Wintergarden is a shopping mall in Brisbane, Australia, which has an unique and distinct identity that inevitably draws attention. Which establishes this shopping mall as the undeniable “living heart” of the busy urban thoroughfare and clearly makes a difference between Wintergarden Shopping Centre and the others is its new amazing façade designed by Studio505 and completed this year, in april. The creation of this new façade had some precise intentions: to create a diverting and exciting retail experience, a lifestyle destination and a ‘must-go-to’ meeting place at the heart of Brisbane’s city centre. And we think these goals were fully achieved because the eye-catching Wintergarden façade of 4,000m2 truly impresses the passers-by.
Wintergarden façade’s structure feature a complex and beautiful study of nature, geometry and layering that communicates the rich diversity of life. Very original and never before seen, its design is very dynamic, with an experiential interplay between expansive palette of colours and a rich language of cutting, scoring, folding and lighting all of which coalesce as a rich, coherent, cultural experience.
These appealing and joyful cuts and textures changes from day to day according to the sun’s position, this characteristic generating new patterns of highlights and shadows. Moreover, when night falls passers-by can enjoy an engaging lights show due to an integrated low resolution lighting system that can change into rain, sunsets, storms and fireworks all within a single night. The beauty of this shopping mall‘s façade is also underlined by the trees that run (beyond) each side of it, together creating the visual “structure” of it. Great artwork, isn’t it?
Photos: © John Gollings & studio505.
Project details:
Location – Brisbane, Australia
Client – ISPT
Architect – studio505
Cost – AUD $6.5m
Completion – April 2012
Specialist Engineer – Tensys
Contractor – Urban Art Projects (UAP)
Artist consultant – John Warwicker
Interior and Retail Design – The Buchan Group