It’s a family story that started with a small tile shop in Thornleigh, north-west Sydney in 1978. Now, 46 years later, Academy Tiles is embarking on exciting new beginnings with its flagship showroom opening in Redfern. It’s a move into a “cutting-edge space which more accurately reflects our reputation and brand, from where we can further develop our meaningful and creative relationships with Architects and Designers,” says  Anthony Zeaiter, Managing Director of Academy Tiles. 

Relocating to the city’s creative heart has been a long-term goal, with Zeaiter clear about wanting to be in and among the full architecture and design community: “We have finally created an inspiring facility for architects, designers and their clients in the heart of Sydney’s A&D community – a space where we will continue to present with passion some of the world’s most inspiring and unique architectural ceramic products.” You can hardly cross the street in Redfern and Surry Hills without bumping into an architect or passing by their studio door, so it’s certainly a move that makes sense for the company. 

The showroom officially opened to the wider public on Monday 26^th August, 2024, with the launch event – attended by around 250 architects, designers, clients, builders, tilers, overseas product suppliers and others – having taken place on the preceding Thursday. The new space is highly amenable to this type of gathering, at once large enough to hold a crowd yet with intimate corners and pockets broken up by columns, colourful walls and booths. 

Academy Tiles have been based in Artarmon since 1996, while the business also set up an architectural showroom in Richmond, Melbourne in 2012. With the more efficient and spacious Kings Park Warehouse set up in 2022, the stage was set to strike out and move into the impressive new space.

The Redfern showroom has been designed by Philip Chia of The Uncarved Block, continuing a relationship that stretches back several years. Chia has worked on a number of spectacular and cutting-edge spaces with Academy Tiles, and Zeaiter comments: “I’m so grateful for Philip’s creative flair, passion and integrity, and as I look around our completed showroom space, I feel very inspired by the result.”

Zeaiter continues, “authentic, creative, unique, decorative and passionate. This is Academy,” he adds, “and this is what I see and feel around me in this space, which is also how I would describe Philip.”

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The builder of the new flagship showroom, meanwhile, is Crosbie Projects, with a team led by George Karam. Zeaiter says that their “professionalism, architectural background and impressive ability to advise on detailed custom solutions were invaluable during this build and we appreciated their genuine care and passion in delivering this incredible space.”

Architects, designers and the wider public are welcome and encouraged to visit, where they can expect to see and sample the impressive array of exclusive and unique products that underpin Academy’s business – with a special focus on upmarket products from industry-leading suppliers from Italy, Japan and Spain. 

Having completed the momentous crossing of the bridge, Academy Tiles now proudly calls its 600-square-metre Redfern space home. The showroom marked a notable early milestone by opening its doors for Saturday Indesign on 7^th September, and we can happily expect many more memorable occasions to come. 

The new flagship Sydney showroom is located at 619 Elizabeth Street, Redfern, NSW 2016.

Academy Tiles
academytiles.com.au

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