Gaffa Creative Precinct by Supercontext

Supercontext thoughtfully transforms a former police station into a multi-level studio and exhibition space, offering a space of calm and tranquillity amid Sydney’s busy CBD.

In between the office and commercial buildings that line Clarence Street, number 281 stands out beyond its small stature, towered by its neighbours. Formerly known as ‘the pink police station’, Supercontext has lovingly restored the heritage building while paying homage to its iconic facade, brightening and repainting the pink hues. The original building, designed by architect James Barnet in the late 1800s, has been added to countless times over the years. The rooms and brick cells of the former police station are now occupied by gallery and studio spaces, known as the Gaffa Creative Precinct. Founded in 2006, the precinct spans two locations – one on Clarence Street and one on Shirlow Street – and is as a space to encourage creativity, collaboration and discourse.

The rooms and brick cells of the former police station are now occupied by gallery and studio spaces, known as the Gaffa Creative Precinct.

Supercontext has since made sensitive renovations to the building, revealing its rich history. “One of the nice things about working in an existing context is that you have a dialogue with something already; the first moves are actually conversing with the existing fabric in some kind of way,” says Andrew Daly, founding director of Supercontext. The original 1880s glazed bricks of the police station’s holding cells – in white, cream and grey hues – are carefully reinstated, now housing the Gaffa Gallery. A central atrium that was once the outdoor yard is also carefully repositioned as a functional space, the original iron bars retained and refurbished.

New additions elevate the heritage building and make it more suitable to its newfound purpose. An outdoor roof garden has been added, which can be accessed through a new elevator incorporated into the narrow atrium of the building. The rooftop features a communal garden and cantilevered glass awning, providing outdoor exhibition space and a common area for the occupants. On the third floor, a terrace has been added, the curved facade offering a contemporary injection into the heritage streetscape. Meanwhile, interior spaces are rejuvenated with vibrant colours, glass, light timber floorboards and rich textures, imbuing an open and airy atmosphere while instilling a contrast between old and new.

The bright, open layout of 281 Clarence Street creates a calm refuge that gifts visitors a moment of reprieve that is often hard to find in the city.

The bright, open layout of 281 Clarence Street creates a calm refuge that gifts visitors a moment of reprieve that is often hard to find in the city. “As architects, we create capacity, so a building produces capacity for the uses of the city and its people. Moments from Sydney City’s central Town Hall hub, Gaffa offers a physical and psychological oasis for the people,” says Daly. “Disconnecting from external noise, the building itself and the activities within it encourage a return to a place and pace of ease.”

The Gaffa Creative Precinct is a study in balancing preservation with contemporary injections and innovation. Supercontext elegantly weaves together the building’s history and its current role, highlighting the transformative power of creativity. It reminds us that we can build anew while honouring the past, beyond the exhibitions and art housed within the space.

Architecture by Supercontext. Heritage architecture by Weir Phillips Heritage and Planning. Build by Sheeth.