A disused dance studio in Brunswick was chosen as the new home for BENT Architecture.

Perched up on the first floor and with views over the surrounding rooftops and city beyond, BENT Architecture aimed to create a vibrant studio environment that would excite both occupants and clients alike, encouraging engagement with the creative process.

Extensive internal demolition was undertaken, with small partitioned offices and change rooms removed to create an expansive studio containing large open work areas, trade library and meeting room. The existing sprung timber dance floor was retained as a platform for rubber lined work benches, while the adjacent concrete floor and entry stair were painted a vibrant gold. The existing suspended ceiling system was activated through the introduction of coloured bands and masonite panels, delineating programme and circulation below. Highly visible from the street, the brightly textured ceiling pattern acts as informal signage while activating an otherwise blank industrial façade. Former dance studio mirrors were reconfigured and staggered around the perimeter of the studio. These mirrors, mounted on painted brickwork walls, reflect and elongate the richly textured ceiling plane, magnifying it’s contribution to the spirit of the space.

Photography by Neil Prieto

2009 FINALIST
Dulux Colour Awards . Commercial Interior