Project Overview
Situated within the rapidly changing Crows Nest Town Centre, the project acknowledges and preserves the historical heritage of the Gas Showroom while incorporating a gamut of design strategies that embrace neighbourhood character and provide unparalleled amenities to its residents and the public.
The Gas Showroom presents sixty-one thoughtfully designed residential apartments that respond to the context’s evolving demographics. The project prioritises liveability and intergenerational amenities through generously sized apartments that feature multi-functional spaces, spacious bathrooms, ample storage options, and large private open spaces.
Nestled within the suburban context, sits the park at the rear of the site. Offering lush green spaces shared between the public and its residents, the park integrates the project with its context, blurring the boundaries between the low-density residential neighbourhood and the mixed-use development. The project offers extensive above-ground communal open spaces dedicated to commercial and residential users. The landscape design creates an integrated and sustainable system that is layered with lush and endemic greenery, recreational spaces, serene sitting areas, and delightful children’s play spaces.
The park offers an accessible path via the through-site link, serving as a portal from the quiet streets of Crows Nest to its vibrant town centre. It embraces its connection with the heritage-listed Gas Showroom through its integration of the original steel windows, rearranged to encase the building’s artefacts. Featured on the wall and the floor are historical archives that aim to tell the story of the Gas Showroom and acknowledge its historical significance.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
Creator: Fuse Architects
Collaborators: Urbis, Heritage 21, McLaren Traffic Engineering. PDS Development Management, RLB, Credwell, Holding Redlich, Urban Tree Management Australia, Environmental Consulting Services, TTM, Cam Consulting, LFA, Geoff Bonus + Associates, MRA Consulting Group, RWDI Australia Pty Ltd (RWDI)
Project Brief
The project focuses on the redevelopment of the Gas Showroom located in the dynamic Crows Nest Town Centre. It aims to preserve the historical significance of the Gas Showroom while incorporating design strategies that embrace the character of the neighbourhood and offer exceptional amenities to residents and the public. The Gas Showroom transforms into a mixed-use development that respects its heritage and preserves a connection to the building's history through thoughtful design elements. The project is a contextual response to the existing and future fabric of its neighbourhood and offers high-quality residential apartments, a park and ample communal open space for the local public and residents.
Project Innovation/Need
The Gas Showroom showcases innovation through preserving historical heritage, thoughtful design strategies, and emphasis on enhanced liveability, intergenerational amenities, integration with the surrounding context, and sustainable landscape design. These qualities combine to create a unique and successful development that positively contributes to the community.
The project exemplifies its commitment to historical preservation by integrating original steel windows and displaying historical archives, demonstrating a deep reverence for the site's legacy. The development prioritises well-being and inter-generational living by providing spacious and flexible living spaces, ample storage options, and expansive private open areas that cater to individuals of all ages.
The landscape design seamlessly integrates a park, connecting the mixed-use development with the low-density residential neighbourhood and offering lush green spaces for public enjoyment. Above-ground communal areas further enhance recreational opportunities, providing serene sitting areas, engaging play spaces for children, and recreational zones.
Design Challenge
The Gas Showroom challenge was to honour its rich historical heritage while seamlessly integrating modern design strategies that resonate with the future urban fabric of the neighbourhood. Our approach was rooted in a deep appreciation for the site's legacy, ensuring that the new development gracefully melds with the character of the evolving community, promoting liveability and harmonious integration with the surrounding context.
Embracing the challenge and acknowledging the constraints and opportunities lead to the careful consideration of the existing historical heritage. The design pays homage to the past while responding to the demands of the future and showcases a seamless blend of old and new, with each element contributing to the development's uniqueness and charm.
Sustainability
Sustainability and the preservation of the Gas Showroom's historical heritage seamlessly intertwine, reflecting our commitment to both the environment and the site's legacy. By embracing sustainable materials and practices, we have taken significant strides towards conserving resources and minimizing our ecological footprint.
The reuse of original steel windows not only pays homage to the past but also reduces the demand for new materials, aligning with our vision for responsible resource management. Further, showcasing historical archives in the through-site link creates a captivating connection with the site's history, enriching public spaces with a sense of heritage and cultural significance.
Beyond preservation, the through-site link thoughtfully connects to lush green open spaces, providing an enchanting view for the public to explore while interacting with the showcase of the Gas Showroom's historical archive. This harmonious integration with nature enhances the development's appeal and fosters a sustainable environment for both residents and visitors.
Architecture - Proposed - Multi Residence (10+ floors)
This award celebrates the design process and product of planning, designing and constructing form, space and ambience that reflect functional, technical, social, and aesthetic considerations. Consideration given for material selection, technology, light and shadow. The project can be a concept, tender or personal project, i.e. proposed space
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