Much consideration has been given to how this commercial building in Melbourne should engage its occupants and interface with the unique Collins Street site. Ben Morgan takes a closer look.
May 30th, 2013
Originally built by Daryl Jackson Architects (Jackson Architecture) in the early 1990s, 90 Collins Street in Melbourne is a shining example of the post-modern architectural style. Over two decades on, Carr Design Group was engaged to reinvigorate the building with a refurbishment of the interiors and base building.
Before the refurbishment, a curved Perspex entry pergola, constructed subsequent to the building being complete and not to Jackson Architecture’s design, had been leaking, so Carr needed to create a new entrance to the building that celebrated its prominent location at the ‘Paris end’ of Collins Street.
“The design attempts to unite the historic facade to the west of the entrance with that of the post modern podium to the east, which replicates the scale and proportions of window openings to Collins Street,” explains Chris McCue, Director of Architecture. “Asserting a new design language which grouped the two, equally strong architectural styles, was key, with an entry canopy ‘blade’ incorporating lighting and signage as one approaches from either end of Collins Street.”
“The intention was for the canopy to assert itself, and in painting out the curtain wall above the canopy in a charcoal paint colour, the intention was to greater emphasise the entrance as a recess between the two buildings rather than one having greater prominence and therefore dominance over the other.”
On the ground floor, the retail tenancies have been activated with display windows within the foyer, creating an engaging opportunity for the brands on show. The clean minimalist approach allows the equally pared-back branding to sing without overpowering the space.
Integral to the re-imagining of the interior and exterior is the unique typeface, which is a striking element from the streetscape to each level. “David Pigeon of Design by Pigeon graphic design was responsible for the ’90’ signage across the building and was charged to give a fresh identity to the building which involved bringing the stencil language across external and lift lobby signage.”
While the visual language creates a consistency throughout the refurbishment, discreet lighting has been used to accentuate the strong lines and direct occupants “The strip lighting to the underside of the canopy [for example] directs people and leads line of sight into the foyer space.”
The project is a subtle unification of part of Melbourne’s architectural fabric, and an example of how a considered approach to refurbishment can bring a new understanding to existing buildings.
“Our approach was to pare back and simplify the spaces with materials that have longevity and timeless qualities,” says Cox. “This increases the status of the building in a more understated manner, adding a sense of sophistication that allows tenants to inject their own identity and personalities into the spaces they inhabit.”
Carr Design Group
carr.net.au
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!
Bidding farewell to mundane and uninspired office spaces, colour has transformed our workplaces into layered and engaging environments. So we sit down with Karina Simpson, Hot Black’s Workplace Lead, to talk about the influence colour has on the workspace landscape through the prism of Herman Miller’s progressive colour philosophy.
Natural forms meet technological sophistication to produce GH Commercial’s Pattern Perfect® Native Collection of carpets. Step inside the factory to see how local flavours inform the design.
Now is the time for workplaces and commercial venues to showcase the flexibility and agility of office furniture we’ve known and loved all along.
Run by the NSW chapter of the RAIA, Tuesday Nights Architectural Panel Talks are back in Autumn. They will be held on most Tuesday evenings throughout March, April and May, at 6.30pm, 3 Manning Street Potts Point NSW 2011. Members: FREE Student Members: FREE Non-Members:$10.00 Students: $5.00 Tuesday 4th March Portraying ArchitectureMost people experience […]
The internet never sleeps! Here's the stuff you might have missed
Fresh from her trip to the World Architecture Festival in Lisbon, Fender Katsalidis’ Nicky Drobis outlines four big ideas that will shape architecture in 2023.
It is with sorrow that we share the news of the passing of Flack Studio’s Mark Robinson. One of the Australian design world’s most beautiful people, Mark was that rare person who only saw good in fostering friendships and collaboration.
As one of Australia’s most specialised lighting designers, Jenni Gillard of Gillard Group has lit fish, artwork, Ovolo eggs, places of worship and more. She shares the maths, science and creativity behind her craft.
Linking the nearby light rail with Centennial Park, Sam Crawford Architects has designed a symbolically rich bridge that is also striking in form and materiality. It draws on Indigenous history and architectural archetypes to sit with natural ease on the site.