Australian architects BVN Donovan Hill will be moving to a new office space in Brisbane after spending 23 years in the renovated McDonald’s Bakery in Fortitude Valley’s Alfred Street.
The practice will occupy an entire floor at 12 Creek Street, Brisbane from 1 September.
According to Brian Donovan, principal at BVN Donovan Hill, the move continues the strategy developed during the merger between BVN and Donovan Hill.
At the same time, relocating the studio is expected to maximise participation and interactions both within the studio as well as with clients and the community, with the city offering more opportunities to build business and relationships.
Donovan adds that this move presents a chance for the practice to demonstrate and showcase its ability to reconfigure older commercial floor plates to meet contemporary workplace needs.
Designed to have the capacity to host and stage public events such as talks and films about architecture and the city, the new studio will be able to adapt to groups working in different configurations, from meeting around a table to working up design ideas on the ideas wall that wraps the inner core of the space.
Tiered benches will run along the entire length of one side of the office to function as theatre seating or informal seats for discussions over coffee. The idea is that the studio will be open for use by cultural and professional groups.
This concept is supported by the material selection which are made for hard-wearing and heavy use, with concrete and marmoleum chosen as the primary materials.
"Even the work stations are covered in marmoleum - an unusual use of what is normally considered a flooring material, but one that we think will continue the theme of not being precious and therefore available to use by all," says Donovan.
