Claire Anstis Interiors

BOARDROOM AND EVENT SPACE BY THE HARBOUR

ColonySix acquired a magnificent space in the iconic Workshop buildings in Balmain East, looking out to Ballast Point and Sydney Harbour. ColonySix needed a boardroom space, lounging area and staff dining and kitchen, that could easily transform into a sophisticated and functional event space. The existing industrial ceilings, timber floors, windows and doors were kept, we created a dedicated boardroom space with a custom boardroom table that incorporated all AV, data and electrical requirements. A large, comfortable lounging area divides the boardroom and kitchen spaces. The white kitchen island was gifted to the client, so we created a contrasting addition to the space by adding a sharp, modern galley kitchen in matt black and black porcelain. The large dining table and benches are perfect to create that indoor/outdoor feeling and enhanced with the French doors open to the Harbour. The industrial ceilings were utilised well for hanging greenery.

This Student Lounge was commissioned for Year 12 Students at a boys’ school in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs. Originally a locker area, it was transformed into a new a multipurpose space for the Year 12 students’ exclusive use to be able to study, collaborate, relax, dine and enjoy. The space was opened up and completed with new flooring, walls and ceiling finishes. New custom joinery was designed for the study space and kitchenette. We collaborated with Work Arena to custom design all furniture items that were comfortable, durable with a palette that leant itself to the softer side of the Australian Landscape, also complementing the College’s signature blue.

R E S T A U R A N T   C O N C E P T  &  P R O P O S A L 

F O R   J O O S T   B A K K E R 

To design a restaurant and bar that is the essence of Joost Bakker’s food philosophy.  Joost is not just a restaurateur, builder or tulip farmer, but fiercely driving sustainability and zero waste living.  His food philosophy is all about seasonal, local food and in particular being able to grow what you need in your own space.  Green walls and roofs providing produce, recycling packaging, onsite composting and returning compost to farms to enrich the earth and black water recycling.

Encapsulating his philosophy and incorporating zero waste and onsite food production, design a permanent restaurant that offers table and bar service with 200 seats.  The restaurant will offer clients a high quality, plant based menu, prepared in front of their eyes.

Inspired by Joost’s philosophy and words that come to mind; local, recycle, reuse, onsite produce, I really thought about how this was possible and what will sustain it.  Water is the essence of produce growing and keeping all that is ‘green’ alive.  For this to happen, water needs to be transported throughout the space.  Researching New York City water towers, I used this idea to create a roof top water tower to capture rain water to feed produce growing on the roof top, but to also have a central design feature of large iron pipes through a central void with a network of recycled copper pipes travelling throughout the ceiling of each floor. Steel baskets of plants and herbs will also suspend from the ceiling connecting the lush produce growing on the roof top, to the rest of the space inside. 

I was also inspired by ‘zero waste’.  So everything that is to be used for the construction and interior will be from reused materials that can also be repurposed down the track for refurbishment.  These materials will create the colour palette and scheme throughout.

Work, rest, eat, flexibility, technology, entertain, play and communicate were words that needed to be considered to develop a solution.

In developing the concept, we looked at what You Tube is.  With an egalitarian ideology, it is a global tool, connecting people with video content.  Some contribute and some are just entertained, with You Tube at its core.  Warren Buffet’s quote, “Some people make the world go round; others watch it turn”, captured the essence of our design.

The floor plan has a core and each space radiates from this. There is no hierarchy or set desking spaces, but openness, comfortable and informal meeting areas and pods, flexible breakout zones inclusive of cinema that connect with the bar and kitchen for all to use. Specially zoned areas like the filming, editing and recording suites, along with the conference room form the centre structure of the floor plan, radiating from the core, the tinted glass rather than solid walls, allow this space to still feel included (but can be blacked out when needed).

The palette, inspired by our concept images, shows the softer side of bright and fun hues.  A chroma reduced palette that is harmonious with natural timber and handmade brass lighting throughout.  Natural finishes and man made materials using PET fabrics were used throughout.  The furniture is totally flexible to allow activity based working.

Group project – Claire Anstis, Jessica Omar and Sheila Deso-Asido

CAD drawing by Jessica, Sketchup by Sheila, FF&E by Claire

turning…
to your heritage to experience a modern Greek world

Xenos was an existing, traditional Greek café with very outdated décor and a menu that had expanded beyond it’s traditions.  The brief was to reduce the overall size of the space, appeal to a broader clientele and modernise the space to improve their business.  The scope of the make over was completely open.

Returning to the Greek origins was important for inspiration.  The cuisine provides plenty of inspiration for a fresh and bright palette.  The word ‘turning’ guided the project, just as the windmills in Greece turn, so did this space.  The banquettes turned towards each other, almost like to two hands clasping towards each other.  The colour of olives, the oil and branches inspired the finishes and the timber and stone provided a natural backdrop to this palette.