A. Griffiths, ‘Boutique Office Building’, Design Ink, No 13, July 1993, pp. 30-33
'A Collins Street building in Lygon Street' reads like real estate language, written to appeal to the more pretentious business person who wants a prestige location at fringe-of-town prices. Inspection of the building developed by the Meat Industry Employee's Union Superannuation Fund, quickly revises this negative interpretation. It is, in fact quite apt, referring to the integrity of scale and the quality and attention to detail associated with Melbourne's prime business street, though this reputation has been somewhat marred by the eighties' worship of oversized foyers and hectares of marble.The Lygon Street building designed by Albert Genser and Associates is well scaled to its site, in a street which retains its nineteenth century profile and many of its original buildings. Built as national headquarters for the AMIEU and as an investment for its superannuation fund, it brings together two of union secretary Wally Curran's apparently unrelated passions: the financial security of employees in an industry with a history of exploitation, and the arts.
Designer Helmut Lueckenhausen was consulted when the building was already under way. His brief from Curran—to coordinate interior and exterior elements—enabled him to work with several artisans, craftspeople and manufacturers to create an ambience which is classy and restrained, but does not attempt to promote the simple and utilitarian building beyond its function and location.
A furniture designer, known for both his attention to detail and his rather witty three-dimensional signatures, Lueckenhausen's stamp is clear, but his knowledge of and respect for media and processes other than his own have enabled him to bring in and unify functional and decorative shapes and surfaces which, in different hands, could have been confusing; particularly in such small spaces. Lueckenhausen is also a former president of the Crafts Council of Australia, and he praises Curran as 'a most generous client', committed to quality and collaborative processes between design disciplines and practice. The risk though, with incorporating the work of several artists/craftspeople in small spaces, is visual confusion, where disparate elements compete for attention. Lueckenhausen has avoided this by maintaining control over the design of all the interior fittings, and also by limiting the interior materials to glass, brushed stainless steel and timber—silky oak and silver ash. Continuity is further maintained by the use of a varied four square grid throughout the building, on the stone, timber and carpet floors and in other fittings.
THE FOYER
Design considerations for the foyer were firstly to create a sense of arrival in a low ceilinged rectangular space, and secondly to integrate display cases on two walls for changing exhibitions of the Union's extensive collection of Australian ceramics.
An opaque glass pyramid over the entrance door is illusory, made even more effective by the placement of an illuminated square of painted sky at its apex. To heighten the ceiling, Lueckenhausen asked Fresco to design a trompe I'oeil coffered pattern which creates a third dimension. The display cases and other foyer fittings incorporate silver ash, silky oak; brushed stainless steel and stumped glass, Lueckenhausen breaks the rigidity of a broken grid inlaid stone flooring pattern with off-vertical timber supports to the display cases, and the organic shapes of the ceramic pieces are also highlighted in contrast to a formal, though intimate interior.
The office fittings further contrast the formality of the foyer with extensive use of curves in the glass fife partitions and timber reception desks. While these are designed primarily to suit their function, Lueckenhausen has incorporated elements of his witty signature shapes in the detailing, in statements which imply that form follows function, but can admit a little levity too.
The curved grid of the Ozone divider tiles (which allow for light to flow freely about the space) is continued into timber display boxes for ceramics, forming an effective and welcoming entrance for both workers and visitors.
THE EXTERIOR
A stone courtyard fronts Lygon Street and accesses both the entrance foyer and the a gallery, to be used for receptions and exhibitions. Because of heritage requirements, elements of the Victorian terrace houses had to be incorporated. Original rendered gateposts are incorporated into a new steel fence, and a set of stairs, once leading to a front door, now lead nowhere, but are incorporated, along with fixed ceramic urns, into an intriguing trompe architectural scene. This now provides a light and charming focus in an area which could have been excessively stark, and may. with less
imaginative treatment, have been softened in a far more predictable manner.
65 Lygon Street sets out to prove that new office buildings don't have to scrape the sky to be impressive, that they can sit comfortably in a heritage environment, and that humanising environments do not come by accident; they can be created by sensitive collaboration between client, the design team and skilled artists, craftspeople and artisans.
