Architects on tour . Whoa! Studios

A few snaps from our mid-week visit to the completed Whoa! Studios. Converted from the old Hooper Machinery building (1955) the work undertaken acknowledges the innate beauty of the warehouse, while accentuating the structural patterns and original forms, achieved by expressing the structure and refreshing the surfaces with a simple palette to continue its historic dialogue.
Inside, houses a bespoke puppet theatre, movie studio and the Grounds Eatery. After our backstage tour the team sat down to a selection of tasty treats at the Grounds Eatery by Executive Chief Ben Bayly. Ben has already had an illustrious career by landing senior chef roles at Michelin starred restaurants in London and France. The Grounds is his latest project which is makes Whoa Studios a destination point.

Outside, an urban playground awaits. New Zealand gets its first crochet play net by Japanese artist Toshiko Horiuchi Macadam. It was handmade over two years using 70 kilometers of colourful nylon. The playground also boasts a climbing rocket, castle and ship.MAKE was a part of the team that worked together on the collaboration that is Whoa! Studios. It’s always a rewarding experience to see a project realised.

Glen Eden Library

MAKE took part in a collaborative urban landscaping project, which brought about the transformation of Glen Eden library's courtyard - a space which previously was not easily occupied by the public. In collaboration with Urbanlogic Studio, MAKE was briefed to transform this space into an area which would comfortably engage users, as well as provide a space for library-related activities.The project established a palette of materials - creating a language rich in its expression of the history of Glen Eden.

Low insitu concrete walls form the back to the courtyard's seating, wrapping around and containing the space. The concrete itself is dark in reference to the ironsand beaches of the west coast - with Glen Eden a gateway to the Waitakeres. The seating itself is reminiscent of apple crating, referencing back to the historic presence of orchards within the area. Inset basalt pavers and wooden planks break up the pavement across the courtyard, their scale suggestive of railway sleepers - a nod to the historic Glen Eden railway station - at the same time creating the sense of movement and rhythm associated with railway lines.

Designing for tomorrow . DBR . March 2017

New Lynn Library Refurbishment

Earlier this year MAKE undertook an interior refurbishment of New Lynn Library. A key element of the work was a reorganisation of the library layout, with shelving realigned to open up the library and create visibility through to the exterior environment. Furthermore, the previously solid bulk of the service desk was modernised through the creation of a new breathable, interactive service zone.

Interior colour selections are a nod to Crown Lynn Potteries, a key part of the local history of the area. Crown Lynn's colour glaze range inspired the vibrant shades of orange, teal and pale blue used throughout the library.

Photography by: Mark Scowen