BresicWhitney Lower North Shore by Those Architects

Within the geometric confines of a 100-year-old building, Those Architects have injected a boldly contemporary interior using a palette of sleek stainless steel, textured marble and French blue steel mesh.

Since its foundations were laid in 1922, the Mosman Anzac Memorial Hall has played different roles, from a returned servicemen’s centre to a dance hall, a theatre and an antique dealership. Though it is known to most locals as the ‘Country Road building’ for its long-time lower-storey tenant, it is now the esteemed address of the North Shore headquarters for BresicWhitney, with a new, highly contemporary second-floor interior.

Aiming to take the building’s heritage bones and introduce something unexpected, Those Architects considered the landmark status of the building.

Aiming to take the building’s heritage bones and introduce something unexpected, Those Architects considered the landmark status of the building. The vantage point from the street inspired the bright blue ceiling treatment, which is illuminated with linear strip lighting, to create a sense of curiosity for passers-by. However, the design also pays homage to the past, several layers of paint were stripped from the staircase leading to the upper level, revealing the beautiful warm timber hue of the original balustrades.

At the top of the staircase is a substantial, brown-flecked marble reception desk. The material seems to meld the timber tones of the past with the modern forms beyond, which are signalled by a bank of stainless-steel cabinets. Moving through, a ribbon of stainless-steel partitioning leads into the office spaces, creating a sense of dynamic energy and privacy. Marble worktops and white cushioned bench seating complete this atmosphere, forming a workable breakout area along one side.

BresicWhitney’s new home speaks to the modus operandi of the real estate brand, a business that deals in the ever-changing nature of architecture.

Further stainless steel marks the desk spaces, which curve into the form of the building’s bay windows. This pattern of repeated arches alludes to the topography of the location, which is in close vicinity to Mosman’s many bays and headlands. While the steel elements reflect natural light around the main working area, a comfortable meeting room takes on a softer aesthetic with a chunky, curved edged table in eggshell blue and subdued, plastered wall treatments.

With starkly contemporary design juxtaposing the building’s history, BresicWhitney’s new home speaks to the modus operandi of the real estate brand, a business that deals in the ever-changing nature of architecture. Through a futuristic form of clinical minimalism, this new iteration for the landmark space breathes fresh life into the building for yet another chapter.

Architecture and interior design by Those Architects. Timber flooring by Made by Storey. Lighting by Euroluce, Living Edge and Studio Henry Wilson.