i2C Architects has announced its involvement in the redevelopment of Ballarat’s The Goods Shed. The heritage-listed building will soon play host to a number of food and beverage offerings and event spaces, forming part of the Ballarat Station Precinct on Lydiard Street.
Working in partnership with developer Pellicano, i2C has been ushered onto the core project development team due to its work in placemaking in line with heritage sensitivities and overlays, in particular the retention of the heritage-listed Ballarat Ranger Barracks in 2009.
The Goods Shed will comprise a myriad of food and beverage tenants, making it a destination for local and regional foodies. i2C and the collaborating teams have ensured the character of the building remains intact, with artefacts being salvaged from the previous buildings to use within The Goods Shed and surrounding areas of the precinct. Onlookers will see the maintenance of the pitched roof, and the industrial feel remains very clear given the developers’ commitment to restoring the site to its former glory.
i2C Associate, Anthony Haslam, says the decision was made to remodel the building as a food and beverage centric hub as opposed to a retail destination after a number of conversations with the project team.
“Ballarat has become quite the destination over recent years, particularly when interstate and overseas travel is so commonly off the cards now. When we were brought onto the project, we wanted to give this lively location the foodie hub it deserves. This idea, of course, was made increasingly possible when hospitality partner Atlantic Group joined the core project team as the conference centre operator,” he says.
“Pairing our background in designing breweries and urban community spaces with this much-loved hospitality business, has meant that we’ve been able to create purposeful spaces for connection and culinary enjoyment. Across the various separate buildings, whether it be a conference, a wedding, a family lunch or a quick coffee among friends - the spaces have been specifically designed to increase usability with food and beverage in mind.”
Diners can expect high end, industrial interiors that cite Ballarat’s history, like battening and bluestone, timber beams and columns, and exposed brickwork. Pylon signage and wayfinding has also been implemented by the practice, which features designs celebrating characteristics from the original Ballarat site.
The elevated design plays with the deepening of materials and brings a layer of warmth to the highly considered food and beverage spaces. i2C’s Interior Design team also worked on the amenities for The Goods Shed’s Events Hall, which features textured marble-like tiles, arched mirrors, and sleek contrasting colours.
i2C’s interior team designed the bar, banquet hall, theatre, and meeting spaces, as well as the amenities. Interior Designer Kate Ellis says the practice endeavoured to create an inviting and luxurious space, whilst highlighting existing heritage elements.
“It was really important to keep the heritage aspects - like bluestone and timbers - top of mind when designing these spaces, and these add a real warmth as well,” she says.
“Usability, of course, was a key focus for us when it came to the amenities, but at the same time, we wanted the attractive features to follow on to these purpose-driven spaces. So should the venue host a wedding or a 30th birthday party, we want attendees to take a mirror selfie and feel as though the amenities are just as attractive as the rest of the venue.”
Scheduled for completion in early 2022, i2C is excited for the completion of The Goods Shed. For more information regarding the project, visit i2c.com.au.
