Note: This project didn’t progress however I wanted to share my thoughts, process and work.

I was approached to produce a 10 x 4 metre wall art design for the southern wall of the lobby of 1A Great Buckingham Street end which is also connected with the Cleveland & Co building situated in Redfern, Sydney.

Quick background: The building, known as Cleveland and Co, comprises two locally listed heritage buildings. The New York and Brooklyn Tobacco Company, built in 1889. The second building is the Demco Machinery Company Ltd factory, built in 1937. Its large floor plans, high ceilings and massive steel framed windows are typical of Bauhaus era.

Quick key points: Unusual partnering of the architecture styles from two different periods: 1829 Victorian Industrial and 1937 Bauhaus.

Usage: Tobacco factory, Machinery factory, Brick factory, St Margaret’s Outpatients and dispensary, domestic residence, retail, food and beverage establishments

My approach: I researched, reading and immersing myself into the history. I then sourced inspiration and mood boards then scamped concepts to hero the Great Buckingham St end. I then shifted onto the Mac to develop the two styles. 

Concept 1 is a Bauhaus aesthetic style taking imagery I’d sourced and manipulated into vector artwork. I then had the ability to shift and change elements and colours of the building/s. I then worked with the composition pairing it with typography and other geometric shapes and elements. 

Concept 2 is a modern industrial concept. Using a monochrome colour palette, large industrial fonts I showcased the architecture with a vector process. I used the style of the steel frame windows as a pattern across the design. Then a grunge halftone pattern to give it a distressed feel.