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Restrained Luxury — COX Sydney Studio by COX Architecture
Set across five levels of the heritage Metcalfe Bond Stores building in enviable Tallawoladah (The Rocks) overlooking Sydney’s Circular Quay waterfront, on the lands of the Gadigal people, COX Architecture’s new Sydney Studio is saturated with style and restrained luxury.
The Metcalfe Bond Store is one of Sydney’s many icons. Visible from the water when taking a ferry from Circular Quay, it is a behemoth Edwardian industrial warehouse that occupies a significant amount of one side of George Street, starting at Hickson Road and finishing almost underneath the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It seems an apt place for the next office of one of Australia’s premier architecture studios.
Unlike typical warehouse conversions, COX Architecture started with a process of removing forms, opening up spaces and allowing flow within the envelope, as well as exposing some of the original heritage detail, such as the fishbone timber ceiling structures, letting the building itself do the talking. The addition of new forms took a considered approach, ensuring heritage elements were left to shine and to reduce the resource footprint of the project. Other sustainability considerations drove decision making in the design; natural lighting and ventilation are prioritised, with operable double-hung windows in most spaces, smaller rooms equipped with fans and, although a heating and cooling system filters through the space, it has limits on its use and will automatically turn off when temperatures sit between 19 and 26 degrees Celsius.
Staff are generously catered for, with the views across the harbour visible from levels three and four allocated to the employee workspaces, ensuring constant distraction by one of the best views in the world. The aesthetic is stylish yet restrained. New additions are limited to neutral tones and natural textures, ensuring the heritage elements are the star of the show. The intricacies of the original timber post-and-beam structure, painted white, are highlighted. The existing timber plank flooring and stairs were refreshed and re-oiled, and the load-bearing brickwork is left unfinished and exposed.
The story of COX Architecture’s new space is told through endearing iconography on the window at street level and on internal walls.
Where the new additions were few, each element is of the highest calibre; solid timber furniture and timber joinery is met with patinaed brass surfaces and touchpoints, and even the shared kitchen bench is honed Litzio travertine. The lack of structural intervention is made up for through moveable furnishings, instilling fluidity into the design by allowing staff to control and transform their space depending on the next big idea. A palette of greys, coppers, reds and yellows ensures harmony between the design’s new and heritage elements.
The story of COX Architecture’s new space is told through endearing iconography on the window at street level and on internal walls, depicting a happy family across the five levels. Such is the atmosphere of the design – it’s exquisitely styled but not formal. Staff are invited to relax and catch a serendipitous chat in one of the many lounging areas, and a long dining table makes every lunch feel like a meal being shared with extended family.
