DARLING PARK, Sydney
A New Facade
The design of Darling Park was originally intended to give staff a sense that they had ‘made it’. Narrow, heavy doors made it feel exclusive to enter – with the ornate ceilings and solid decorative columns expressing a grandeur that in recent years has begun to disconnect with rapidly evolving ways of working and customer engagement.
The experience today is a far sight from this, the building breathes through an enlarged façade with an openness that invites a welcoming stream of natural light. It gently guides patrons through to the communal areas which open up to new settings for socialising and working. First impressions last, which is why reviving the façade was an integral part of this project – informing the experience that continues throughout the complex.
RE-ACTIVATING PUBLIC SPACES
Arriving at Darling Park you are welcomed by a series of spaces which recognise that work can take place anywhere, anytime. A far cry from it’s previous design – which was little more than a closed off walkway between the towers.
The re-activated lobby is made up of open and semi-enclosed spaces – giving tenants, guests and the public the flexibility to choose a setting that caters for their needs. These variations include booths, lounge armchairs versus semi enclosed high back spaces for that confidential meeting or phone conversation. In addition, bar height tables translate to the perfect meeting point for a catch up with colleagues over coffee.
Since 2015, Davenport Campbell has been working with building owners The GPT Group, AMP Capital and Brookfield to bring vibrancy back to this iconic precinct and inspire potential tenants for many years to come.
ART CURATION
Art has always been a powerful way to change the way we feel within a space – spurring a conversation or a quiet moment of thought amidst a busy day. A curated art selection formed a central role in our recently completed refurbishment of Darling Park. Given the scale and open plan nature of the project, we incorporated art to create a more personal and intimate atmosphere throughout.
Davenport Campbell worked in collaboration with art consultant, Natalia Bradshaw, to curate pieces for Darling Park Tower 2 & 3. We briefed Natalia on the scope, material palette & design intent, and provided art rails and lighting on feature walls around the core and perimeter. Natalia really understood the project vision – as a result the art looks at home in the space, defining each area with it’s own personality. Visitors can appreciate this as they walk between towers, sit for a coffee, or as they pass by sculptures in the common area.
Lighting Design
Creating a connected and cohesive thoroughfare between the Darling Park towers was a crucial part of this project – our vision was to make it a more open and welcoming journey.
Lighting played a central role in this, using rivers of light to connect the spaces and forming a natural flow as people move through the lobby. For the more secluded extents we incorporated rows of pendant lamps to create a soft boundary that frames the informal seating areas throughout.
We worked closely with Michel Goupy at Light Studio MG who provided the concept and expertise which worked in elegant unison with the forms created by the interiors team.
