Intense Photography
Objectspace is a public art gallery with a series of meeting spaces. This project required contractor Polished Concrete LTD to achieve a functional look under a tight budget and an even tighter time frame. The project has been successful in enhancing the commercial viability of the gallery’s operation while providing a range of flexible exhibition areas.
Project Details
Project Location: Ponsonby, North Island, New Zealand
Contractor: Polished Concrete LTD, (Facebook) Auckland, New Zealand
Architect/Designer: RTA Studio
General Contractor: Axiom Projects LTD
Amount of polished concrete: 3,229 square feet
Size of building/project: 5,381 square feet
Megafloor Urban Premium Satin was selected to deliver a high performance floor that stayed on budget. The product offers the versatility to blend the floor spaces into one harmonious polished floor. The existing concrete was an old workshop floor with some chases that needed to be rendered through the space for new services. Megafloor contractor Polished Concrete LTD was able to deliver excellent results.
The former 1980s warehouse has been transformed through the addition of an illuminated aluminium cube façade which has in turn become a cohesive part of the Objectspace identity. The simple box is composed of modular forms that highlight the simplicity and beauty of objects within space. Backlit at night, the exterior geometry references the transformation of everyday objects and forms when utilizing light.
Internally, the building has been repurposed to contain four exhibition spaces, two function spaces, and office areas. The design acknowledges the story of the building and its new users while presenting a bold statement for a new future. The project was successfully achieved through careful collaboration, creative strategies, and generous support under tight constraints.
This project has won many architectural awards around the world. After 12 years of exhibition programming, Objectspace sought expansion through relocation to become the leading organization for celebration of craft, design, and architecture.