Substation is the eclectic combination of high-tech architecture and restorative heritage design. Below the sculptural bubble sits the 1909’s Shelley warehouse and next to it the 1930’s former Electrical Substation No 164. The amalgamation of the three buildings is a synthesis of advanced materials and form, pared with regenerative architecture.
The triple sheathed glass structure, housing seven floors of workspace, employs the latest manufacturing techniques and environmental strategies. Its form is inspired by technology and industrial design. The futuristic structure is designed with softened edges reducing the impact of its scale. By tapering at its base, a rooftop terrace emerges above the heritage buildings, giving access to sunlight and fresh air. The two deteriorating heritage buildings fronting Clarence St have been sympathetically restored and reimagined as a single entity. Co-joining the buildings offers dynamic and engaging workplace settings, along with retail opportunities and a refurbished Machine Hall in the former Electrical Substation – a magnificent space of industrial scale for curated cultural and commercial events.

The interior retained many of the original features, combining structure with exposed services and minimal new ceilings. Creative design solutions merge the buildings and address the issue of their unaligned floor plates. The gap between the buildings now serves as a slender internal atrium.

Photography by Toby Peet, John Gollings, Raw Life Studios

Dissections
Furniture: AWM Furniture. Finishes: Ontera/Milliken, Dulux, Laminex, Instyle.