Expressions of Interest: Tasmanian Timber In-Office Presentations

The annual architecture commission at the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) is unique in Australia and highly prestigious. It is a blind competition with an open brief, providing freedom to architects and architecture students from across Australia to test their submissions on merit alone – letting their ideas and creativity with materials and design compete on a level playing field. The resulting structure is on exhibit for six months. In Absence, the 2019 installation, supported by Tasmanian Timber, officially launches tonight.

Tasmanian veneers have long been sought after for a variety of applications with some stunning examples of the capability of the product in beautiful furniture and custom doors and cabinetry. Veneer has traditionally been revered for its uniformity. The matchless repetition created by thinly slicing timber from one larger piece was sought after for cabinetry and linings, particularly in large commercial fitouts.

On the fringe of Hobart’s CBD, clad in brown brick and cement slabs stands Surrey House. Built in 1978 the exterior is still reminiscent of the time and style in which it was built. But forty years after its doors opened, hidden behind this boxy and retro façade, is the new Surrey House featuring three new state of the art office fit-outs for Pitt & Sherry, Aldanmark and Ray White, where aesthetics and sustainability collide. Unknowingly paying tribute to the building’s beginnings, Tasmanian hardwoods are featured beautifully throughout.

For Preston Lane Architects, balance and simplicity is everything. Old and new. Dark and light. Bold and neutral. The small team split between Hobart and Melbourne have mastered the art of mixing just the right amount of textures, tones and materials to come up with a design aesthetic that so clearly identifies them but also pushes the envelope, giving clients a one of kind home that’s a work of art.

Derived from the Latin word for ‘heap’ or ‘pile’ Cumulus Studio has embodied the origin of this word, weaving it into the lifestyle and culture of their practice. Believing that through working together, a critical mass of ideas can accumulate quickly- forming idea clouds which then can take on any size or form and be manipulated to suit conditions. Using this collaborative approach on all of their projects and utilizing the strengths across their three studios in Hobart, Launceston and Melbourne, Cumulus has been designing, creating and executing award winning architecture for almost a decade.