Leigh Street in the City of Adelaide acts as an important pedestrian thoroughfare and contains several heritage buildings in its streetscape. The adaptive re-use of this 1895 warehouse building required careful design and planning rationalisation to achieve a space fit for purpose that also had interaction with the street.

Engaged by the owner-client for base-building works, Woodhead International worked hard to achieve a contemporary upgrade that revealed valuable heritage fabric, whilst highlighting new modern insertions. We also had to address the spatial needs of the tenant, State Government Department State Records and be mindful of the fitout architects brief from them.

Original ripple-iron ceilings were retained and left exposed; inappropriate paint was removed from the stone and brick walls to reveal the heritage character of the place, while the basement was successfully conserved with the remedial treatment of its rising damp. The existing ad-hoc stairs and convoluted circulation paths throughout the 3 levels (remnants of the 1960's) that compromised the value of building were subsequently removed and replaced by a new central void that opened up the spaces and allowed the full volume of the original warehouse to be seen.

Externally a new glass facade and steel canopy were created to attract passers by and invite interest in the building. New ultra-contemporary stainless steel feature stairs and an entry ramp were also inserted into the building and serve as a focal point upon arrival, whilst meeting disabled access requirements.

New amenities and a central lift core adjacent the light void were clad in feature metallic finish panels to remain sympathetic to the original warehouse aesthetic whilst being designed to read as new 21st century insertions within the heritage space.