Sitting between the landmark State Heritage Listed Adelaide Arcade and Regent Arcade buildings, the former Regent Cinema laneway has been adaptively re-used to create a concept store for Rip Curl in Adelaide’s Rundle Mall. The Woodhead design makes a valid and respectful contemporary contribution to the ongoing heritage of the place. The new building’s transparency and volume allows the conserved and featured adjoining heritage walls to form an intrinsic part of the new building space with dramatic and elegant effect.
The challenge was to design a building that was eye catching and unashamedly contemporary to achieve the commercial objectives for both owner and tenant, whilst being considerate and in context with the significant neighbouring heritage buildings.
Glass facades unify the competing ornate original façade elements with glass joints creating a subtle rhythm and continuity between old and new facades.
The design maximises natural light, uses high performance low emissivity glazing to reduce heat loads and reuses existing adjoining building walls to form the internal walls for the new Rip Curl store.
The Rip Curl building design solution achieves an intense visual impact and presence in Adelaide’s main shopping mall, reinforcing the tenant’s unique brand and image.
Awards:
- Award of Merit, Australian Institute of Architects, SA Chapter 2007
