The building at 75 Myrtle Street is significant for its association with the nineteenth and early twentieth century industrial activities that took place in Chippendale.
Chippendale is a small inner-city suburb of Sydney,
The two storey inter-war factory building located at 75 Myrtle Street, Chippendale was constructed c1925 for J.C. Goodwin & Co Ltd, glass importers, bevellers and silverers, who were first established in Chippendale in 1875 in a factory on Abercrombie Street.
Designed by Tonkin Zulaikha Greer, the building has now been remodeled into three purpose-built offices located either side of a central courtyard.
Their brief called for one large and two small tenancies.
The larger tenancy was to be accessible via Myrtle Street and the two smaller tenancies to be accessed from the rear of the building, via Dangar Place.
A sunlit and naturally ventilated courtyard is centrally located and features a contemporary cacti and succulent garden that melds with the surrounding pixelated paving.
The courtyard has its own structural order based on the range of glass types used.
This links the building to the site’s former factory use.
This order is set against the existing structure.
The differences between the two structural systems are celebrated throughout the entire project with existing renders in ochre-coloured steel.
The extent of new work to the exterior of the existing building, in line with the clients wishes, has deliberately been played down to both the street and rear lane.
The building has been repaired in line with its historic façade and offers few clues to the building’s new interior.
Apart from the steel staircase, which was painted in high gloss, subtly reflective black paint, all materials used throughout 75 Myrtle Street were left in their natural form – creating a raw and subdued pallet, rich in character, honesty and substance.
The highly textured herringbone oak floor used throughout both compliments and contrasts with the galvanised pressed metal ceiling.
The glass bricks create an impressive yet understated statement, projecting a black lit tone whilst capturing and reflecting the subtle changes in natural light throughout the day.
The stripped back nature of the interior also serves as the perfect canvas for the clients’ art collection, injecting vibrant colour, alternate meanings and excitement into the space.
The largest office space that fronts Myrtle Street sits on ground level and includes an entertaining and meeting area with the capacity to accommodate 100 guests.
The ground floor spaces are deliberately grand to cater for large convivial groups, whilst the upstairs offices are intentionally withdrawn, a place for more intimate and private meetings.
The architectural principle here is the introduction of an elegant contemporary architecture, in refined and sophisticated materials, as a new ‘layer’ to the original rustic structure.
This simultaneous presentation of two generations of building, in juxtaposition and layering, leads to a visually rich composition, a ‘third architecture’.
New and old are intertwined in a frozen dance.
Project Details
Project Size – 1,200 m2
Completion Date – 2018
Building Levels – 2
Project Team
Architecture
Tonkin Zulaikha Greer
Tonkin Zulaikha Greer has a special interest in public spaces, public buildings and “edge” architecture, often providing buildings with roles and uses outside their traditional functions.
The crossover between art and architecture is a springing point for a design philosophy, which takes each project as a new challenge, without reliance on established precedents.
Constant reinvention of their architecture brings a surprising diversity to their completed projects, with an on-going sense of exploration and discovery.
The work is consistently and thoughtfully grounded by appropriateness and sustainability.
Services Engineers
Building Services Engineers
BSE is a 100% Australian owned and operated company with a range of expertise spanning the entire building project’s life cycle. Established in 1994, BSE has built a proven track record of success in all Australian states and territories.
Structural Engineering
PMI Engineers
PMI Engineers is a structural engineering practice centred on creating solutions that seek to enhance the architectural vision of any project, big or small. The practice is based in Sydney, but has been commissioned to work on projects both interstate and internationally.
Landscape Design
Junglefly
Junglefy was founded by husband and wife team, Jock and Hanna Gammon in 2009 and emerged from strong market demand for green walls.
The business is renowned for delivering complex and innovative green walls, roofs, and facades.
Project Management
Aver
Aver is an independent, privately-owned development and project Management consultancy providing strategic property expertise, advice and delivery across a wide range of project sectors including infrastructure, urban renewal, commercial, large lot residential and retail In Sydney and Melbourne.
Photography
David Roche
Photo Gallery
Click on a thumbnail image to enlarge.
Design © 2021 Tonkin Zulaikha Greer. All Rights Reserved.| Images © 2021 David Roche. All Rights Reserved.
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