Sydney School of Entrepreneurship

by MAKEcreative

Originally a shoe factory the Sydney School of Entrepreneurships has been reinvented playing homage to its heritage.

Located within the TAFE Ultimo campus of Sydney, the SSE building is a substantial art deco brick building with it’s interior designed by MAKEcreative, as a multidisciplinary studio for rising Entrepreneurs in Sydney.

The detailing takes it cues from the existing art deco features throughout the building, from the fluted copper façade, to the reinterpreted solid timber dwellings throughout.

Design of the buildings restoration included the retaining of many of the original features already in the building. From the steel framed windows to the unique end grain timber block floor, designers have respectively maintained the heritage throughout each space, with careful restoration of many of the buildings unique features.

Contemporary reworking of the site was carried out by the designers, to ensure the preservation and details of the existing fabric. With a series of clean and minimal insertions into the design, workings of the original character and heritage of the building could be retained.

Working with the existing structure of the building, designers tucked plywood joinery into the existing window bays and framed main classroom spaces with a sculptural platform seating to compliment the art deco style throughout, topped off with pendant lighting.

Dark spaces throughout were also redesigned and opened, to bring in more natural daylight and maximise visibility. New lounge spaces were also included in the new layout, which are designed to accommodate busy event programs, providing a robust and flexible space ranging from art deco inspired lounges and mobile screens and staging systems.

With flexible spaces designed to accommodate a varying amount of classes sizes, many of the new spaces throughout the school can be reconfigured to enable an intimate class of 20 to grow to a lecture housing approx. 250 people.

Working closely with SSE, MAKEcreative designed a unique learning environment and a thriving platform for future entrepreneurs.

Photographed by Luc Remond.

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