PROJECT STATEMENT
Art shapes human behaviour by uplifting mood, inspiring creativity, and supporting wellbeing. This project explores how art can be integrated into affordable housing, where design is often driven by function and cost.
Diagram
CHAPTER
01
01 (a)
In exploring the brief to design affordable housing, beyond the functional shelter requirement, Art was considered with an “uplift and belong” aim in mind. The design intent was for Art to break the norm and stigmatisation of low-cost housing through its quality and expanding the experience by creating space for expression and connection on a deeper level.
01 (b)
Andy Warhol held the belief that business and art are interconnected. Adopting this principle for Art Apartments made sense. The building became a National Rent Affordability Scheme participant, and investors were attracted by both the lift in design calibre and the social impact of reduced rental costs for tenants.
01 (c)
Arrangement
The core puppets north and south facing apartments providing an efficient arrangement for circulation
01 (d)
Climate
Functionally, the building has been designed to allow cross flow ventilation to all apartments and public access corridors, which also provide natural daylight and city views.
01 (e)
Orientation
01 (f)
Façade
The facade has been conceived as a Freeform element (inspired by the artistic ribbon lying the foundation of an art building).
01 (g)
Façade
Vertical articulation of the ribbon provides autistic rhythm allows for each floor level to have its own unique personality.
01 (h)
Podium Screen
The podium connects to neighbouring buildings and has been conceived as an art installation to the street. It provides an additional level of privacy to the apartments that are closest to the street.
Space
CHAPTER
02
02 (a)
Gateway Articulation
A modern word “ART” is embossed over three levels of the building’s concrete façade. The text complements the gateway art panel that extends over eight stories in height.
02 (b)
The text complements the gateway art panel that extends over eight stories in height.
02 (C)
The most celebrated piece is the gateway art installation for the Flinders East Precinct.
This artwork acts as a welcome to the Precinct, and was the result of a State-wide art-prize competition. It led to a shortlist of 10 candidates selected from an original pool of submissions and three finalists were chosen.
02 (D)
“Yitpi Kuru Tukkatya” (meaning Seed, Cycle, Live) is the outcome of the State-wide art-prize competition; an impressive art panel eight storey tall that adorns the Western façade.
It shares a story about the Spirit of Place, depicting the year cycle of the traditional owners of the land in a 15 x 10 metres piece, designed by artists Stefan Bruneder with Kaurna Meyunnna artists Susan Williams and Karl Telfer.
The successful collaboration of artists delivers memorable artwork that complements and is integrated into the architecture of the building.
02 (E)
Art is an essential part of the human experience that inspires people. It fosters a sense of belonging and promotes well-being, and it’s why art is integrated into the fabric of Art Apartments on Flinders Steet.
02 (F)
From the treatment of the free-form façades to 16 exterior and interior art installations, this medium-rise affordable housing building provides a unique environment for 50 homes in the city.
Detail
CHAPTER
03
Facade Detail
03_1 (a)
Facade Detail
Upon entry, and looking up, the ribbon-like façade screen has free movement, a metaphor for artistic freedom. This façade treatment provides unity and, at the same time, privacy to screen and provide enclosure to the balconies.
The ribbon was created with indents in the slab. An aluminium template set out was used and is based on a grid.
03_1 (b)
Facade Detail
Prototyping and experimenting with a tight circle
03_1 (c)
Facade Detail
Prototyping and experimenting with a tight circle
03_1 (d)
Facade Detail
Aligning the concrete slab to the exact geometry
03_1 (e)
Facade Detail
Aligning the concrete slab to the exact geometry
03_1 (f)
Facade Detail
Façade ribbon outcome
03_2 (a)
Podium Detail
The podium screen art comprises different diameter pipes and in three different colours, arranged in a complex array with opening well placed adjacent apartment window.
03_2 (b)
Podium Detail
The podium screen art comprises different diameter pipes and in three different colours, arranged in a complex array with opening well placed adjacent apartment window.
03_3 (a)
Oculus Detail
The building geometry is significantly defined for the large East and West blade walls that formed the boundary edges for this narrow site. Bridging these walls, it’s a single element concrete plate pierced by an oculus to allow daylight.
03_3 (b)
Oculus Detail
East wall (West is similar).
03_3 (c)
Oculus Detail
The oculus was just one concrete piece and was the largest precast lift in the State at the time.
03_4 (a)
Gateway Art Detail
Art was sandblasted into panels on the West Elevation
03_4 (b)
Gateway Art Detail
This is how we designed and manufactured the support structure for the Gateway artwork.
A system of stainless steel brackets for connection and ferrules were used. Ferrules are single rods that are threaded and cast-in-place to anchor inserts and provide fastening points for the artwork.
This drawing is the base and setting tool to support four ‘base’ types that we identified could hold all artwork symbols.
03_4 (c)
Gateway Art Detail
The ‘base’ types that we identified that could hold all artwork symbols were X, Y and H shapes. These three geometries formed the ‘backing’ arrangement for diverse symbols.
03_4 (d)
Gateway Art Detail
This is the Y shape.
03_4 (e)
Gateway Art Detail
This is the H shape.
03_4 (f)
Gateway Art Detail
This is one of X shapes (we used two types of X).
03_4 (g)
Gateway Art Detail
This is one of X shapes (we used two types of X).
03_5 (a)
Lobby Art Detail
Floor to ceiling works by a range of contemporary artists feature within the interior common areas on each level.
03_6 (a)
The Final Art
1x was founded with the vision of gathering the best photography in the world in one place. With curation in their DNA, it was only fitting that ART appeared on the cover of their last printed book, which gathers an extraordinary collection of fine art photography.
1x handpicked 16,000 published artists from 130 different countries.
