Architecture practice Sibling Architecture was commissioned by leading Melbourne property developer Beulah to design a taxonomy of furniture, which made its debut at Hanover House as part of BETA By STH BNK.
BETA By STH BNK is an experiential event series launched by Beulah, bringing together international brands, revered artists and makers, immersive dining experiences and much more.
The mobile collection Beta Taxonomy represents conscious design, in line with the experimental nature of BETA By STH BNK’s programming at Hanover House. Envisioning a future where retail designers extend project afterlife through reuse, repair or refurbishment, the flexible furniture pieces are designed to be used between different floors and across multiple events.
Keeping in mind the huge waste generated by the construction industry, Sibling recycled various materials and objects already present within Hanover House when creating the overall fit-out, bringing its shifting form and function full circle by minimising the need for new items. This fit-out reimagines retail spaces by repositioning sustainable design as the new benchmark of luxury.
The kit of multifunctional parts made from prefabricated steel is fitted with wheels, and can be reused between floors for BETA events and even moved to different locations, avoiding the need for these materials to go to landfill.
Various elements from the five-storey office block have been repurposed, including ceiling tiles, which have been transformed into stacked seating arrangements and display units, alongside reused office furniture, lighting, carpets and gypsum walls while glass cubes in the Atelier are made from existing office partitions within the building.
By giving sustainable retail brands the freedom to experiment with physical space, programming and business models, Sibling’s experimental taxonomy provides a preview of the future of retail within the pioneering STH BNK By Beulah development. Retail brands will be able to push the envelope by embracing innovative sustainability and setting new standards of design while keeping pace with consumer demand.
Appointing the award-winning Sibling Architecture as part of BETA By STH BNK celebrates the conscious consumer via their ground-breaking take on thoughtful design, conducive to infinite layouts and with an emphasis on sustainability and circulatory, Beulah executive director Adelene Teh observed.
“We are delighted to collaborate with local thought leaders who go beyond the expected and give new meaning to the future of retail. The dynamic BETA By STH BNK hub of innovation and experimentation promises to ignite Melbourne, and indeed Australia’s, curiosity and imagination of what has become possible.”
David Monaghan, Beulah general manager of Commercial + Culture says the collection of customised pieces represents an experiment in internal use.
“BETA Taxonomy reflects the wider principles of STH BNK By Beulah as a lifestyle project, and early prototyping for how the space will function as an experience as opposed to purely transactional. It will question the one-dimensional use of a retail store, challenge the excessive cost of store fit-outs and explore how future brick and mortar space will transform in response to brand and consumer needs,” said Monaghan.
“The design intent of the taxonomy was to provide a family of joinery that allow for a variety of uses, including unforeseen uses, due to the experimental nature of the BETA By STH BNK programming at Hanover House where we could not foresee what would happen,” Sibling Architecture director Timothy Moore noted.
Image: Supplied
