Akin South Brisbane

The Merivale Street site straddles the urban environment of West End and the artistic, educational and commercial hub of South Bank.

This location is the main influence on the outcome of the building artwork. The nexus between old and new, residential and commercial, work and play. In other words, the linking of contrasts.

The result has evolved out of a process of collaboration with the architect and understanding how the building is to engage with the resident and the pedestrian alike. Scale is integral to achieving this engagement. Key to the work are the street level finishes, which, through tactility, richness of colour and sculptural materiality, activates the artwork, and kerbside on a pedestrian level. This materiality welcomes and encourages viewer investigation and involvement with the work.

The street facade is an abstract landscape of contrasting shapes and undulations. Dynamic in nature through line and scale, it is similarly gentle through colour and shape.

Its dynamism will be enhanced by the changing light of each day.

Material choice is essential to the observers experience of contrast. The use of concrete gives the facade forms a raw quality. The introduction of greenery illustrates the contrast of hard and soft and the idea of nature intruding and taking over with time.

To the right of the main building moss green tiles of a human scale create a textured wall which emulates the qualities of the large scale facade. It is glossy and tactile and brings to street level a comprehension and appreciation of the facade. They also serve to delineate the building masses within the site.

On the eastern side of the residential building the moss green tiles continue. A third scale is introduced for this third artwork opportunity. Larger than street level, this traditionally understood residential material, is applied to these vertical panels. The tile treatment on this elevation will identify this building as a place for living.