Table of contents for Issue 63 June 2018 in Artichoke

Kaynemaile has reimagined two-thousand-year-old chain mail into a unique architectural product – manufactured with the company’s patented, award-winning technology. The polycarbonate mesh is now being specified and installed around the world. Kaynemaile makes systems for both interior and exterior applications. One of the latest projects is a custom ceiling feature at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Christchurch, New Zealand, using Kaynemaile’s Spacemaile interior system. Inspired by a nearby winding river, the beautiful bronze coloured mesh ribbons wind through the foyer of the hotel, bringing warmth to the space as guests arrive and are welcomed by staff. The hotel was repurposed from an office block significantly damaged during the devastating 2011 earthquake. With the hotel’s opening date locked in, Kaynemaile worked in collaboration with the interior designers at Designworks to ensure…

A tour of Elliat Rich’s Alice Springs studio includes glimpses of kangaroos roaming around outside, the building enveloped by the unmistakable light and rich colour palette of Central Australia. Her morning route to work is to “cross the river, follow the creek and cross the highway.” But despite the pastiche of Australian tropes in the environment where Rich lives and works, the decision to situate her practice in a regional location is anything but predictable. “Alice Springs has never not delivered,” Rich exclaims by way of justifying the choice. It’s impossible to ignore the influence that place, and this place, has had on Rich’s projects, which span exhibition-style limited editions, product-focused ranges, client commissions as well as collaborations with shoemaker partner James B. Young. Her diverse portfolio could be read…

Acoustic and decorative ceiling and wall finishes from specialist manufacturer Asona are an integral feature of the award-winning student accommodation built for the University of Auckland. The 55 Symonds Street project by architects Ashton Mitchell, Hawkins Construction and Alpha Interiors incorporates an acoustic solution for the different zones of the building’s entry and common areas, addressing noise control and contributing to the overall design language of the building. Asona manufactured a custom Triton 15 acoustic ceiling panel to span the full width of the corridor, creating a cleaner ceiling aesthetic with sound absorption benefits. The large open plan study/dining area required a high noise reduction coefficient (NRC) acoustic treatment to control sound reverberation. Asona Triton Cloud panels in 25-, 50- and 75-millimetre thicknesses were wrapped in four tones of fabric,…

Winner Premier Award for Australian Interior Design / Installation Design Designer Russell & George Design statement — The experience of space isn't static yet our interiors generally have static functions. What if space responded to mood in a human sense and changed based on what the general feeling was at the time? Dinner, breakfast, lunch, exercise, work, party, special event, art, experience, workshop, making, creating, going to the movies, gardening, socializing. These activities can all occur in this space – all within a framework that adapts specifically to each use. The space is designed to nurture, by stimulating a sense of possibility. This is Space & Time. One space, multiple functions, multiple business, multiple human experiences governed by only one factor – time of day. Use of the space drives…

Hospitality Design Installation Design Workplace Design Retail Design Residential Design Residential Decoration Public Design Emerging Interior Design Practice…

Exhibition design has received very little acknowledgement or media attention in the past but the inclusion of two museum exhibition projects in the 2017 Australian Interior Design Awards suggest that an examination of the discipline and appropriateness of the title “exhibition designer” is overdue. There is a fundamental difference between trade fair exhibitions, showroom interiors, retail displays and museum or interpretive centre exhibitions. For the former projects a commercial imperative exists, but in contrast, museums are cultural institutions which, according to the International Council of Museums, “communicate and exhibit the tangible and intangible heritage of humanity and its environment for the purposes of education, study and enjoyment.” The debate about terminology is not a new one. Since 2005 terms such as “experience designer,” “narrative designer,” “thematic designer” and “interpretive or…

Awards for Australian Interior Design jury From the jury — This year marks the Australian Interior Design Awards’ fifteen-year anniversary and like every year before it, the standard of entries is high. If there was any idea that the country’s architecture and design industry isn’t progressive, relevant or inventive, a quick glance at the 2018 shortlist will set that straight. These projects are characterized by conceptual rigour and compelling design expression, with a human-centric focus and strong desire to contribute new ways of thinking to their respective sectors and beyond. Indeed, innovation is well and truly alive across the board, although it manifests in different ways. Space & Time, the winner of the Premier Award for Australian Interior Design and Installation Design, is as compelling for its seemingly unprecedented spatial…

Winner Interior Design Impact Designer Grimshaw in association with The Buchan Group Design statement — The North East Precinct Development at Highpoint Shopping Centre provides Melbourne’s west a premium retail, food and experiential offer through aspirational and sustainable design. With market-leading concepts to create a sense of place, the expansion delivered a modern retail centre that has established Highpoint as a leading destination outside the CBD. The expansion at Highpoint creates a shift for Melbourne’s west, with a retail and food experience that recognizes the transformation of the region. This impact was guided by an elegant and aspirational design concept, inspired by the west’s diversity. With clear legibility in form, structure and materials, the design creates a series of unique spaces that reflect the different programs of the centre. Since…

Held in Brisbane, the March 2018 session of Artichoke Night School brought together four speakers to reflect on the consideration of colour in the design process and its impact on experience. Georgia Cannon, founder of her eponymous Brisbane-based design studio, opened this session of Artichoke Night School with an overview of interior and textile projects that have cultivated project-specific approaches to colour. Cannon’s design for Brisbane cafe Pitch & Fork is an example of a richly layered interior in a compact footprint. The grey-green stone counter, green velvet banquette seating and high-gloss green painted timber detailing delineate customer seating and service areas, while also giving a nod to the interior design of the cafe’s sister venue. In contrast, the stark white kitchen and storage wall define the functional zones accessed…

Marcel Wanders is mischievous. In Australia as a guest of Space Furniture Wanders, the Moooi co-founder and art director spoke at sold-out events in Sydney and Melbourne that explored the future of the hotel. Wanders’ opening salvo was classic Wanders: “I have no idea what the future of hotels is. I could tell you the past of me and what my studio has created, but if I did know [about the future of hotels], I wouldn’t tell you.” Wanders went on to share the story behind the seven remarkable hotels he has designed in locations such as Amsterdam, Majorca, Zurich, Hong Kong, Miami and Doha. With his hotel design, Wanders aims to create an exciting experience for guests – a coveted destination – and this is where he suggests the…

Contact the DIA National office to become a member: The DIA Survey is just one of the many benefits that DIA members receive from being a part of Australia’s peak professional design body. Get your free survey results and support your design profession by joining the DIA today. Designers and industry leaders came together to discuss important trends and insights from the DIA survey – provided free of charge with a detailed analysis and accompanying Practice Notes to all full DIA Members. 1300 888 056 admin@design.org.au design.org.au…

Winner Sustainability Advancement / Public Design Designer Woods Bagot Design statement — Wynyard Walk is a fully accessible pedestrian link designed around the concept of flow. The design challenges the perception of a transport interchange, shifting the emphasis from efficiency of travel to the quality of experience, with the forms optimized to capture the largest volume of space and ease pedestrian movements through its curved profiles, rounded corners and sinuous forms. Providing a highly functional and practical connection, the design is focused on the quality of the customer journey, allowing pedestrians to travel from Sydney’s Wynyard Station to the Barangaroo waterfront in approximately six minutes. Linking Wynyard Station to the western corridor of Sydney’s CBD, Wynyard Walk consists of a series of above-and below-ground urban interventions, including a nine-metre-wide pedestrian…

Winner Workplace Design Designer BVN Design statement — The Customer Experience Company’s (CEC) philosophy applies design thinking to business problems to achieve innovative outcomes and better customer experiences. Given that a principle of CEC’s business is “different thinking equates to different outcomes,” CEC was prepared to challenge traditional workplace notions, pushing the boundaries when it came to its new workplace. CEC occupies a vibrant studio of 400 square metres in Macquarie Place, Sydney. A key component of CEC’s environment was spaces that could be easily modified for various purposes: quiet focused work, ad hoc team collaboration, large-scale events and client workshops. The space was designed to maximize the functionality of the small studio. CEC employees are fully agile, working on folding tables with retractable power, reconfiguring layouts daily based on…

Winner Emerging Interior Design Practice Profile statement — Ritz&Ghougassian was established in late November 2015 by architect Gilad Ritz, aged thirty-two, and interior designer Jean-Paul Ghougassian, aged thirty-one. After graduating with honours from Monash University with a Bachelor of Interior Architecture, Ghougassian cut his teeth at Hassell, working across both residential and commercial interior design. Ritz also spent his first few years as a graduate architect at one of Australia’s most revered studios, Woods Bagot, before moving across to Room 11. The studio has completed more than fifteen projects that range in size and complexity. The projects are diverse, ranging from hospitality to retail, workplace, residential and multiresidential architecture and interior design. Jury comment — The breadth and maturity of Ritz& Ghougassian’s portfolio impressed the jury, especially as the Melbourne-based…