Axolotl projects: Feature glass in Chinatown 

Those visiting the bustling inner Sydney district of Chinatown recently will have been treated to the dazzling glow of red light from a new information kiosk.

This concept was designed by Frost* Design and Lacoste + Stevenson Architects, with feature glass supplied by Axolotl.

The feature walls were created using toughened and curved glass, with a textured Graphite design adding dimension and tactile interest. Daytime throws sun onto graphite creating shine, whilst at night the kiosk comes alive with the area being backlit to contrast the red with solid graphite.

David Stevenson explains the concept, "The conversion of the seating pagoda in Dixon Street to an information kiosk to service Chinatown called for a sympathetic and contextual design. The design approach is to treat the new enclosure as a patterned red lantern by day which is illuminated by night. The lantern is inserted inside the existing pagoda structure and is clearly understood as a new volume. It consists of 2 semi-circular volumes that are clad with patterned, curved glass; the pattern was created by paper-cut artist Pamela Mei-Leng See with cultural reference to the Chinese community including flowers, fish and birds. The sliding semi-circle of glass screens open to reveal a hot red interior that houses a wall of shelving for brochures, pamphlets and tourist information."

This project was made possible thanks to: City of Sydney, Frost* Design, Lacoste + Stevenson Architects, Lighting, Art & Science, Simpson Design Associates, Philip Chun, Morris Goding, Pamela Mei-Leng See, Growthbuilt, AGP Group (Architectural Glass Projects), Bent & Curved, DDK Electrical Services Pty Limited, Top Class Joinery Pty Limited and Axolotl.

Axolotl projects: LINK entry facade, Delhi. From a recent collaboration between Axolotl and Michael McCann from Dreamtime Australia Design comes this stunning entry door and facade for Aman Hotel in New Delhi, India.

Utilising the award winning Axolotl LINK, the pattern spans 4 separate panels at the full height of the entrance, bringing an air of grandeur that befits the calibre of the Aman brand. LINK is a totally unique process where iron is inlaid into glass and rusted to create virtually any design at all.

McCann explained to Axolotl that when designing he set out to blend the modern and contemporary with the cultural traditions of the area. The result is a pattern inspired by local textiles and mosaics found in New Delhi.

The final result is a great example of the international capabilities of Axolotl and proves good design combined with bespoke materials is unrestricted by time or distance.

Axolotl Showcase: Entry Doors

Axolotl is at the forefront of contemporary surfaces and our range of doors exemplify our unique product. An Axolotl door sets the tone of a home from the outset, establishing character and bespoke quality.

All of the doors we create are custom designed by our design team in ongoing consultation with our clients, allowing our clients complete control and ownership over the process. This inclusive collaboration produces stunning results, some examples of which are shown here.

Axolotl Showcase: Studio Becker

Axolotl continue to be at the forefront of commercial contemporary design in Australia. Proof of this is our recent collaboration with Dale Jones Evans Architects in conjunction with one of the most exciting, international kitchen manufacturers - Studio Becker. The Studio Becker showroom located in Redfern, officially opened on the 20th of August, bringing their uniquely beautiful, yet remarkably functional, kitchens and wardrobes to the most stylish Australian homes.

Axolotl was entrusted by Studio Becker to provide a range of bespoke glass pieces for the Sydney showroom, including Veil, Miro, Lustre and Mirror. It's showroom entrances from start to finish and is the perfect testimony to Axolotl's capabilities when it comes to contemporary glass design and innovation. Axolotl would like to officially welcome Studio Becker to Australia and offer our congratulations to Fiona Lochtenberg on her new venture.

Axolotl Showcase: Tiffany & Co

All that glitters is not gold... It's stunning Tiffany glass features by Axolotl.

We were excited to be commissioned by the Tiffany's design team to create an eclectic range of jewel-like glass feature pieces for their new flagship store in Melbourne.

Five of Axolotl's bespoke glass processes were specified for the project including a stunning entry facade featuring a double laminated starphire glass with a signature carved wheat-leaf pattern, an internal frit formed glass feature wall over two levels, and mirrored balustrading.

Synonymous with elegance and exceptional quality, Tiffany's is a prestigious showcase for Axolotl Glass and its Melbourne store is testament to Axolotl's commitment to high quality, cutting edge design and processes.

Axolotl Showcase: Sculpture

At Axolotl it’s our privilege to work with some of Australia's best artists to produce awe inspiring and bespoke artworks for both local and international projects.

Look up when you next visit Brisbane Airport, to see the amazing outcome of our recent collaboration with HASSELL and artist Louise Pearson – 100 one metre wide laser cut butterflies fill the ceiling void, coated in a range of Axolotl surfaces including bronze viper, copper and rust verdigris.

Another recent project, titled 'True Forms' designed by Camie Lyons, takes pride of place in a private residence in Phuket, Thailand. The site specific works are cast in aluminium and coated in Axolotl Bronze Rust and Verdigris patina. Over four metres in height, the artist describes the sculptures as two dynamic marks in space, a loose portrait to the couple who commissioned them, ghostly at night reflecting the shimmering light and tall silent figures during the day. You can see further works by Camie Lyons at her solo show at Tim Olsen Gallery from 23rd November.

The graffiti installation above, designed by Peter Day from Environmental Art and Design, demonstrates the diversity of Axolotl products. The design came out of extensive community engagement with various youth groups - from kids interviewed on the street to young writers and youth council. Overwhelmingly, their response was a desire for greater respect from the community and for their culture, especially visual, to be taken seriously. The kids wrote the stories displayed on the glass panels, and directed & edited the illustrations.

Preference for the materiality of the installation, as indicated by the young artists involved, was for glass, stainless steel and rust, the perfect Axolotl combination. Manufactured from Miro glass cut to complex shapes, rust and mild steel the installation is pin fixed in place at the new Hurstville Bus Exchange.

Our unique metal, concrete and glass elements are a crucial asset to the modern artist's palette, enabling the creation of magnificent sculptures, delicate architectural pieces and monumental works of art.

Axolotl Showcase: Concrete Blonde

Designed by Michael McCann of the multi-award-winning Dreamtime Australia, Concrete Blonde is the latest hot spot for contemporary Australian dining.

Axolotl was commissioned to create a multitude of custom features in Axolotl Metal and Axolotl Glass as well as premiering one of our first commissions for Axolotl Concrete. Included in the fit out were concrete tiles, concrete flooring and concrete graffiti text inlaid into glass - a world first! In addition to the concrete, the space features an Axolotl metal lace fire surround and Miro glass bathroom panels. Check out the grand concrete entrance with the name of the restaurant stamped into the surface. An impressive entrance to launch two great new 'hot' names on the Sydney scene: Concrete Blonde and Axolotl Concrete.

In a category loaded with some of the real superstars of international design such as Herman Miller, Dyson and Phillips, we are very pleased to announce Axolotl Concrete has won a coveted Australian International Design Award for Architectural and Interior Product. Axolotl Concrete also received an official selection award from the Powerhouse Museum with a permanent exhibit displayed for the next 12 months.

The Australian International Design Awards uniquely allows Australian design to be benchmarked against the best in the world. It is one of the oldest and most respected design councils and recognition is a highly coveted symbol of good design on an international scale. The award is a fantastic accolade for Axolotl and a satisfying reward for the effort we have continually put into new product development over the past 15 years.

Since releasing the range last month we have had an overwhelmingly positive response, as architects and designers across the country now have access to a completely new and different spectrum of design opportunity.

Be sure to check out Axolotl Concrete in the Powerhouse Museum 'Success and Innovation' gallery as part of the awards, which will be showcased from Saturday, 30 July.

Pioneering the next revolution in contemporary surfacing technology- Axolotl are proud to introduce our new Concrete range of surfaces. Incorporating 10 years of research and development, Axolotl Concrete can be applied to virtually any solid surface at any size and shape and can be utilised in interior or exterior environments.

Axolotl Concrete is a cutting edge, sustainable, lightweight and cost effective aesthetic alternative to solid concrete.

Axolotl concrete has already received outstanding industry recognition being currently short-listed in the Australian International Design Awards, and soon to be showcased for one year in the Powerhouse Museum ‘Success and Innovation’ gallery.

Click here to view all concrete swatches.

Description and Principal Function Axolotl Concrete coating is 0.5mm thick and can be applied to virtually any solid surface of any size or shape giving the object the appearance of solid concrete without any of the associated restrictive, or environmental, issues. Axolotl’s patented (pending) technology is a world first, enabling concrete to be applied to embossed or debossed surfaces, etched or patterned with various textures.

Axolotl Concrete can be used for interior and exterior applications and is available in a range of colours.

Key Features and Benefits, Unlimited design possibilities Axolotl Concrete can be applied to virtually any substrate material of any shape or form. Patterns and textures can be carved into the substrate then coated, or imprinted onto the surface of the concrete creating an unconventional juxtaposition of fine detail in what is traditionally a construction material. The surface can also be inlaid with metal or resins. Application opportunities are endless ranging from walls and kitchen bench tops, to signage and sculpture.

Axolotl Concrete’s tactile surfaces engage the user begging to be touched and when applied to glass, create the illusion of solid concrete floating in mid air.

Lightweight facilitating ease of construction and installation Incorporating a concrete aesthetic can be prohibitive in instances where it is either difficult, even impossible, to install pre-cast concrete objects, or to pour concrete in-situ, due to associated limitations including access, weight, size, cost of installation and curing time.

With Axolotl Concrete, panels, objects and forms can be constructed offsite from any substrate including lightweight sustainable materials. The object is then coated in concrete using Axolotl’s patent pending technology to create the illusion of a solid concrete object. The object is then complete and ready for easy installation, with no onsite construction work required.

Sustainable alternative to solid concrete The quantity of raw materials required for 1 square metre of Axolotl Concrete is just 1.5% of raw materials required for the same surface area of solid concrete. This translates to a fraction of the carbon emissions of the production of solid concrete.

Using a lightweight sustainable substrate for construction, an item coated with Axolotl Concrete weighs up to 20 times less than a cast concrete object of the same size reducing carbon emissions released in transport.

Increased flexibility in application of concrete Axolotl Concrete opens up limitless possibilities in concrete for designers and architects which were previously impossible in solid concrete whether due to weight and functionality restrictions or simply the limitations of the material itself.

New applications never before realised include but aren’t limited to doors, garage doors, sculptural forms and joinery.

Axolotl Concrete offers Australia the opportunity to be a world leader in this type of secondary innovation.

Axolotl were recently engaged to collaborate on yet another public artwork further cementing our commitment to local artists and art in the community. This unique installation, created by Jane Cavanough of Artlandish, marks the entrance to the recently opened Bankstown Arts Centre. Commissioned by Bankstown City Council, the installation makes reference to the renowned lapidary workshop, residing in the Arts Centre, and the jewel-like polished stones created from rocks and minerals by the lapidary craftsmen.

Jane’s artistic vision was realised using Axolotl’s Link in Rust. Glass panels have been cut to shape and Axolotl Rust applied in a custom design to one face with the rear face sandblasted to create translucency. Fabricated in glass, copper and stainless steel, the materials for the sculpture were selected in response to the architectural language of the adjacent building and reflect the glass and copper facade of the Arts Centre.

If you’d like more information on Axolotl and other public artworks we have been involved with check out our sculpture gallery or contact us at info@axolotl.com.au