23 January 2009

Urban Life

Australian designer Mike Botton aims to create public spaces that uplift the human spirit.

Mike Botton's company, botton & gardiner, will be launching a Queensland presence in the first quarter of 2009 and is currently designing a new range of robust yet distinctively ‘designer’ upholstered furniture for heavy traffic venues.

Design of public spaces treads the line between practicality and challenging our perception of the areas we share. These designs have become more and more complex in recent years, with the increased expectations of architects, developers and the public creating a need for inspiring and imaginative furniture.

Designers and manufacturer of some of Australia’s best public space furniture and fixtures, botton & gardiner have responded thoughtfully and creatively to these demands. “The result is a uniqueness of public spaces uplifting the human spirit by enhancing the public environment,” says co-founder and Director of Design, Mike Botton.

This is exemplified in the recent Eastbank Café project at Sydney’s Circular Quay [pictured below], which called for botton & gardiner to supply outdoor furniture with the comfort, amenity and aesthetics of interior furniture design.

Some other noteable recent projects include the exterior foodcourt at Westpac’s headquarters in Sydney, a 570-seat food court in Tweed Heads on the Gold Coast, the University of New South Wales Roundhouse beer garden and all public space furniture for a new community Second Ponds at Kellyville, in the west of Sydney.

They are also currently building an 800-seat food court for the Robina Shopping Centre redevelopment in Queensland – to be one of the largest in Australia.

The botton & gardiner design team is led by co-founder Mike Botton [Architecture and Interior design, pictured above], and includes industrial designers Tom Marlay and Rowan Bell and Interior Architect Selina Wu.

“The progress and evolution of botton & gardiner has been underpinned by a recruitment philosophy that seeks individuals who fit the team culture first, rather than looking for specific skills and experience,” says Mr. Botton.

The company has agents in Sydney, Perth, Singapore and now Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Doha, but remains one of the few suppliers to keep their manufacturing in Australia.

“[This] gives us full control over the inputs and quality of what is output, and gives the advantage of being able to comprehensively monitor the sustainability of what we produce,” says Mr. Botton.

botton & gardiner
bottonandgardiner.com.au