The Dulux Colour Awards turned out to be quite the night for SJB, with the practice winning the Grand Prix Australia award and Commercial / Multi Residential Exterior category for their work at 20-22 William Street in Beaconsfield, NSW.
Adapting an existing brick building into a contemporary creative office space and childcare centre, the building is sculpted with minimal intervention and simple materiality. The project spans two levels with an additional mezzanine and a childcare centre accommodating 99 children in a new rooftop addition.
“The façade made up of existing brick and perforated screening is finished in a bold Dulux Spinach Green gesturing a sense of play to the changing neighbourhood,” says Project Architect Sevda Cetin.
The Spinach Green had the perfect balance of richness to contextually complement the leafy, vibrant street tree canopies along the main William Street frontage, as well as provide a playfulness that speaks to the childcare centre within.”
The refurbishment allows the building to channel Beaconsfield’s industrial heritage and translate it into a dynamic workplace, with a robust and expansive shell that can be adapted to flexible commercial tenancy requirements.
The workplace interiors include lozenge-shaped concrete columns supporting a 6.8-metre double-height space, curved steel stairwell, polished concrete floors, plinths and exposed services with perforated metal detailing.
Taking advantage of its north-facing aspect, the upper-level childcare centre incorporates open rooftop landscaping to provide an engaging and explorative outdoor play space. Indoor play spaces are open plan and highly flexible with a contemporary-industrial material palette that references elements of the Spinach Green.
To find out more about the 2021 Dulux Colour Awards, click here.
