Turning a disused print shop into a contemporary office space provided a unique opportunity to design from the ground up.
May 26th, 2011
Three conjoined derelict buildings in Sydney’s inner east suburb of Surry Hills were the framework for a new office space for creative agency Host.
The project team, consisting of designers who|design (now merged with Group GSA), builders MPA Projects and engineers Medland Metropolis designed services from scratch for the abandoned structure.
“Basically, it housed pigeons,” said Nick Crace, Director and Senior Project Engineer at Medland Metropolis, of the original state of the building.
“The services were done from the ground up, from the power reticulation to the lighting. [The building] had never been airconditioned before. We were starting from scratch.”
The creative re-use of the space offered a unique opportunity for the way services were provided, particularly from an engineering perspective.
“We had the opportunity to think outside the square and be a bit more innovative in how we reticulated everything,” says Crace.
A sustainable outcome was one of the main drivers of the project, and it was made possible by the fully integrated design.
Lighting, for example, was designed based on its end of use. A mini substation – one of 2 of its kind in Australia – was built into the building for maximum efficiency and to save floorspace.
“By having services designed from the ground up, one of the advantages is that you can start with a clean sheet. And when it comes to sustainability, that’s the way to approach it,” says Crace.
“If you can design the building with [sustainability] in mind from the beginning, you can get a better result.
“For a successful commercial project, sustainability doesn’t have to cost you more money.”
Read more about Host in Issue 45 of Indesign magazine, available now.
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!
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.
M-03 was established in 2003, showcasing imported ranges from Neudörfler in Austria, Grammer Office and KFF, both from Germany.
With a commitment to quality custom-made rugs and carpets and over 20-years’ experience, Designer Rugs has a solution for almost any application.
Great Dane joins the Queensland set with the opening of its new retail destination in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley. Here are all the highlights from its welcoming soiree.
The three-storey Institute of Science and Learning was inspired by the natural world and is an expression of Taronga Zoo’s sustainability credentials and continuous conservation efforts. Designed by NBRS Architecture, the space provides an aesthetically pleasing and functional environment for scientists, educators and visitors coexisting under the institute’s roof.
The internet never sleeps! Here's the stuff you might have missed
Simon Liley, Principal Sustainability Consultant at Cundall, writes about how cyberpunk dystopias haven’t (quite) come to pass yet – and how designers can avoid them.
DKO’s Interior Design Director on how to create community and specificity in interior design, and how apartment living is being reconceptualised.