCELAIN PANELS

BuzziSpace’s love for outdoor living inspired Cassecroute in partnership with the BuzziSpace design team to create the BuzziBreeze: the original communal table, office style. Like our prize-winning indoor table BuzziPicNic, BuzziBreeze has all the nostalgic design features of a traditional picnic table. However, BuzziSpace has answered the call for an outdoor workstation that captures the collaborative needs of the modern workplace.

BuzziBreeze is constructed using a powder-coated metal frame, with either a weather resistant hardwood top and seat or a folded aluminium profile.

Also available is BuzziBreeze High and BuzziBreeze Low or a combination of both that is reminiscent of an old-style school desk.

The future of architectural surfaces…

Innovative Maximum large-format, fine profile porcelain panels are strong, light, and made entirely from natural materials. Developed and made in Italy using leading edge technology, Maximum is fast becoming the architectural finish of choice for leading architects and designers for both residential and commercial developments.

Available in 40 beautiful colours and finishes, including the new Pietra Bronze and Cristallo, Maximum panels are cost-effective and offer complete architectural sustainability and unprecedented design flexibility for interior and exterior applications including floors, walls, benchtops, bath faces, drawer fronts and splashbacks.

www.zenithinteriors.com

www.maximumaustralia.com

STYLECRAFT SIPA

WORKSPACE COMMERCIAL FURNITURE ALLURE CHAIR Designed by Lievore Altherr Molina, developed by Forma 5, exclusive to Workspace.

Allure is designed for executive, organisational and decision-making environments. The work chairs stand out for their soft lines and focus applied to the distribution of pressure to ensure optimal comfort during use. Regardless of the option you choose, swivel pivot middle backrest or conference, Allure offers the same aesthetic and ergonomic benefits for executive boardrooms, conferences or corporate meetings. www.workspace.com.au

Established in 1974, Sipa has maintained the tradition of quality Italian craftsmanship while progressing with an identity that blends classic and contemporary design. Designed and manufactured in Milan, the Sipa collection includes solid ash timber chairs, tables and stools, suitable for corporate breakout, hospitality and residential settings. Affirming an ability to redefine timber pieces with a modern aesthetic are ranges like the Cut chair. Featuring spindles that are shaped to the rear and clean-cut at the front, the ash timber construction is available in an open-pore lacquered finish to natural or black stain, as well as a partially lacquered two-tone version where the seat and part of the spindles are in natural. www.stylecraft.com.au

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inside

THE PRODUCTS

{ SPOTLIGHT }

Much has changed in the workplace and the world of furniture design over the past decade. For example, offices have become more open plan and, with this, the correct office furniture has become an imperative. The health and well-being of employees is at the forefront of research and development for companies of interior furniture, and designers have had to move quickly to reflect these needs.

Workspace Commercial Furniture understands change. After all the company was established in 1911 and since inception it has been at the forefront of furniture supply, setting trends and providing product for the commercial, educational, hospitality, health and aged care sectors. But now, some 105 years later, there is another change occurring, one initiated by the launch of the 3.60 task chair. There are many task chairs on the market, but nothing quite like the 3.60. This chair is in a class of its own through its innovative design, comfort and adaptability. It literally reflects and complements human movement.

Designed by the renowned studio, ITO Design for Forma 5, the 3.60 is a responsive task chair that bends and moves with the user. ITO Design has been a leader in its field since inception in 1987. The studio has produced a wealth of products for sectors that include office and interior furnishings and telecommunications, electronic and medical systems. Working with Forma 5, the studio was well-placed to create a ground-breaking task chair that would offer outstanding comfort.

The 3.60 chair has been designed from

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the study of ergonomics, physiology and kinematics of the human body.

In particular, a study of the postural development of those who used the 3.60 chair in the office throughout the working day was undertaken in a Biomechanical Analysis Health Centre and the result certified the 3.60 task chair as healthier and more comfortable for users.

The 3.60 offers seven integral adjustments that can sync with body movement. These include a dynamic balance movement attained through the regulation of tension, a height and depth adjustable backrest block, adjustable lumbar support and headrest, seat depth and height adjustment and a 4D (four directions) arm adjustment.

The chair is made with a reinforced polyamide back frame and outer seat tray, a polypropylene inner tray and an upholstered injected foam seat. It is available with a polished aluminium or polyamide angled base. The upholstery options available are wide ranging with myriad choices of fabric, leather or vinyl.

There is no doubt that the 3.60 task chair will become the jewel in the Workspace crown of products and rightly so. This innovative and exceptional chair is now available from Workspace showrooms located in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Canberra and is set to raise the bar on task chair design.

WORKSPACE: A BRILLIANT TASK

WWW.WORKSPACE.COM.AU

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Available through all Reece Bathroom Life showrooms www.reece.com.au

www.kartellbylaufen.com

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THE PRODUCTS

{ SPOTLIGHT }

Part of the AG x Cult 2016 collection, Bower is Goodrum’s first foray into designing specifically for the commercial market. Drawing on Goodrum’s talents as a furniture and industrial designer, the skills of local craftspeople and Cult’s long-standing support of Australian talent, the development of this range of solutions is both innovative and a visual feast. Inspired by the rambling woven nests of the bowerbird, the design is loose and organic in appeal.

“There is an abundance of product on the market, but I wanted to create something that had a softer, calmer language,” says Goodrum. There is also something refreshingly personal about the soft colours, exposed timber (a combination of ash, oak and walnut) and a general tactility that suggests a cocoon rather than barrier.

That said, one of the key elements to this design is the stringent attention to acoustics. “Richard [Munao] had been approached by an architect that couldn’t find a product that was acoustically driven,” says Goodrum of the circumstances driving the design.

Effectively, the shape dictates noise control in two ways, in that the overall form acts to block and buffer sound, while the woven element absorbs and dampens noise, creating a soft hush within. Resolved as a suite of solutions, the offering includes a workpod, armchair, meeting lounge and a range of adjustable screens (straight, arc and hex). Both the lounge and armchair are available with an integrated high back for visual and audial privacy. Moreover, the range is designed to be easily assembled and transported, with lift size a key consideration for the larger portions.

Designed to be sustainable, the range supports local craftspeople and is eligible for the Cultivated Stewardship Program. Designed to be disassembled and up-cycled, all materials are recyclable or reusable. The timber is of course FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified, while the woven acoustic felt (Instyle Ecoustic) is made from recycled PETG (Polyethylene terephthalate glycol) water bottles.

In recent years, Goodrum’s work has been awarded a plethora of accolades including the NGV (National Gallery of Victoria) Rigg Design Prize, Vogue Living Alessi Design Prize, Indesign Luminary Award and the IDEA Editors’ Medal. He has also been commissioned to design pieces for several global luxury brands including Veuve Clicquot, Alessi and Cappellini.

ADAM GOODRUM – BOWER RANGE photography - Brooke Holm

WWW.CULTDESIGN.COM.AU

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SINK DIFFERENTLY. Abey Australia’s diverse range of sinks provides you with a selection from around the world. Visit an Abey Selection Gallery to browse the range.

Barazza Cubo Single Bowl – Barazza 1 & 3/4 Bowl – Barazza Easy200 Double Bowl

VICTORIA Selection Gallery 335 Ferrars St Albert Park Ph: 03 8696 4000

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NEW SO UTH WA L ES Selection Gallery 1E Danks St Waterloo Ph: 02 8572 8500

QUEENSL AND Selection Gallery 94 Petrie Tce Brisbane Ph: 07 3369 4777

* N E W LY O P E N E D * WESTERN AUSTR ALIA Selection Gallery 12 Sundercombe St Osborne Park Ph: 08 9446 8255

www.abey.com.au

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THE MINDS

Nick Rennie is at the vanguard of Australian product designers who are celebrated not only at home, but also throughout the world. With designs in production for many prestigious European furniture companies and commissions on the drawing board, Rennie is one of the busiest designers around. He works at a relentless pace and there seems to be no stopping this design dynamo.

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text - Jan Henderson

DESIGNING THE WORLD NICK RENNIE

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THE MINDS

{ PROFILE }

A

His output is profound with some 30 to 40 new product designs each and every year; however, these are not just concepts, but prototypes ready for manufacture.

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s one of Australia’s leading product designers Nick Rennie is a force to be reckoned with.

He established his own practice, happy finish design, in 2001 and over the last 15 years has created a way of life and a business, and enjoyed great success both here and overseas. His road from student to leading designer is a lesson to anyone who has talent, a vision and the will to succeed, and these attributes Rennie has in abundance.

As one of the busiest designers in Australia, Rennie’s creative output is prolific. He travels constantly and his passport reads like a roadmap to the world’s design hotspots. Rennie is based in Melbourne, but equally at home in Tokyo, Milan or Paris and he counts many of the world’s leading designers and furniture company CEOs as his friends. Nick Rennie is, without a doubt, a man who embraces life and his profession with equal portions of passion and dexterity, and one of his finest qualities is that he has never wavered in the face of adversity.

Rennie always makes the most of every situation and, through his experience and quiet determination, he embraces his design work, exploring possibilities and problem solving with expert precision. These traits, of course, manifest themselves in his designs, and what designs! Each project is crafted with a simple elegance and a touch of humour and it is this that sets his products apart. His output is profound with some 30 to 40 new product designs each and every year; however, these are not just concepts, but prototypes ready for manufacture.

Not bad for a one-time sports fanatic with Olympic potential who changed professional direction in his early 20s.

Rennie studied at RMIT and achieved top marks for his final year furniture project in 1998. Then, with the assistance of early mentor Kjell Grant, he made the pilgrimage to Milan and SaloneSatellite in 2000 exhibiting with the newly created Melbourne Movement. He returned to Milan exhibiting for the next four years and worked to develop relationships with major European furniture companies, learning how the commissioning process worked. Anyone who has ever tried to establish a relationship with European furniture companies (with a view to designing for them) will tell you it is an arduous path, long and tedious, filled with broken appointments and promises, but Rennie was persistent and so set the foundations for his future.

A little before Rennie’s relationship with Italy began, he discovered another country that has been, and still is, a great influence in his life. His love affair with Japan began in 2002 when he created the installation The Shape of Rain for Tokyo Design Week. The installation reinterpreted a rain shower as a frozen moment in time and the raindrops were translated as thousands of plastic beads suspended on invisible wire hung from above. This ephemeral project was greeted with great acclaim and brought with it a network of new colleagues and friends that he works with to this day.

Rennie is a man of principle with a dogged determination and relentless persistence to succeed. He approaches his work with great seriousness and creates his own ‘luck’. His style is upfront and he was the first among his peers to compile a hardcover book of all his potential designs to present to clients. Some would say this is a risky thing to do with no signed contract in hand, but Rennie sees the book as the hard copy of his life and expects the best from those who accept his gift. The first iteration of this hefty catalogue was entitled Unrealised, a title that made reference to his work as products not yet manufactured. On another level, however, the title also referred to the man himself as a designer who had yet to achieve his potential.

Since the first edition of this product monograph in 2007 the book has grown exponentially each year and is now a substantial volume of 320 pages.

At this stage of his career and success, one would suggest that Unrealised is indeed now realised.

Rennie has worked with major international companies that include Ligne Roset, Normann Copenhagen and Porro and is still designing new products for all of them. His Softly sofa for Ligne Roset launched this year in Germany (at IMM Cologne), Paris (Maison&Object) and Milan (Salone Del Mobile). It has received accolades worldwide and is proving to be a best seller for the French company. As a further endorsement of his skill, and a landmark moment in Rennie’s career, Softly is the first sofa on the market designed by an Australian for a European company. Softly joins many other products designed by Rennie for Ligne Roset and these include rugs (Chart, 2014), lamps (Mushroom, 2014) and coffee and side tables (Saldo, 2012) with more designs in the pipeline. Another milestone product for Rennie was Chiku, a shelving unit, designed for

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Italian company Porro. Rennie credits this as one of the highlight designs of his career, with the original concept explored in 2005 and manufactured in 2008. Chiku has been an outstanding success and is also a fine example of Rennie’s perseverance in maintaining relationships that actually produce manufactured products.

There are also smaller objects in the Rennie portfolio, such as the collection of Still vases for Normann Copenhagen, along with myriad chairs, tables, stools and jewellery.

As if Rennie isn’t busy enough, last year he established ni.ni.creative with his good friend, the interior designer and stylist Nina Provan. This venture is an online business that specialises in sophisticated accessories, such as cushions for the home, as well as leather handbags with more objects to follow.

Nick Rennie is a designer par excellence. His enthusiasm for his craft coupled with his talent, quiet personality and generous nature has assured him a place as a leader of product design in a global market. As an Australian he has paved a pathway for himself and those who aspire to become an international designer, and it’s a fine example to follow.

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PREVIOUS

Portrait Nick Rennie

OPPOSITE TOP

Mushroom lamp for Ligne Roset (2014).

Image Shannon McGrath

OPPOSITE BOTTOM

Chart rug for Ligne Roset (2014)

ABOVE

Softly sofa for Ligne Roset (2016)

LEFT

Saldo table for Ligne Roset (2012)

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inside

THE MINDS

{ PRACTICE }

practice - Korban/Flaubert text - Gillian Serisier

WELL RIGHT

Refuge, freestanding sculpture, stainless steel. 2800 x 1500 x 1500mm. Image Stefanie Flaubert

OPPOSITE

Alice McCall, table commissioned for Westfield Sydney Store, stainless steel.

Image courtesy Alice McCall

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J

anos Korban and Stefanie Flaubert met in 1986 while working in Stuttgart, but it was not until 1993, when they started working together that the idea of Korban/Flaubert (KF) was born. With a balance of expertise, Korban was working in metal and had previously had a three-year partnership with KM Hardwork (he also had a fabulous studio) and Flaubert was working as an architect with Günter Behnisch, Behnisch Architekten’s long leadtime projects, while fulfilling, lacked immediate satisfaction). It was their shared passion for creating design that fuelled the studio’s inception.

“We both just wanted to make stuff, so we started to work together to make things, to make objects,” says Flaubert.

And make stuff they did with an inaugural exhibition of 10 chaise longues, which they exhibited in a friend’s warehouse and former piano factory. By 1995, they were back in Australia with Flaubert still working in architecture, but with a shifted focus to set up shop and explore design more thoroughly.

By 1999 their place in Australian design was assured with the highly successful and eminently photographable Membrane chaise longue (it was an inside cover image in 2003). Essentially a bent tube of electro-polished stainless steel, the chaise was significantly different to anything currently available with a mesh surface exhibiting a moiré effect, graceful form and visual clout.

Moreover, it signified the direction KF would become known for – that is a highly sculptural form with practical application. Effectively, this has been true of everything that has come from the studio since with its plastic stools, in particular Bongo, Swell, Tuff and Bump providing essential colour, form and seating in equal parts. “It goes back to a Japanese theme, we wanted our shapes to be like tribal artefacts and primitive forms: really super simple,” says Flaubert.

It is easy to forget how revolutionary these stools actually were, with Korban pointing out the thinking of the time: “We tried to do the Australian standard testing, which said mount the four feet to the ground, but of course there were no feet.”

Korban’s expertise in metalwork has allowed the couple an exploration of material solutions of extraordinary breadth. Pursuing two directions, again it is difficult to separate the sculptural form from the practical application, as both the sculptural works and screens exhibit qualities of presence and practicality in equal measure. The Cellscreen of anodised aluminium is

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SHAPED Settling into the former Sherman Galleries site at 1 Hargrave Street Paddington, Korban/ Flaubert brings its own history to this extraordinary building. It is also welcome to walkins as inside co-editor Gillian Serisier discovers.

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THE MINDS

{ PRACTICE }

LEFT

“We wanted our shapes to be like tribal artefacts and primitive forms: really super simple.”

Stefanie Flaubert

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UNISON, Site specific sculptural commission, 8 x 7.5 x 2.7m. Project: King George Central, Brisbane, Curator: Creative Insight. Image Sharrin Rees

arguably the most celebrated of the KF designs, with installations of considerable scale such as Colacion Studio’s extraordinary design for the Tandem Group in Kuwait and Geyer’s beautiful installation for Australia Post. “We really have to thank all those architects and designers for their support; they have really supported us for a long time,” says Flaubert, who points out that her role as an architect gave her access and connection to the A&D community and the courage to take up product design.

Perpetually expanding their repertoire – it is worth remembering that they started their design journey with an exhibition of 10 chaise longues – Korban and Flaubert continue to produce designs at a cracking pace.

Tables, screens, chairs, the fabulous KF Drum in stainless steel or the incredibly beautiful Jetstream, are all within their current body of products. All of which could be classified as sculpture, until the KF sculpture range is seen.

Varying from relaxed and unfurling ribbons of steel, rust and colour, to tight folded zigzags and explorations of turned geometrics, the compositional elements of the couple’s sculpture is constantly surprising. Designed as wall, floor or standing pieces, the sculptures can also be hung. Commissioned by ML Design to create a bespoke piece for King George Central in Brisbane, KF developed Unison, 2012, an eight by 7.5 by 2.7-metre ribbon of steel exploring “fluidity and contained energy”.

“An animated line in metal traces the outline of a fluid form, creating shifting shapes as people walk by,” they say. Another commission of note is the astounding counter-piece for the Alice McCall Westfield Sydney store, which posits functions and sculptural form as wholly commensurate.

Whether of the complexity, rhythm and form of the screens, simplicity of the stools or elegance of the sculptures, there is a signature to the KF oeuvre that runs deep. Similarly, the colours KF uses are slightly recognisable and always exactly the colour to love. The aqua and leaf green, for example, could not be more now, while the birch grey and charcoal are heading towards the smoky look of 2017. That said, the yellow and magenta could not be more gorgeous. And herein lies the rub, KF’s designs are not about fashion, rather the studio defines a project as uniquely of its own design, thought and appeal.

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Stol with Unit Dining Table

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Sydney 21 Boundary Street Darlinghurst NSW 2010 02 9332 1600 nsw@thonet.com.au

Adelaide 1000 Chairs 0421 073 732 Brisbane Innerspace 07 3252 1461

Perth Innerspace 08 9322 6664

Suppliers of original European products

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inside

THE MINDS

{ IN-HOUSE }

MELBOURNE THEATRE COMPANY

DESIGNING ABOVE LEFT

The MTCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s production of Double Indemnity set design

by Andrew Bailey

ABOVE RIGHT

The large and comprehensive set of Skylight designed

by Dale Ferguson

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text - Jan Henderson photography - Jeff Busby

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WORDS

“There is an extraordinary generosity through the entire MTC team, with all of us working towards one end, that when the curtain goes up on opening night, what is on stage has aspired to excellence in every area, and that we have done everything possible to create a great work of art.”

BRETT SHEEHY AO, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, MELBOURNE THEATRE COMPANY

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THE MINDS

{ IN-HOUSE }

Light and shadow is sculpted to convey the good and the bad of the characters and their situations, and smoke is utilised to evoke an atmosphere of gloom and desperation.

BELOW AND OPPOSITE

Spare furniture, monotones and fast action are the hallmarks of Double Indemnity by the MTC

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T

he Melbourne Theatre Company (MTC), established in 1953, has organically grown into an indomitable force within the world of Australian theatre and is a fine example of talent, expertise and community. Over the years the company has presented many memorable plays with outstanding actors, exceptional productions and precision delivery; however, with the advent of two new productions, Skylight and Double Indemnity, the complementing force of the set design of both plays enhances the words of the writers and the performances of the actors, and takes a visual centre stage that satisfies the creative in us all.

As the curtain opens on Double Indemnity the set design is both powerful in its simplicity and subtle enough to remain a backdrop to the single actor on stage. Andrew Bailey, production design coordinator at the MTC and set designer for this adaptation has created an integral visual experience to accompany the words of James M Cain’s 1943 novel (adapted for this production by Tom Holloway). Bailey was trained at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) and studied arts production majoring in design. Graduating in 2004 he

was involved with small independent theatre productions and fringe shows, then finally moved to the MTC in 2008.

His portfolio of productions is extensive and his masterful interpretation of Double Indemnity has reaped many accolades. Double Indemnity is a powerful story of love, lust and power. The fast-paced tale is set in the US during the Depression and the characters are flawed and deep, hungry for money and looking for love. This is a plot full of intrigue, with twists and turns at every juncture, and so Bailey has constructed a set that rotates and shifts with the brisk pace of the dialogue. The set is curved, a large rotunda set in the middle of the stage that supports the different rooms required. Characters move as the set moves, walking through doorways, always on their way to somewhere. Light and shadow is sculpted to convey the good and the bad of the characters and their situations, and smoke is utilised to evoke an atmosphere of gloom and desperation.

Bailey’s use of colour is masterful – there is very little. The set is light brown, the few furniture pieces, a desk, chair, sofa or armchair are black or brown, the costumes are subdued. Save for the occasional slash of red lipstick or white ensemble on the female lead, the colour continuity of the set is the perfect foil to the action on stage.

When the scene requires, Bailey has created minimal sets and props that totally transport the viewer. With this set design, it is what’s not seen that makes the visual real, so a stark black stage with a lit car window takes us on a road trip with the characters, or a simple rail with posts transports us to the deck of a boat on the high seas. Bailey admits that with theatre design he is “much more drawn to creating an abstract shape that allows the audience to fill in the blanks” and this production is a fine example of this.

As spare as the set design is for Double Indemnity the opposite is true of Skylight. The set for Skylight is static, fixed throughout the play. Everything that is required is on stage and in place and it is the use of the set by the actors that defines the characters and complements their words. Dale Ferguson is the set designer for Skylight and his understanding of the characters is evident in the design that literally fills the stage at the Sumner Theatre in the Southbank arts precinct. Ferguson graduated from NIDA in 1989 and immediately joined the Queensland Theatre Company as resident set

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designer where he remained for five years. In 1995 he moved to Melbourne and the MTC for three years leaving to freelance in 1998. Throughout his career Ferguson has leaned towards drama and opera and in the last few years his style has shifted towards the very detailed and ultra realistic.

With the design of the Skylight set his predilections are evident. He says, “With detail, I try to become another character in the play and therefore try to approach the design the same way as an actor would interrogate a role, give a back story.”

David Hare’s Skylight is a play crafted around three characters and their experience of love and loss on one level and ideology on another. Kyra, the female lead, is a complex character living in an apartment block with little comfort, reunited with her ex-lover and confronted by their past through the eyes of the present. With such a circuitous story Ferguson designed the set as large as the storyline itself. His vision is realised in a 12-metre high structure of an apartment block spread over five levels. Kyra’s ground floor flat is shown as an interior while the apartments above are presented through their exterior with the apartment’s lobby to the side.

As Ferguson states, “This play can work in the smallest theatre possible, but MTC programed it in a large theatrical space… the challenge was to still make

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the play feel small and intimate, almost claustrophobic, and touch on the environment and people who live around [Kyra] and the economic situation she has chosen to exist in.”

We see Kyra’s small featureless kitchen, a single bar heater for warmth and the lacklustre décor. In one scene she makes a spaghetti dinner, turns on the tap and the water pours into the saucepan (is this theatre or real life?).

The kettle is used often in the making of interminable cups of tea. The set is Kyra, once comfortable, now down-atheel and everything is ‘make do’.

Ferguson has layered the set with objects that help build the character beyond the words. His interest in architectural set design is obvious and he displays the set the way he wants the audience to see the play, commenting, “I don’t believe any seat in the theatre will have the same experience as the seat next to it or anywhere else. I share different views with different angles and this creates dynamic, architectural lines, but not everybody is seeing the same things. So I’m sharing points of view… where everything can reveal itself slowly.”

Two plays, two very different experiences, one highly stylised, the other ultra realistic, but each with outstanding set design that inspires the imagination beyond the words and, simply put, ‘creates theatre’.

22/07/16 3:21 PM

inside

THE MINDS

{ DISCOURSE }

Credited with breathing fresh life into the Missoni brand, Wanda Jelmini, niece to Missoni founders Rosita and Ottavio Missoni, talks to inside co-editor Gillian Serisier about brand longevity, perpetual reinvention and that certain something that makes Missoni a perennial design favourite

brand - Missoni representative - Wanda Jelmini text - Gillian Serisier

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GS: I would like to talk about the importance of constantly reinventing.

This particular range for 2016 is a good starting point; it’s so different to what you’ve done previously. How important is it to take something that is such a signature look and reinvent it so that it is still a signature look, but a completely fresh take on it?

WJ: Well, it’s always a challenge, and I remember starting to work with Rosita 30 years ago and being very worried to be facing the new season and being yourself. It’s all about, what you say, reinventing things. There’s nothing really new, but there’s a lot to feature in a different way, to mix up in a different way. I guess a well-known brand [like] Missoni is known for being versatile, for being eclectic, for being, therefore, unique, being always different. It’s really about reinventing yourself.

Over the last 50 years anytime anyone’s done black and white it has looked mid-century French – lots of white and bits of black. But you’ve incorporated very much the patterns of Missoni, and I think that’s testament to how strong your patterns are.

Absolutely. But from my uncle and aunt, black and white was considered as the paper on which you start writing. So they were always saying, “For us, the paper is not white; it’s either black or white, but it contains a bit of white and a bit of black, the white a bit of black, the black a bit of white.”

My uncle would say that any colour would be perceivable only on black and then he would draw colours only on a square piece of paper. You’ve got this white ground and the black square that gives the reason to the pattern and the design you’re doing. So black and white for them was like a normal empty space to be filled. Whenever you start working on an item and you have only black and white, it’s the best way to achieve the rhythm of a stripe, the rhythm of fretwork, the rhythm of a chevron. And this year we are using all those cadences: up and down, and flame pattern (that is the one derived from the dyed yarn you are using).

We were trying to feature a whole bunch of design and textures through enlarging, scaling up and down and interpreting it with thick and thin or reflective thread versus a thick one, uneven or cosy warm hairy one. So, this actually gives you thousands of interpretations of patterns and colourways.

LEFT

Bold and decidedly Missoni the Sapporo #601 rug builds layers and movement. Image courtesy Missoni and Spence&Lyda

ABOVE

The scale of Missoni’s patterns support both a range of applications and marriage as with Salamanca FR #601 seen here as a wall hanging, cushions, throw and in reverse application. Image courtesy Missoni and Spence&Lyda

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#65

CREATING PATTERNS MISSONI

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inside

THE MINDS

{ DISCOURSE }

In terms of those thousands of patterns, when you are creating a range, are the designers cognisant of mixing and putting things together that, while very different, go together very, very well. Are we talking about that rhythm carrying through there?

Yes, yes, you got it exactly. I guess my uncle would always say that Missoni has a code that nobody can detect and that is why it’s very difficult to copy. It was born to be ‘the put together look’, so my Aunt Rosita would talk about ‘put together’, which would mean that you might have a stripe, a chevron, a fretwork, a flower and a texture, and put that together and make them just work perfectly. And it would just be because you have that kind of sense of colour and pattern rhythm and yarn vibrancy that it’s so exquisitely put together, that they really are harmonious.

How effective is this in brand loyalty, because even though something may be last season or this season or 10 seasons ago, they still integrate?

Absolutely. That is what makes us, if you want, one of a kind. We’ve just had a very important museum featuring 60 years of Missoni as a fashion brand [Missoni Art Colour at London’s Fashion and Textile Museum]. And there were, I guess, 100 mannequins wearing [the whole] story of the Missoni fashion

ABOVE

A bright young mind has a completely different approach towards what has been featured until now.

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Simone duvet cover and pillows deliver the classic Missoni stripe in soft shades. Image courtesy Missoni and Spence&Lyda

brand through seasons and years. I swear to God, it’s not because it’s my family or my family business, but really you would want to have them all at the same time in your wardrobe and none of them would look inappropriate.

Have improvements in technologies, both in the textile industry and in the dyeing industry, allowed you to realise any designs that were, perhaps, explored decades ago?

Well, they have, absolutely. The ways of working the mix and the weaving are still very old, but the updated machinery allows the steady old traditional know-how to be twisted up, wound up, enlarged differently. It’s really made a big change, in terms of the possibility of achievement, in terms of engineering.

In the knit you can now knit the whole knit without a junction, which makes the marvellous change that you don’t have to cut and stitch. And the fabric and whole fabric – we are now using an engineered weaving machine that can work in 18 coloured wefts, and maybe a full repeat of three-metre design, which is absolutely something. With digital printing you can have a whole wall with no repeated feature. So, you know, it’s so much fun.

When it’s the main family members who are the design team there is an inbuilt impetus to always be moving forward with it. But how important is it to other designers working for Missoni to have that constant change, that constant refresh and constant update?

Yes, of course, it has always been like this. It’s like having a breath of fresh air.

A bright young mind has a completely different approach towards what has been featured until now. So it’s always like this, evolving things comes from the injection of new fresh air into something that doesn’t have it, or a new way of watching things. There’s a lot for the new designer that joins our business; they need to learn this idea of colour coding, rhythm of pattern code, which is absolutely difficult to achieve from a young brain. But there’s so much that they can give as a new perspective or new ideas. That can really make the difference, yes.

22/07/16 3:25 PM

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your time.

18 : 11

Living Systems, Kitchens & Bathrooms for every moment of the day.

Time to unwind.

rogerseller.com.au

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22/07/16 11:33 AM

Z Z

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26/07/16 12:42 PM

THE PROJECTS KPDO COX RAYNER ARCHITECTS IN ASSOCIATION WITH HAMES SHARLEY AND CONRAD GARGETT RIDDEL ROAM ARCHITECTS DAVID HICKS SEAN DIX

IMAGE

Shannon McGrath. St Kilda Road Penthouse by David Hicks

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THE PROJECTS

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#71

HARBOUR HOUSE IS LUXURY ON A GRAND SCALE. WITH AN UNRIVALLED LOCATION THAT OFFERS SPECTACULAR VIEWS OF SYDNEY HARBOUR, THIS PROJECT BY KPDO IS THE EPITOME OF GREAT DESIGN LEAVING NOTHING TO CHANCE IN THE PURSUIT OF PERFECTION.

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practice - KPDO project - Harbour House location - Sydney, Australia text - Jan Henderson photography - Richard Powers

22/07/16 3:31 PM

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THE PROJECTS

S

ydney is renowned for the spectacular and luxurious homes that populate the foreshore of this naturally formed harbour city. These residences are generally designed on a grand scale and, in many cases, are geographically difficult to visit, located well away from the prying eyes of passers-by. However, not all of these homes are design gems; the really successful projects are ones that are site specific, sympathetic to the environment, and marry architecture and interior design with perfect resolution. One such home is Harbour House, a large and perfectly detailed residence that redefines the word luxury. The commission has been a labour of love by Kerry Phelan and the team at Kerry Phelan Design Office (KPDO) and was some three years in the making. KPDO was established in 2009 and Phelan, now working with partner Stephen Javens, has seen the practice grow exponentially. With projects such as Harbour House, it’s easy to see why.

The project was virtually a new build; the previous home on the site was all but demolished, and the remaining carcass became the starting point for the new design. Architect Luigi Rosselli collaborated with KPDO to create the three-level residence situated on a sloping site, which would encapsulate contemporary and luxurious living, and showcase the spectacular harbour views. The clients, a cosmopolitan family of five, divide their time between Sydney and Los Angeles and their brief to Phelan stipulated generous entertaining spaces, a fluidity of form, individuality and the opportunity to incorporate a prized art collection into the interior. Phelan has excelled, providing a design that is light and airy, sophisticated and comfortable.

The home is accessed by a long private driveway that leads to the porte-cochère to the side of the house.

Detailed steel and brass screens that are a continuum throughout the interior sit beside an over-sized timber front door with bespoke curved handle.

Through this portico the visitor enters the middle or second level of the house and a double-height void showcases the spectacular circular staircase of painted steel with customised brass handrail that connects each floor. The colour palette is subdued with white painted walls and ceilings and muted greys, black and beige. Accents of vibrant colour abound in the artworks and

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accessories, such as cushions, and add interest and depth to the interior. Materials complement the colour palette: marble (Carrara, Calacatta, Blackwood, White Vermont) travertine, basalt, onyx (amber, white pearl), American oak timber, stainless steel in various finishes, brass, bronze, mirror and glass have all been used separately or together to create interest and texture.

On this mid-level is the entertaining area, the formal and informal living and dining areas, double powder room, spacious kitchen, scullery, cool room and pantry, guest bedroom and en suite, large playroom and terrace. Travertine (ocean blue vein cut) flooring has been laid throughout, including the outdoor terrace, and this uniformity creates a seamless visual integration of the two spaces. There is an abundance of natural light from the floor-to-ceiling windows that frame the ocean views and the light reflects on the interior materials to create a particular luminosity.

The upper and lower levels can be accessed by staircase or lift. Downstairs leads to the first level that incorporates the large garage, utility and storerooms, two powder rooms, office, gym, theatrette, wine storage and a two-bedroom, self-contained guest apartment; while the top level of the house contains the main sleeping quarters, with powder room, TV area and guestroom, en suite and private ante-room at one end and master bedroom, en suite, walk-in robe and private terrace at the other. In between are three bedrooms, a laundry and terrace. The style of each floor and indeed each area and room is restrained elegance and comfort.

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Entry to the lobby of Harbour House is through the over-sized timber door with bespoke curved handle

OPPOSITE TOP

The kitchen with large marble slab bench is in close proximity to the main outdoor terrace for easy access when entertaining family and friends

OPPOSITE LEFT

Detailed steel and brass screens are a continuum throughout the home

OPPOSITE RIGHT

Detail of the brass rail on the staircase

Phelan has excelled, providing a design that is light and airy, sophisticated and comfortable.

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#73

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THE PROJECTS

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PREVIOUS

The formal dining room features a custom design table and Saarinen armless chairs for perfect comfort

LEFT TOP

The spectacular staircase with brass handrail that connects the three levels of Harbour House

LEFT BOTTOM

One of the three bedrooms on the upper level each defined by a splash of colour

ABOVE

The master bedroom features an en suite and dressing room with a private terrace

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#77

Harbour House is an enormous project and as such there are a multitude of exemplar areas. The furnishings are an eclectic mix of those pieces purchased during buying trips to LA combined with the best products available locally, but the continuity is quality, form and function. The formal living and dining rooms have been designed with a timeless appeal. A substantial custom designed dining table (KPDO) surrounded by Saarinen chairs (Knoll) is at home in the dining area while armchairs (Jean, B&B Italia, Space), sofas (Turner, Molteni & C, Hub), shagreen consoles with brass legs (JF Chen), occasional tables (Bridger Oval, Holly Hunt) side tables (Dupre, Casa Milano, FY2K) and marble coffee tables (Dupre, Casa Milano, FY2K) combine to make a relaxed and comfortable seating area. The main terrace is splendid with lounges (Sabi, Paola Lenti, dedece), armchairs (InOut, Gervasoni, Anibou), coffee tables (Heron, Paola Lenti, dedece), an informal teak dining table with matte black top (Ping Pong, James Perse LA), dining chairs (Wild, Piero Lissoni, dedece) and cushions. There are shelving units (Piano, dedece), as well as pendant lights (Large Portreath mesh, Tigger Hall) and lamps (Muse, Thema and Kettal Objects, dedece) and a purpose-built bar and stools (Smoothie collection, Summit) complete the area.

The kitchen, on the central floor, is the epicentre of the home and as such a meeting place for family and friends.

The inclusion of a monumental marble slab island bench is a showstopper, but also practical as it makes entertaining

easy inside and out. With careful planning there are multiple areas in which to display artworks that in turn complement the surroundings. With such visual delights as Charles Blackman’s The Young Acrobat Schoolgirl, Anish Kapoor’s Untitled and various works from Tracey Emin on show (among many others) the house becomes a veritable ‘house museum’.

Perhaps the most inspiring element of Harbour House is its simplicity or rather the effortlessness of the design.

Phelan has made this new interior look as if it belongs, that it is correct. There is a natural elegance and feel about this interior that is impossible to imitate. It takes experience and talent to design in this style and there is no doubt that Phelan is a master. Harbour House has everything, practically and aesthetically. It is the total package.

Perhaps the most inspiring element of Harbour House is its simplicity or rather the effortlessness of the design.

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THE PROJECTS

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#79

MICHELLE BAILEY VISITS THE NEW UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND ORAL HEALTH CENTRE TO SEE HOW GREAT DESIGN HAS MADE A DIFFERENCE TO THOSE WHO WORK AND STUDY IN THE FACILITY. BAILEY TOURS THE ROBUST INTERIOR AND FINDS THAT THROUGH INNOVATION AND CREATIVITY A NEW BENCHMARK IN HEALTH CENTRE DESIGN HAS NOW BEEN SET.

practice - Cox Rayner Architects in association with Hames Sharley and Conrad Gargett Riddel project - University of Queensland Oral Health Centre location - Brisbane, Australia text - Michelle Bailey photography - Christopher Frederick Jones

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22/07/16 3:32 PM

inside

THE PROJECTS

T

he largest and most comprehensive oral health facility in the southern hemisphere, designed by Cox Rayner Architects, Brisbane, for the University of Queensland, responds to site and brief with sensitivity and intelligence. The seven-storey School of Dentistry brings together Queensland Health’s Oral Health Services, combining public health and tertiary education in a technically sophisticated and formally expressive building. The cavernous spaces of the interior that support the complex business of teaching, learning and treatment, transcend the clinical demands of program to create rooms that are highly crafted and personable.

The UQ Oral Health Centre was the brainchild of former head of the School of Dentistry, Professor Laurence Walsh.

His dedication to the vision of the centre was extraordinary and matched by the trust he instilled in the design team at Cox Rayner, who worked in association with health designers, Hames Sharley and Conrad Gargett Riddel. Design director, Casey Vallance, describes the project as “complex” and “personal” – two words that translate directly into architecture through the many ways spaces are finely tuned to support the ‘craft’ of dentistry and the ‘personalised’ ethos of care and teaching.

The unusually high attrition rate of dentistry students and the existential angst among public patients requiring dental care were two anomalies in the architectural briefing phase. Addressing these issues was a great challenge for the architects and the reason why many unconventional design strategies were employed. Lessons learned from the apparent failures of previous models – sterile and dehumanised environments – directed moves towards a human-centred design approach, where simple and clever moves were employed to de-institutionalise rooms and spaces.

Sited within the larger Herston medical precinct adjacent to a remnant swathe of eucalyptus trees, the building is orientated to harness views and garner a sense of connection to native landscape. Moments created in the building’s plan, which frame these vistas, help to restore a sense of calm in occupants and visitors. A choreographed circulation pattern which translates as a ‘walk through the park’ of covered outdoor pathways works

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to effectively de-medicalise the built environment. In these ways Brisbane’s subtropical climate and vestige landscape is made an integral part of the users’ experience.

Material richness plays a major role in tailoring spaces for human occupation. Timber in particular, which is used extensively inside the Virtual Learning Centre, brings a sense of ceremony and occasion to academic discourse. The origami-like folds of blackbutt timber walls and ceilings creates a ‘timber cocoon’ to nurture young minds. Steel is manipulated in a similar way, like folded paper to form the raw carcass of a steel staircase which celebrates the ascent through a cavernous void. Along the pathways between rooms, coloured tiles are introduced to bring colour and texture.

Like fragments of patchwork, ceramics in gold, amber, bottle green and burgundy, bring visual accents to areas of quietude.

Custom light fittings and steel screen elements explore ideas about pattern, scale and craftsmanship. Nine hundred light ‘shrouds’ are employed in the building, each designed to enhance light quality, create shadow play and contribute to a glowing ambience.

The vertical patterns appropriated for shrouds and screens were inspired by steel fretwork found in the historic passenger lifts of the neighbouring School of Medicine. Through details like these, the building participates in the story of a broader enclave and contributes its part in collective place-making.

PREVIOUS

Ceilings of timber, walls of stone and stairs of steel inside the UQORC

OPPOSITE TOP

One of the intimate and crafted public waiting rooms

OPPOSITE LEFT

Light shrouds bring a warm ambience to study spaces

OPPOSITE RIGHT

The ‘timber cocoon’ of the Virtual Learning Centre

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#81

Material richness plays a major role in tailoring spaces for human occupation.

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THE PROJECTS

ABOVE

Treatment rooms are private and individual

OPPOSITE TOP

The building is crafted and visually complex

OPPOSITE BOTTOM Circulation happens

outdoors in view of the natural landscape

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#83

Through the irregular edges of rooms, the sculptured, expressive ceilings and the complex, tapered forms of joinery, a baroque kind of exuberance is achieved. These deliberately ‘organic’ forms describe a process where a line was drawn with pencil on paper in a gesture translated through craft and carpentry into built form. The tapered tables of the research centre, for example, encourage students to gather in casual and impromptu ways, all the while in a setting that subtly suggests that each nuanced edge was a conscious act involving consideration and craft.

Details aside, one of the very practical successes of the project comes in the dissemination of very large treatment rooms into small amenable spaces, with the effect being a tangible sense of individualised care. The largescale public waiting room is translated here as several small reception rooms, each with a level of intimacy equal to a well-designed domestic lounge room.

Similarly, mass treatment halls are reordered into small groups of individual treatment rooms, still with the same level of serviceability and without any increase to staffing numbers. The result is that individuals feel, as they should, like a person and not a number.

A truer marker still of the project’s success is evidenced by the increased student enrolments, the increased number of client visitations and the swell of worldwide attention that the centre has attracted. This may be credited in part to the facility being designed for people and not machines, but mostly because, as Vallance suggests, those involved cared deeply about what they were creating.

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Details aside, one of the very practical successes of the project comes in the dissemination of very large treatment rooms into small amenable spaces, with the effect being a tangible sense of individualised care.

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THE PROJECTS

practice - ROAM Architects project - East Gallery House location - Brighton, Australia text - Adrienne Hughes photography - Dianna Snape

WORKING WITH NO CHANGE TO THE EXISTING FOOTPRINT, ROAM’S RETHINKING OF THIS INTERIOR IS AS MUCH ABOUT OPTIMISING SPACE AS IT IS ABOUT REALIGNING THE INTERIOR TO THE CLIENT’S IDIOSYNCRASIES, WRITES ADRIENNE HUGHES.

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#85

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THE PROJECTS

â&#x20AC;&#x153;That one thing that is reflective of the client and their taste and gives them a story that personalises it for them.â&#x20AC;?

Rod Allen

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#87

I

t is rare that DiPell vintage bike tape makes an appearance in an interior, and for most this would be either a gratuitous Band-Aid of quirk or as part of an actual bike. For East Gallery House, the inclusion (as a wrapping for the art wall handles) is subtle, interesting and make a direct reference to the client’s love of cycling. “It’s a nice little touch and what we like to find for all our clients – one thing that is reflective of the client and their taste and gives them a story that personalises it for them,” says ROAM principal Rod Allan (ROAM is a partnership between Allan and Amanda Robinson). From a non-cycling perspective, it defies instant recognition and is simply a very nice solution of nuanced leather that feels warmly familiar.

The project has been designed as a gallery space of white walls, timber floors (Woodland European oak – Hunter Grey) and black steel. Allan is no stranger to the design of galleries, having worked with BVN in Melbourne as a practice director where he was responsible for projects including Allens (legal fitout). In the UK he worked with Dutch architect Erick van Egeraat, where he was project architect for the Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (mima).

Both of these projects have a focus on exhibiting art in different settings and it is within this typology screens make an identifiable correlation to art storage racks.

Developed for the project, the two custom screens in black steel and metal mesh are held at the bottom with a unique system of steel ‘pins’ eliminating any need for a floor track. Accommodating and easily facilitating the rearrangement of a constantly growing art collection, the screens act as both wall and divider. They also answer the lack of walls houses are often left with once spaces are opened.

The ‘wow’ element of the design, however, is the staircase. In keeping with the client’s love of art, it affords the space a grand sculptural form that is visually striking. Equally important, it is highly functional and designed to optimise spatial organisation. “Not wanting to significantly reconfigure the first floor, we knew we needed to redesign the stair to allow views out and maximise light, without moving the stairwell,” say Allan and Robinson (who has previously worked with HOK in London as an associate, where she was responsible for retail, workplace and master planning projects).

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Rising from a timber platform, the black steel and timber staircase features open treads to allow light and views to continue, while careful concealment of a wider top portion has allowed the stairs to read as a straight line when viewed from below. It is, however, the groupings of triplicated black steel verticals that make the whole so visually robust and holds the room so well.

“It was import that it wasn’t a ‘not there’ stair. It needed a physical presence while providing a visual element to act as the counterpoint to the screens and floor: a third element that balances the whole,” says Allan.

And then of course there is the incredibly beautiful and equally sculptural form of the Parachute light by Ligne Roset (Domo) directly above the dining table. This is an exceptional choice and feels well-curated as the only statement light on this floor, where the remainder of the lighting is simple downlights by Artemide. The exception to this rule is the bathroom, where a single Potter lamp in dove grey by Anchor Ceramics provides a gentle balance and domestic charm that bucks the hotel lighting many bathrooms suffer.

Further to the gallery tone the kitchen is aesthetically attuned to the materiality of paired stone and timber. Uncluttered and sparse, the cabinetry of European oak has been stained to match the floorboards, while the island and splashback in Calacatta marble (CDK) allows the full impact of a well-selected piece of marble’s broad grey stripe. “We spent a day in the stone yard choosing and working out how to match the streak from the horizontal to vertical and back to the splashback beyond,” says Robinson.

There is even a simplicity to appliances with wall ovens, gas hob and integrated dishwasher by Bosch and an integrated fridge and freezer by Miele, each providing a continuation of the low-clutter, high-quality appeal this space exudes.

One of the delights of this project is the understanding of an art collecting client, in that the newly configured and finished space is both a backdrop to an art collection and nuanced with art-like details. The staircase, while perhaps not a nuanced detail, is unapologetically sculptural, as is the choice of lighting and selection of the marble. It is, however, the tiny details like the DiPell tape and the use of Turkish tiles in the butler’s pantry (Turkish Magic) that give this project just the right amount of nuance to stand alone.

PREVIOUS

Hand selected marble is carefully matched to ensure a continuous streak from vertical to horizontal and then to the splashback

OPPOSITE

Maximising wall space, the design draws on gallery style art storage to provide additional walls and an easy way to change art on a regular basis

ABOVE

Sculptural in form the staircase allows light and view to permeate the whole

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THE PROJECTS

ABOVE

Looking into the bar with marble countertop and Gio Ponti vintage wall sconce

OPPOSITE

View from the study into the living room with ottomans and one of the beautiful leather ruched sofas

DAVID HICKS IS A DESIGNER OF NOTE WHO HAS HONED HIS CRAFT WELL AND PRODUCED MANY OUTSTANDING PROJECTS. INSIDE CO-EDITOR JAN HENDERSON VISITS ONE OF HICKSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; RECENTLY COMPLETED PROJECTS, THE ST KILDA ROAD PENTHOUSE, AND FINDS GLAMOUR IN THE CLOUDS. practice - David Hicks project - St Kilda Road Penthouse location - Melbourne, Australia text - Jan Henderson photography - Shannon McGrath

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H Although the materials employed are opulent, there is nothing but good taste in this design.

ABOVE

The circular, custom made sofa in the informal living area

OPPOSITE

Custom made solid timber, black ebony stained dining chairs sit next to the living room furniture grouping

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igh above the streetscape of St Kilda Road in Melbourne in a multistorey, high-rise apartment building is a penthouse that presents glamour at its best. Designed by David Hicks, the remodelled interior is all that it ought to be with fine fittings and finishes, and luxurious furnishings that have a timeless appeal. The brief was simple: to update the interior of a three-bedroom penthouse apartment that boasts outstanding views of the city and suburbs below. The client desired an interior that was comfortable, individual and glamorous, and the result is an eclectic mix of contemporary, mid-century and art deco styles and furniture pieces that together present a multilayered, textural delight.

The crystal pendant light (Carlo Scarpa, vintage) in the entrance hall was the catalyst for the colour palette of soft mauves, blues, pinks and white that have been used throughout the project and the materiality is bold with marble, mirror, Macassar ebony and brass used to great effect. To lengthen rooms, maximise natural light and bring the outside inside, Hicks has cleverly employed decorative mirrors and mirrored walls to reflect the interior and exterior. The magnificent views from the floor to ceiling windows that encircle the apartment appear infinite as each vista is reflected and layered in these mirrored feature walls.

The powder room is offside the entrance lobby and here soft beige/ pink moiré wallpaper (Arte Camouflage, Unique Fabrics) adds warmth and texture that complements the Murano gold-plated wall sconces and vintage Colli mirror.

The flooring throughout the apartment, excluding the main living area and bedrooms, is Reggio white Carrara honed marble ‘floorboards’ laid in a herringbone design. This extravagant design affect is luxurious, elegant and a fine decorative foundation for the interior. Walls and ceiling are painted white and colour has been added through wallpaper, fabric and objets. The apartment is large, at 380 square metres and from the entry hall the footprint of the area is divided into three sections:

kitchen, meals area and an informal seating space to the left; living, dining areas and study in the middle; and master bedroom, dressing room, en suite, utilities and a further two bedrooms and bathroom to the right.

The kitchen is spectacular, clad in New York honed marble with white cupboards and a large freestanding privacy unit (and hidden television) that separates the kitchen from the informal sitting area. The cabinet does not block the view to the kitchen but provides a barrier to hide the preparation area. To the back, against a mirrored wall, is a black circular table (Saarinen, Knoll) and chairs (Bertoia, Knoll) that create a casual breakfast area. At the side of the kitchen is a bar with marble countertop (New York honed), Macassar ebony veneer built-in cabinets with refrigeration and ice machine and mid-century Gio Ponti inspired mirrors that have been hung on a mirrored back wall.

Including another touch of vintage, Hicks has placed beautiful wall sconces (circa 1950, Giò Ponti) on the side columns above the counter. To the side of the bar and in front of the kitchen is a more intimate seating arrangement.

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THE PROJECTS

ABOVE

The kitchen bench and large privacy cabinet of New York honed marble

OPPOSITE

The powder room features Murano wall sconces and a pink vintage Colli mirror

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The kitchen is spectacular, clad in New York honed marble with white cupboards and a large freestanding privacy unit.

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THE PROJECTS

In all, this fitout lives up to the idea of the word â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;penthouseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;; that is, a special place, with fine decoration and design, sitting high in the clouds.

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ABOVE

The luxurious bedroom with ruched leather bed surround that echoes the detail of of the living room sofas

OPPOSITE

Detail image of the master en suite that continues the materiality of mirror and marble used throughout the apartment

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A custom-made curved modular sofa (design David Hicks) sweeps around the freestanding kitchen cabinet and creates an area for quiet time and watching television.

The entertaining area is basically open plan, but Hicks has delineated areas through furniture groupings.

The dining room with Macassar ebony table and ebony-stained chairs (design David Hicks) has been placed close to the windows so that the view may be enjoyed, whereas the living room, is located in the middle of the apartment, defined by an aubergine wool carpet (Escape velour, Supertuft) that has been inserted into the marble floor.

The focal point of this living area is two bespoke sofas (design David Hicks) upholstered in ruched mushroom pink leather. They are glamorous, theatrical and beautifully detailed. There is a custom-made central marble coffee table with polished mirror brass base (design David Hicks) and Macassar ebony side tables and pedestals. Comfortable side chairs (client’s own) and ottomans in velvet, many objets and an extravagant number of cushions in luxurious fabrics complete the picture.

To the right, enclosed by sliding doors with a brass geometric pattern relief, is the study. The proportions of the room are generous and easily contain a bespoke desk (American oak with polished chrome frame, design David Hicks) and desk chair (Eames, black leather), custom-made tub chairs and sideboard (design David Hicks) and side table (Knoll). Artwork by John Howley hangs on the main study wall in full view when the doors are open, the hues of the pinks and purples a continuum of the colour palette in the main living area.

The master bedroom is all glamour with a custom ruched leather bedhead

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board and surround that references the sofas in the living area. Walls and ceilings are white with aubergine carpet (Escape velour, Supertuft) and furniture includes side chairs (client’s own, fabric Zimmer and Rohde, Hermès Unique Fabrics), bedside tables (Modernist) and side table (Saarinen, Knoll).

The master en suite is awash with marble and vintage mirrors (Giò Ponti, vintage) and a view of flying birds that takes your breath away.

In all, this fitout lives up to the idea of the word ‘penthouse’; that is, a special place, with fine decoration and design, sitting high in the clouds. This is another of Hicks’ outstanding projects and an exemplar of glamorous living.

Although the materials employed are opulent, there is nothing but good taste in this design. Through an eclectic mix of styles, furniture and fabrics the St Kilda Road Penthouse is one-of-a-kind and the perfect place to live sky-high.

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THE PROJECTS

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SEAN DIXâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S LATEST FITOUT IS SEEN BY MORE PEOPLE IN A WEEK THAN MOST PROJECTS WILL SEE IN A LIFETIME. ASIA CORRESPONDENT ELIZABETH CHU VISITS THE IFC MALL TO DISCOVER THAT PUBLIC RESTROOMS HAVE JUST TAKEN A GIANT LEAP INTO LUXURY.

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practice - Sean Dix, dix design + architecture project - Public Restrooms, IFC Mall, Hong Kong location - Hong Kong text - Elizabeth Chu photography - Elden Cheung

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THE PROJECTS

C

Designed to read as a large continuous floating form with soft lighting emanating at top and bottom.

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onsidering its design aesthetic, which is somewhere between a luxury yacht and a grand foyer, with details to suit either, it is remarkable to conceive of a restroom with quite such grandeur. That said the restroom is a public facility in the middle of IFC Mall, one of the busiest shopping precincts in Hong Kong, is unfathomable. The idea that a queue will steadily snake its way to the main entrance from the beginning of the day to the end will give some insight into the use these facilities will suffer. And I do mean suffer. Every toilet, urinal and basin will be in constant use, all day every day.

With floors, walls and joinery details of the same matte white Corian and polished Perseus Dark Italian marble, the overall look is slightly space age, highly luxurious and staggeringly glam.

“IFC mall is a Hong Kong landmark, the most important luxury mall in a city consumed by shopping.

“We were given the opportunity to reinvent IFC’s restrooms to reflect the prestige of the mall. Our idea was first to improve their efficiency, and to use a very limited palette of calm, matte, luxury materials and soft indirect lighting to provide guests of the mall with a small respite from the frenetic outside world,” says Sean Dix. Where it works or, perhaps, why it works is in the attention to detail. This is not a ‘one size fits all’ solution, but rather a considered use of a minimal palette to achieve a statement of elegant parts. The urinals, for example, are each separated by a curved modesty panel, while the urinals themselves are positioned so that each user faces away from his neighbour’s back.

It is a small detail, but a thoughtful one that increases privacy while cramming the urinals in as tightly as possible in this well-optimised space. This is

PREVIOUS MAIN

The combination of a floating ceiling with concealed lighting gives a particular quality to the project in keeping with the luxury retail that surrounds it

PREVIOUS INSET

A custom built continuous vanity includes a small (and the only) seat for the bathroom attendant

TOP

To borrow a cliché, it’s all about smoke and mirrors, with floating expanses that seemingly go on forever

BOTTOM

Discrete and carefully considered, each urinal is flanked by curved discretion screens and angled to offer as much privacy as possible

further evidenced by the grouping of urinals into small but open rooms, rather than the perpetual line format most use. Toilet cubicles are similarly compact, but designed to read as a large continuous floating form with soft lighting emanating at top and bottom.

Lighting plays a very interesting role. With the restrooms large enough to manage feature lighting, the traditional Asian restroom emblem of glamour, Dix has chosen instead to float and backlight the ceiling for a far subtler effect.

Can one really say subtle when the walls and floor are marble? Possibly not, but the result is exceptional and indeed a chandelier would have just belaboured the point.

One very lovely detail is found in the washbasin area where a curved wall of marble and similarly curved ceiling portion creates a particularly pleasing juncture. The crux of why the design works is most apparent here where the heaviness of the stone is rendered flexible, and the channel of illumination conveys a sense of lightness. The continuous matte white Corian moulded washbasins and lack of clutter convey another layer of sparse elegance, as does the seat, which has been cleverly integrated into the flow and provides the only means of respite for the restroom assistant.

Shopping is one of the great pastimes of Hong Kong, in fact it’s a pillar of Hong Kong tourism, so why not have restrooms as luxurious as the stores?

Why not have that sense of glamour extended through the whole shopping experience? Strangely, the luxury of the IFC restrooms already feels normal and, with Dix engaged to methodically replace all facilities in the mall, it will be interesting to see how quickly the rest of Hong Kong follows suit.

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2015

Connell

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Chris

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