A Design Oasis – The Artedomus Brisbane Showroom by The Stella Collective and Thomas Coward
Il Bosco, the new Artedomus showroom in Brisbane designed by the Stella Collective and Thomas Coward, is a reinterpretation of tropical design in Australia that draws inspiration from the glamour of 1980s Miami.
The design from Hana Hakim, director of the Stella Collective, and Thomas Coward elevates the showroom beyond simply a place to display products to create an immersive experience for all who visit. Having previously collaborated on the Sydney and Melbourne Artedomus showrooms, the designers sought to respond to the subtropical climate by imbuing the Brisbane space with an aesthetic that cultivates engagement of the senses.
The 300-square metre warehouse in Fortitude Valley has been transformed into a series of spaces and zones that encourage visitors to not only view the range of tiles, stones, surfaces and bathware but to interact with them and experience each different product and material’s different potential in a variety of applications. The Stella Collective and Thomas Coward drew on the iconic Miami Fontainbleu and Eden Rock hotels of the 1980s, harking back to the brilliance and glamour of a bygone era in which the heavy tropical air and waving palm trees of Miami Beach became synonymous with design characterised by fountains, marble columns, glittering chandeliers, and grand proportions.
The design from Hana Hakim, director of the Stella Collective, and Thomas Coward elevates the showroom beyond simply a place to display products to create an immersive experience for all who visit.
With the experience of the showroom conceived of as an inspiring journey that begins at the reception and culminates in the library, one enters through a garden to be greeted by an ornately carved marble reception desk offset by soft, 6-metre high billowing curtains. A light palette of white and pale grey, combined with the use of plantation shutters, creates a sense of cool breeziness, and indoor plants add a touch of greenery and reinforce the tropical aesthetic.
While the Artedomus materials and products are undoubtedly the hero, each item is deliberately contextualised through the design of the showroom. Hana Hakim and Thomas Coward expertly emphasise the qualities of the products and materials by applying them at times in unexpected ways. Slabs of stone are employed as dividing screens, baths become sculptural elements in the space and the material library is interpreted through a number of curated shelves on which the tiles sit as beautiful objects.
The designers sought to respond to the subtropical climate by imbuing the Brisbane space with an aesthetic that cultivates engagement of the senses.
In this way, the showroom evokes different interior spaces, from a kitchen, dining area, and bathroom to a sophisticated lounge. A range of Agape bathware and pieces from the Artedomus New Volumes Collection 01 are found throughout, while on each surface, another intriguing finish is to be found. The material library then acts as a design studio of sorts, where architects, designers and their clients can meet and go through the process of selecting finishes in an inspiring and beautiful environment.
“The showroom builds on the brilliance of our last two projects by Hana and Thomas,” reflects Phil Brenton, Artedomus managing director. “Our showrooms are designed to welcome and inspire our visitors, taking them through conceptual spaces and considered vignettes into a selection area fit for any project. We’re thrilled with how Bosco delivers what designers expect from Artedomus while still giving our Brisbane flagship its own individual identity.”
