Jury comment
The jury awarded the Gallery Shop at the Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney Modern for a number of reasons. First, it is compelling and a brave yet sympathetic response to the architecture that really adds something, not only internally but from street level as well. There’s a warm glow to the interior that invites you in, and its refined design and the investment at a fine material level is very impressive. This had one jury member comment on the exciting development of material resolution that occurred as a result of collaborations with local artisans and craftspeople. It’s a very specific scheme that’s intended to be in the one place for a long period of time.
Design statement
The Gallery Shop by Akin Atelier is an immersive resin installation of fluid contours developed with surfboard designer Hayden Cox. Located in the entrance pavilion of the Art Gallery of NSW’s Sydney Modern building designed by Japanese architects SANAA with Architectus, the Gallery Shop is a luminous interior of shifting perspectives and refractions of light.
Akin Atelier conceived the space as a volume, which draws the intimate touchpoints of the gallery and incidental structures of The Domain into its reflection. The design responds in counterpoise to the large and open volumes of the new gallery, which cascade down the landscape, creating focal points of four key precincts: Woolloomooloo, Potts Point, Central Sydney, and The Domain and Royal Botanic Gardens.
The selection of resin as the primary material speaks to the transparency of the building’s design. Resin was chosen for its texture, dimension and ability to respond to shifting daylight. The handmade nature of resin casting and finishing allowed for experimentation across colour and form while addressing the patinated qualities of the outside environment.
Sydney Modern Gallery Shop is located in Sydney, New South Wales, on the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation.
Project credits
Design practice — Akin Atelier
Project team — Kelvin Ho, Alexandra Holman
The Award for Retail Design is supported by Laminex. The Australian Interior Design Awards are presented by the Design Institute of Australia and Artichoke magazine. For more images of this project, see the Australian Interior Design Awards gallery.
