Jury citation
This site in inner-suburban Melbourne, slated for redevelopment, has been given a new lease of life. On an extraordinarily low budget, the existing warehouse has been adapted to create an architect’s dream studio that complements its urban context. The glass facade and integrated corner cafe engage with the busy street and draw the public into the building. To the rear lane, galvanized steel cladding, steel universal beams and slim timber-framed windows lend a sense of international-style modernism. On the garage doors below, local graffiti tags have been embraced, embedding the building even further into its gritty setting.
Design for reuse and disassembly is highly considered. Raw materials – including galvanized sheeting, plywood, linoleum and unfinished LVL beams (proudly stamped with their details) – are harmoniously combined to create a warm, gutsy interior, filled with energy and light. The naturally ventilated space also collects rainwater, and it generates and stores its own energy via a rooftop solar farm. This is a thoroughly rigorous project that never fails to consider its robustness, commodity or ability to delight.
JCB Studio is located in Richmond, Victoria on Wurundjeri Country.
Project credits:
Architect: Jackson Clements Burrows; Project team: John Clements, Tim Jackson, Graham Burrows, Chris Botterill, Alison Palmer, Tess Wrigley, Chloe Hinchliffe, William Christian, Adelle Mackey, Akiko Bamba, Ben Pitman, Eulalie Trinca, Mathew George ; Builder: BD Projects, Leeda Projects; Electrical and fire safety: ADP Consulting ; Building services: Griepink and Ward Air Conditioning; Building surveyor: Reddo Building Surveyors; AV consultant: AVI Technology; Communications: Dataline; Lighting consultant: Light Project; Fire engineer: Gincat Fire Safety Engineering.
