Chasing Kitsune - 2012 Australian Interior Design Award winner
We are proud to announce that two of our projects were successful at the 2012 Australian Interior Design Awards last Friday evening – Chasing Kitsune won the Installation Design Award while the George Patterson Y&R fitout was commended in the Workplace Design category. A total of eight HASSELL projects were shortlisted in this year's awards.
Chasing Kitsune redefined the food-truck phenomenon by creating a mobile pop-up restaurant that adapts to its landscape. It was created by young designers at HASSELL for the 2011 State of Design Festival, which was themed "design that moves." Based on the idea of the kitsune, a mythical fox in Japanese culture that shape-shifts and only reveals its true form in shadow or reflection, the truck operated at night at locations that were revealed via social media. The design was simple and calculated, evoking the principles of Japanese design and concentrating on the craftsmanship rather than a palette of materials. The fitout was designed to be removed from the rental truck and re-inserted into another truck, to be sold as a complete mobile restaurant with its own branding and identity.
As part of their decision, the IDA jury noted that, "HASSELL's awarded project is a mysterious and adventurous approach to "pop-up" food retailing. It responds to the nature of contemporary life; it is experiential, social and temporary. Chasing Kitsune is a "shape-shifter" that can locate itself in, and transform, any space. A generic truck arrives and its content overflows to provide a beautifully crafted place and experience."
The Australian Interior Design Awards recognise and celebrate interior design excellence via an industry-based program, which is backed by the Design Institute of Australia, the professional body representing Australian designers.
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Coal Loader wins two National Trust awards
HASSELL and North Sydney Council won two National Trust (NSW) heritage awards this week for the former Coal Loader, located in North Sydney.
The HASSELL-led team prepared detailed design and construction documentation for the development of the proposed public parkland on the former Coal Loader and Caltex industrial sites. The site has high natural and cultural heritage significance and has been adaptively reused to provide settings for an array of new activities and uses including a council-run sustainability learning centre, a café, artist workshops, a community meeting room and SES North Sydney.
The Regeneration and New Development category for Adaptive Reuse was awarded to HASSELL and the Sustainability category was awarded to our client North Sydney Council.
We would like to congratulate our visionary client and multidisciplinary team for their work and commitment, which has led to this award.
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Peter Duncan presents to Shanghai Foreign Correspondents Club
HASSELL Chairman Peter Duncan presented a talk on China's urbanisation and sustainable development to the Shanghai Foreign Correspondents Club (SFCC) last week.
China's unprecedented growth and scale of urbanisation requires a broad, forward-thinking approach that enriches lives and develops a Chinese cultural quality that is environmentally sustainable, Peter said in his talk to approximately 30 SFCC members. He also shared some of the key projects that HASSELL has worked on in China, including both the headquarters for Alibaba and Deutsche Bank, as well as the master planning for Ningbo New Town.
Held at the HASSELL Shanghai studio, which is a converted former motorcycle factory near the south Bund, the event was attended by representatives from media publications such as Forbes Magazine, Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones Newswires, Bloomberg News, The Associated Press, National Public Radio, Channel News Asia and Le Figaro.
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David Tsui speaks at Shanghai International Interior Design Festival 2012
HASSELL Principal David Tsui was invited to speak this week at Conversation in Design: Responsibility of Design, part of the Shanghai International Interior Design Festival 2012. David spoke on the topic of the Beginning of Design. The conversation was organised by Interior Design China Magazines.
The Shanghai International Interior Design Festival 2012 was held at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre.
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Sydney team participates in Dance for Life fundraiser
A group of designers from the HASSELL Sydney studio recently participated in Dance for Life, an inaugural fundraising event that aims to raise awareness and funds for the Inspire Foundation.The Inspire Foundation is dedicated to providing leading mental health services for young people suffering from depression.
HASSELL participated in the dance competition along with nine other design practices from Sydney with an entertaining 80s-inspired dance routine, performed at Paddington Town Hall in front of hundreds of industry professionals. The event was developed by Ontera, Instyle and JSB Lighting.
The HASSELL team raised nearly $10,000 out of a grand total of $30,000, aided by friends and family of our team members. Plans are already in place to participate in this valuable event next year!
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Phillip Nielsen wins Boral Design Award 2011/12
We are pleased to announce that young HASSELL designer Phillip Nielsen has won the Boral Design Awards 2011/12 Professional category with his 'Flamingo Lane' concept.
Entrants were asked to design a scheme to adaptively repurpose an existing city fringe commercial property into a medium density residential or mixed-use development, while preserving 50 percent of the original building fabric.
Phillip attended the award ceremony in Melbourne where the jury noted that, "Flamingo Lane contributed to the vibrancy of the city and kept the scale of the streetscape while still using elements of the existing building. Its blend of medium density housing options, offering 19 dwellings as well as five 50 square metre tenancies, creates a precinct that promotes community."
An article published in the Australian Design Review also noted that, "Applying the classic brick arch, (the) solution offers a clear tectonic expression that delivers both a wonderful interior experience and a strong street presence and identity. Its urban strategy is also sensible, well resolved and well integrated into the surrounding neighbourhood (...) Ultimately, Flamingo Lane wooed jurors through the sheer liveability of its internal spaces and its warm and evocative use of brick, and this was in fact the only project that drew unanimous and uncontested praise, making it the well-deserved, professional winner."
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Cronton Colliery on exhibition at Leeds Design Innovation Centre
HASSELL is one of four finalists in a Royal Institute of British Architects competition to design a new visitor destination on a disused coal mine – the former Cronton Colliery at Knowlsey near Manchester. The four finalists are HASSELL, Hawkins/Brown, Michael Lee Architects and Edward Architecture and Matthew Riley.
The four were shortlisted from 50 designers who submitted proposals for the site. The RIBA and the Land Trust, which will operate the site, will announce the competition winner on 19 April.
A selection of the 50 proposals including the HASSELL scheme are currently on display in Leeds.
_Venue: The Leeds Design and Innovation Centre, 46 The Calls, Leeds
_Exhibition dates: Monday 2 April – Thursday 3 May 2012
The Land Trust was "blown away by the creativity and vision of the proposals", according to Director of Operations Matthew Bradbury.
Chief executive Euan Hall said the former coal mine is "a fabulous space" with the potential to become a magnificent 21st Century visitor destination.
"By working with RIBA Competitions on this we are hoping to change the way design teams create schemes in the future. We believe that open spaces have the potential to be the catalyst for change and can impact far more than just the 'environment.'"
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Chris Watkins interviewed about University of Adelaide Learning Hub
Chris Watkins, a Principal Architect at the HASSELL Adelaide studio and one of the leaders of the University of Adelaide Learning Hub, was recently interviewed about the project for the Design for New Generation Learning Spaces conference.
The Learning Hub is a flexible and functional space with informal learning spaces and can be utilised for individual, quiet reflective, small groups, but is also ideal for large group learning.
Chris discusses what really works when deciding on the design most suitable for an education institution and what the Learning Hub at the University of Adelaide offers the next generation of students, how the space has been received by the students and how the Learning Hub space meets the need of the growing number of international students.
Download a copy of the interview here or watch the Learning Hub video here.
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HASSELL - the architects’ choice
HASSELL has been awarded the interior design project for the new home of the Australian Institute of Architects, currently under construction in Melbourne. When the new building is completed in 2014 the Institute will move into four floors designed by HASSELL.
Eight firms were asked to submit an Expression of Interest in the project and HASSELL was one of two then invited into detailed discussions. The Institute says the 'fit' between its team and the HASSELL designers led by Ingrid Bakker, Steve Coster, Scott Walker and Rob Ryan was a key factor in the decision to award us the project.
"It is a great one to win," says Scott Walker. "It is the home of architecture in Victoria, and it presents wonderful design challenges. The big challenge is to create a hub for architecture in Melbourne, a place for people to come together to learn, discuss and debate. The project is a workplace, meeting space, bookshop and learning hub all in one."
"It is an opportunity for the Institute to reach out and embrace the greater community. Design is important to Melbourne, so the Institute's home plays a key role in the city's fabric".
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Chongqing Palm Springs Lakeside under construction
Work on the 20,000-square metre Chongqing Palm Springs Lakeside project is progressing well, with 40 percent of the construction finished and final completion expected by October 2012.
Located on the banks of Palm Lake and the Taiping Reservoir, the Palm Springs Lakeside project is a new hospitality and commercial precinct in the Palm Springs International Garden complex in Chongqing.
John Pauline, one of the key designers on the project said, "The site, which lies between two lakes, is a rare opportunity to explore the full potential of using water to unify a design. The restaurants and bars will sit like lanterns on the water's reflective surface. The elevated water platforms conceal the operational aspects of the restaurants such as parking, loading areas and kitchens. This allows the public aspects of these dining zones to be revealed above the waterline, so that views of the water in all directions can be fully appreciated by the patrons."
This modern precinct comprises six independent restaurants set along the banks of the two lakes, arranged into five buildings. The five buildings and the artificial water feature form a "courtyard of water" so that patrons at each restaurant can enjoy natural water vistas on one side, and a private "water courtyard" view on the other.
By creating an infinity pool-style water feature, both the natural and artificial elements are integrated visually, while the buildings have been designed to be surrounded by water. This gives the architectural impression that the buildings are "floating" on water. Both the concept of the water feature and the layout of the buildings reflect the unique characteristics of Chongqing, which is known as the city "connected by two rivers."
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Parkroyal Darling Harbour
HASSELL has been working on the Parkroyal Darling Harbour and the new lobby was recently unveiled
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Scott Walker reflects on IDEA
Scott Walker, Head of Interior Design at HASSELL, reflects on his time as jury member for this year's Interior Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) on Australian Design Review
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ArchDaily on Bjarke Ingels' visit to Sydney
ArchDaily covers the news of Bjarke Ingels' visit to Sydney, sponsored by HASSELL
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Designing for integrated education and research
How HASSELL designs for integrated education and research
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Rundle Mall in Adelaide
Ben Willsmore, HASSELL Senior Associate, discusses the Rundle Mall redevelopment in Adelaide that he is working on as project design leader
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Open plan offices - the pros and cons
Steve Coster, Head of Knowledge and Sustainability at HASSELL, discusses the pros and cons of open plan offices
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Developing Australia's regional towns
The SuperTowns initiative in Western Australia is discussed on Design Build Source
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Palm Island on IndesignLiveAsia
The Palm Island project takes its inspiration from the unique geography of Chongqing where the Yangtze River and Jialing River converge into one
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We Love Perth profiles young architect Carly Barrett
Young HASSELL architect and Creative Director of Open House Perth was profiled on We Love Perth
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Common Ground Sydney featured on Inhabitat
The World Architecture Festival award-winning Common Ground Sydney project features on Inhabitat with a special emphasis on its sustainability features
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Changing the face of Perth through architecture
Design Build Source looks at how the Perth CBD is changing with developments like the HASSELL-designed Brookfield Place
