Lieu Pham meets the makers at the refurbished Abbotsford Convent.
March 16th, 2010
The refurbished Mercator building at the Abbotsford Convent provides the public with the chance to go behind the scenes and meet local designers.
“It’s an opportunity to see art in the making and talk about arts practice directly with the makers and buy hand-crafted work,” says Convent’s spokesperson Brenton Geyer.
Launched earlier this year, the Mercator building is part of Abbotsford Convent’s vision to become the new industrial arts sector of Melbourne.
Helen Punton of Zaishu concurs; ‘It’s a wonderful creative community nestled by the river; I feel like I am in a country town but have all the advantages of the metropolis.’
Built circa 1897, the Mercator formed part of the industrial laundries that operated as a major income source for the nuns of the Convent. Today it houses ten newly renovated studios, all individualised by their tenants from various creative fields.
Melbourne jeweller Phoebe Porter says the appeal was obvious. ‘I was drawn by the idea of working surrounded by other complimentary practices and the possibilities of future collaborations between Mercator tenants.’
The Mercator Buliding is located on the eastern edge of the Abbotsford Convent precinct at 1 St Heliers Street, Abbotsford. Some studios are open to the public, subject to the artists’ schedules.
List of Mercator tenants: Painter Pip Davey, Jeweller and Graphic designer Sari Harris, glass-blower Philip Stokes, Cone 11 Ceramics Studio, industrial designers Dhiren Bhagwandas and Justin Hutchinson, eco design studio Zaishu, artists Ralf Kempken and Rona Green, lighting designer Volker Haug, jewellers Phoebe Porter and Shimara Carlow and Katheryn Leopoldseder.
Mercator Studios
abbotsfordconvent.com.au
All photography by Andrzej Nowicki
A searchable and comprehensive guide for specifying leading products and their suppliers
Keep up to date with the latest and greatest from our industry BFF's!
The Sub-Zero Wolf showrooms in Sydney and Melbourne provide a creative experience unlike any other. Now showcasing all-new product ranges, the showrooms present a unique perspective on the future of kitchens, homes and lifestyles.
Suitable for applications ranging from schools and retail outlets to computer rooms and X-ray suites, Palettone comes in two varieties and a choice of more than fifty colours.
In the pursuit of an uplifting synergy between the inner world and the surrounding environment, internationally acclaimed Interior Architect and Designer Lorena Gaxiola transform the vibration of the auspicious number ‘8’ into mesmerising artistry alongside the Feltex design team, brought to you by GH Commercial.
Channelling the enchanting ambience of the Caffè Greco in Rome, Budapest’s historic Gerbeaud, and Grossi Florentino in Melbourne, Ross Didier’s new collection evokes the designer’s affinity for café experience, while delivering refined seating for contemporary hospitality interiors.
South Korean designer, Soojin Hyun’s “House on the Table” design was a standout at design fairs this year. A truly personal office table, this design is the ultimate creative hideaway.
A strong historical legacy is reflected in Temple & Webster’s name and demonstrated in their local industry reinforcing practices
The internet never sleeps! Here's the stuff you might have missed
Milanese artisan Henry Timi celebrates natural materials through strikingly reduced geometric forms, creating a stripped-back vision of interior luxury.
We spoke to Plus Architecture’s Chrisney Formosa about a string of recent Brisbane projects and what they might tell us about the city’s design evolution.