| Beside the Yarra River at Richmond, Victoria, a derelict, historic power station—a collection of buildings dating from 1878— has been developed as the headquarters of an international clothing and furnishings supplier, with construction also under way on a new office park. Architects Metier 3 have sought to express the site’s past, present and future as a metaphor for the client company’s own progression. They have transformed the site’s principal structure of polychromatic brickwork by replacing its blank south facade with a veil of glass facing the river. This steel-framed screen stands in front of the building to allow extra office space to be accommodated, to frame it in association with nearby structures and to provide a striking image on arrival at the south-east entrance. New office structures are located to the north and east of the site and existing brick buildings have been renovated to contain offices, studios, meeting rooms and showrooms |
The complex brief for this large corporate client has been skillfully manipulated into the shells of a family of buildings which made up the disused Richmond Power Station. While the interior echoes the style of the client body, many of the volumes, parts of the existing fabric and miscellaneous historic elements have been successfully retained and incorporated into the design, acknowledging the history of the site and creating a diverse and rich environment in which to work. A sense of light and space throughout the building enhances its obvious functions and creates a place which works well and brings high user satisfaction. The design expresses the corporation’s ideals very well. right Glazed entry wall |
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Country Road Headquarters,
Richmond, Victoria
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