In response to the 2017 Melbourne Design Week’s theme, ‘Design Values’ – a satellite venue was curated to accommodate seven exhibitions that reflect upon design – what it means and how it is valued.
Formerly a pawn shop, jewellery and ‘Watchmaker’ store, the gifted satellite venue located in Smith Street, Collingwood revealed an interior with a layered history of trade, practice and markings of time. The site presented an opportunity to reflect upon the shifting landscape around the role of craftsmanship and contemporary themes of repair, in an increasingly throwaway society.

Developed in consultation with the National Gallery of Victoria, the design process involved participating artists, the building’s tenants and Laminex, as the material sponsors. In response to limited project timelines and budget, (3-day design process and 4-day build), the design approach identified how the unique character and spatial qualities of the space could be amplified using simple but inventive gestures.

The complex attributes of mirror were explored on site and carefully positioned to curate distinct moments that responded to specific views and sightlines to uncover and illuminate markings of the building’s former past. Mirrors as applied fluidly dissolve physical boundaries, manipulate the viewer’s perceptions while acting as a wayfinding device. The use of material visually reinforces the focus on the exhibitions and elements of the existing building.