PROJECTS
The interior is clad in wood and painted black with a gradient transition to resemble the smoke heated cabins the Finns used . By letting smoke pour out at the top of the ceiling the houses were kept warm leaving ash coloured traces as horizontal lines along the walls .
The judges felt that the shortlisted projects highlighted the range of possibilities within Adaptive Reuse , highlighting fantastic examples of what ’ s possible in this category . They were all in agreement that there was one clear winner on the day .
David Jennings was impressed with the simple but strong concept , “ I think it ’ s understood how an existing building might be adapted in the future , but addresses the fact that you want to make the building different . It ’ s an incredibly simple but very strong concept . I feel the architects have fully understood the brief and actually taken it a step further , by allowing the building to be adapted further overtime .”
The fact that the project was achieved on a low budget also impressed the judges , Ziona Strelitz says , “ I love the fact that this project is so low cost but has such high impact .” Mat Cash continues , “ It ’ s a very low cost , quite innovative approach to an existing building .”
Nina Rappaport particularly liked the combination of old and new styles , “ The new raw timber cladding provides a view through to the historic building that becomes a shadow in the form , allowing for integration of old and new in a clever and composed design . The interior surprises while it also attests to the historic value of the site .”
Jennings concludes , “ I think the concept is so clear and so strong , it takes this project to another level .”
The brief asked for exhibition spaces for permanent and temporary exhibitions , as well library and archives . In addition , the architects were asked to alter the appearance of the building to clearly signal its new purpose as an outward public institution . The original building had , in its central positioning , some public qualities , but it clearly wasn ' t a museum . These communicative challenges proved to be what informed the design and strategy for future development .
Logs cover the old school that has been painted black to appear only as a shadow behind the screen of timber .
30 APRIL / MAY 2017 //