'Walking Blank' is a sculpture by Canberra artist Rosalind Lemoh. Using a taxidermists mannequin (referred to as a blank), the deer has been remodelled and coated in Axolotl Graphite, to create a sleek industrial form that explores the relationship between the natural and urban environment.
Each quarter Axolotl puts a series of questions to an industry luminary to an insight into both their talent and their feel for the future. This issue we introduce Nick Tobias from Tobias Partners. Nick’s design philosophies and development strategies are evident in all their work. With an emphasis on enjoyment throughout both the process and in the end product, simple, elegant designs pay tribute to the design ‘idiom’ of expressing “function through form”.
What keeps you inspired?
Regular travel to places I’ve never seen before – at the moment it’s been amazing landscapes, especially deserts - AND - an inbuilt and constant urge to resolve design challenges – it’s like a disease.
What project do you consider to be your greatest achievement so far?
I suppose the greatest is the creation of a true studio based architecture and design office where design quality is always paramount. It’s what I set out to do and have achieved. When I look around the office at the people who have come together, and the projects we have on our books today, I’m very proud.
Have you ever refused to comply with a client request or design? If so, why?
That’s a grey area. My clients and I are always challenging each other. If I don’t agree with a request, my clients listen and we end up negotiating a win/win scenario. Clients often have interesting ideas however must understand that the reason we are the professionals is that we have the ability to visualise and understand a project in its entirety and therefore be able to make the right decisions at the end of the day.
Are there any architects whose work encapsulates your own ideals?
Most of my ideals come from architects who are now retired or dead – for instance Louis Kahn. However I would like think that some of my ideals are shared with likes of David Chipperfield, Eduardo Souta de Moura, Claudio Silvestrin, and locally Alex Tzannes. The late Neville Gruzman was also a great influence and I had the great pleasure of spending a lot of time with him in recent years.
Did/do you have a mentor?
Too many to list – they are very important in life.
Which Australian building excites you the most?
Drove past the new Norman Foster building in Hunter Street – the inside of the new podium space looked incredible.
What do you see as key trends over the next couple of years in domestic or commercial design?
I’m not that into trends and I don’t believe architecture should be “trendy” so – no. I think architecture and design should be a true expression of so many things but not of trends.
Which trend in architecture or design are you totally over?
Stacked slate and the “do-it-yourself-renovator’s” look – it’s just a complete rip off of anything good which is done
Do you see a lot of development in Sydney over the next year or so? Property development?
Residential – no, commercial – yes. Design development – not sure, but I hope it just settles down and gets back to basics a little.
Capping off another great year in the design trade, the inaugural IDEA awards ceremony was held over the weekend. As an event partner for a second year running, Axolotl collaborated closely with Facet Studio, winner of not only the international category but also the IDEA Emerging Designer Award, to create an awe inspiring glass divider wall using 22 panels of Viridian glass. Based on the theme of a playful Aesops-Fables-esq scene, the edge lit glass was etched with the theme on the rear face and painted strips on the front to give the passer by a unique experience and insight into the possibilities of the glass medium. The theme comes alive with the effect, as the animals displayed appear to move with every step.
Working with Facet again, in conjunction with Balvenie Scotch, Axolotl was called on to create a circular pop up bar for the Awards, constructed of stained wood, with an aged copper countertop crowned with an etched Balvenie logo. The awards themselves were also created by Axolotl, adopting the same theme as last year, these awards were coated in aged aluminium with a combination of textures overall highlighting the refined IDEA logo. In all, the night was a resounding success and we would like to offer our heartfelt congratulations to all the winners and the IDEA team.
Designed by Michael McCann from Dreamtime Australia Design, the new Grain bar at the Four Seasons Hotel in Sydney, is the perfect debut for our latest innovation, Axolotl Timber. By applying semi precious metals onto timbers or timber veneers and manipulating the raw materials, a unique surface element is created. The organic warmth of the timber grain contrasts the industrial lustre of the metal to stunning effect, as demonstrated here on the Axolotl Timber feature wall. Michael McCann hand selected a beautiful American Cherrywood for Axolotl Gold Bronze, which has been applied in a custom geometric pattern.
Axolotl Timber offers an unlimited design canvas through being able to combine any metal design onto a vast range of timbers.
Says Michael, "Grain has been designed as a unique “artisan” bar, blending a variety of commissioned artist finishes and features in timber and other medium. The name “Grain” was selected to reflect this – i.e. “Grains used in alcohol distillation" & “Woodgrain”. Grain features a blend of highly creative features bordering on the theatrical – yet at the same time elegant, warm and comfortable with a creativity-focused interior. Axolotl Timber plays a pivotal role in helping us realise this concept ".
Another great use of Axolotl Timber was recently illustrated at our DesignEx 2012 Exhibition. Below is a video of the stand, created by Steve Brown.
[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/51658062 w=640&h=360]
Axolotl at DesignEx 2012 from Axolotl on Vimeo.
The latest innovation from Axolotl, Flyash, creatively up-cycles waste product produced by industrial furnaces to add an environmentally advantageous and premium looking surface to our concrete collection. The diversity of Axolotl concrete is shown in the images here: from large scale feature walls and façades to bespoke concrete benchtops and furniture. The aesthetic of concrete can be achieved with Axolotl's award winning concrete surface without the weight and logistical struggles many clients endure with solid concrete.
Introducing Doric.
We would also like to announce the winner or Concrete Signature Door naming competition. Congratulations to Sarah Walls for her name 'Doric'. Sarah has won a fantastic iPhone case coated in Axolotl Bronze and Graphite 'Viper' snakeskin. A special thanks to everyone who entered.
Introducing the latest addition to Axolotls signature door range, this architecturally detailed door in Axolotl Concrete is a world first. Clad in a fluted profiled substrate and coated in our award winning 'shale' concrete, the door appears as though cast from solid concrete, however due to Axolotls patented (pending) technology carries none of the associated risks or restrictions of solid concrete which can include weight, need for structural reinforcement, and brittleness causing chipping.
A similar profile on a larger scale looks great in metal also, as illustrated in the recent fit-out at the Ray White head office. Coated in Bronze Florentine, the ridges area of the three dimensional panels are polished to reveal the bronze through the areas of aged florentine.
Axolotl are extremely fortunate to work with some of Australia’s most talented designers and architects. It goes without saying then that we are delighted when their efforts are recognised by both their peers and industry bodies. So far this year several teams have received various awards and nominations commending their efforts across various projects involving Axolotl, with just a few featured here. Philip Chia aimed to redefine the traditional food court dining experience at The Galeries Victoria by creating a highly unique and intriguing environment by delving into experimentation with juxtaposing materials. Axolotl provided several unique surfaces such as concrete coated panels with custom carved design, for the bulkhead and ceiling trim. Bronze Viper panels for the kiosk stations, and Treasury Bronze Pearl feature walls.
Commendation Retail Design - The Uncarved Block For The Galeries Victoria The design concept for the lower ground food court at Sydney's TGV aimed to set this unique environment apart from its counterparts in the CBD and stray from the “a-typical” food court approach. Inspired by the existing mix of avant-garde fashion retailers, the current clientele and location, the food court design draws a link between these key influences and the art of consumption conveyed through unique bespoke design elements, materials palette, texture, lighting and furniture.
Melbourne Central was recognised for it’s creative eclecticism and environmental stance, which also offers a unique retail experience. Given the large size of the space, it was important to create a variety of smaller dining areas for different groups of people. Axolotl was called on to produce a divider wall using screens coated in Treasury Bronze Pearl.
Planning wise, the layout defies the number one rule of food courts where sight lines to all tenancies from anywhere are a pre-requisite. At Melbourne Central, deliberately massed visual obstructions breaks up dining zones and changes the overall visual typography. It relies on people’s innate sense of interest and intrigue to explore this environment.
The conversion of the seating pagoda in Dixon Street to an information kiosk to service Chinatown called for a sympathetic and contextual design. The curved glass feature wall, created by Axolotl, is coated in Graphite which has been applied in a bespoke pattern designed by paper-cut artist Pamela Mei-Leng See.
In honour of the late, great Harry Seidler, this park was created for the residents of North Sydney. A large glass blade, supplied by Axolotl, installed at the centre of the space, details the dedication of the park to Harry and his lifetime contribution to architecture.
Designed in conjunction with Phillip Chia from The Uncarved Block, the Axolotl ‘Pod’ is a bespoke construction based on the blueprint of a shipping container, which we tweaked to our exacting requirements. With sustainability in mind, the reusable structure will be recycled for future exhibitions, reconfigured and transformed into an all new stand unrecognisable from the last. This year we featured several amazing world-first products including Timber LINK, Concrete Lace, Chroma and LINK glass along with many other beautiful finishes.
The “Reptilian Chaise” was designed specifically for Axolotl Concrete Bunker, to demonstrate the versatility of our new concrete coating system. The bespoke fabric, imported from Timorous Beasties, played a pivotal role in the design of the chaise - the pattern of the fabric flowing seamlessly into the concrete, creates a juxtaposition of soft and hard surfaces, whilst illustrating the unique properties of the concrete process.
The annual awards, widely regarded as the most prestigious hospitality design prizes in the business, attracted 620 entries from 60 countries. The awards will be judged by the who's-who of the international design and hospitality industries, including Alberto Alessi from Alessi, Joe Ferry from Intercontinental Hotels Group, and editors from Casa Vogue Brazil, Elle Décor India, Frame China and the UK's Sunday Times Style. The winners will be announced at the Royal Institute of British Architects in London on September 6.
Axolotl would like to extend our congratulations to the winners and look forward to partnering on more award winning projects in the future.
From the creative minds of the talented team at JPDC, comes the latest venue to hit the Sydney bar scene, 'The Bar' at one of the most prestigious Hotels in Sydney's CBD. Axolotl were engaged by Joseph Pang, principle at JPDC, to design and create the feature walls and signage for the moody interior inspired by a vintage timepiece motif.The luminous backdrop for the bar was fabricated by Axolotl employing a combination of processes and techniques to produce a unique and entirely bespoke feature. Laminated MIRO glass with translucent printed interlayer is inlayed with Axolotl LINK in Rust, demonstrating to great effect Axolotl's ability to combine multiple processes and products across our glass and metal ranges to create something truly original.
Entry to the bar is flanked with a lasercut feature signage wall in Rust which echoes the timepiece concept and materiality running throughout.
The entry to this Northern Beaches residence is another stunning example of Axolotl LINK combined with laminated MIRO glass. Here we have inlaid Treasury Bronze into both faces of the glass in a custom screen like design to create depth and a multi-dimensional quality. Laminated with a soft white interlayer, the translucent panel retains sufficient privacy whilst still allowing movement and the transmission of light into the space beyond.
The latest addition to the LINK range is our new Concrete surface applied onto or inlaid in to glass. With this particular example we have first applied the concrete entirely to the glass surface, then etched through the concrete, simultaneously articulating the design and creating translucent areas through the glass.
DesignEx 2012 was another inspiring and successful event with more than 2000 people visiting our stand over three days. It was really exciting to see it all come together and we loved hearing such a positive response from everyone who visited the stand. This year we featured several amazing world-first products including Axolotl Timber, Concrete Lace, Chroma and LINK glass along with many other beautiful finishes. The stand was colourful, innovative and unique, created using the many materials that make up Axolotl. The pictures really do say it all.
A special thank you to Philip Chia and The Uncarved Block team, for once again partnering with us to create the stand, and to all of our suppliers, who have made this years success possible. Thank you to all those who managed to attend, we hope to work with you soon.
Designed in conjunction with Phillip Chia from The Uncarved Block, the Axolotl 'Pod' is a bespoke construction based on the blueprint of a shipping container, which we've tweaked to our exacting requirements. With sustainability in mind, the reusable structure will be recycled for future exhibitions, reconfigured and transformed into an all new stand unrecognisable from the last.
This year Axolotl will be showcasing a range of new products including the Australian International Design Award winning Concrete, our brand new Timber Link range and 'Concrete Jungle' bench seat, another collaboration with the talented team at The Uncarved Block. Alongside we'll be showing a selection of bespoke Axolotl glass and metal classics reworked in inventive and surprising new ways.
You can register for DesignEX free here. Axolotl are at stand number 1240 in Hall 2, not far from the Ebony Bar, make sure you drop by and say hello. We look forward to seeing you there.
Collaboration is something we value highly in all our projects, and for our stand this year we partnered with an incredible team of people. We would like to thank Philip Chia and The Uncarved Block team, Laser and Press, Australian Panel Products, Mott McDonald Engineers, Lasermade, More than Kitchens, EvoStyle, Display by Design and DSK Kitchens.
To refresh your memory, here are some images of Axolotl stands from previous years, designed by Philip Chia, Dale Jones-Evans and Iain Halliday.
