Melbourne Quaker Centre by PHTR Architects & Barbara Moje Architecture

The concept of light (specifically, opening up to the Inner Light) is at the heart of the Quaker faith. Light is also at the heart of the new Melbourne Quaker Centre designed by PHTR Architects.  Lighting design by Barbara Moje Architecture features our oversized custom Drum pendant suspended above the waiting area and smaller Drum fixtures throughout.

Stage one of the Melbourne Quaker Centre project saw the refurbishment of a two-storey 1960s office building in William Street, West Melbourne. Serving as the new headquarters for the Quakers in Victoria, the centre provides a meeting house, library and research centre, as well as serving as the public face of the Quaker movement.

The architecture is based on ideas of community, peace, light, openness and transparency. The circle is a symbol of unity, wholeness and the divine, and it features as a prominent theme throughout the design. As does light. Evoking a spiritual quality, light filters through the translucent polycarbonate wall and doors and radiates from our Drum pendant. By day, light infuses the interior spaces. At night, it provides a warm glow through the timber-framed façade

As a circular light, our Drum pendant embodies these symbols and themes, and is not only functional, but also meaningful in the space.

The very large Drum above the circular waiting area (with seats upholstered in red to reflect the colour of the Quaker star) is two metres in diameter. It had to be supplied and brought into the building during construction because it would be too large to fit through the front doors.

Smaller Drum pendants are affixed to the ceiling throughout the waiting area and research and archive centre, as well as encircling poles to serve as table lights. Two long, thin Drum lights are also suspended above the stairs and also feature parchment lampshades to provide soft illumination.

The Drum pendant can be produced in custom sizes to suit project-specific requirements, and is available in a range of standard sizes. The lampshade comes in fabric or parchment from ISM Objects’ standard range or can be made with a choice of other fabric or wallpaper depending on suitability.

Stage one of the Melbourne Quaker Centre was completed in March 2017, with stage two scheduled for mid 2018.

Credits

Lighting design: Barbara Moje Architecture

Architecture: PHTR Architects

Photography: Hilary Walker

ISM OBJECTS PREMIERS LATEST COLLECTIONS AT DENFAIR 2018

Hot on the heels of this years DENFAIR, we are excited to bring you a sneak peek of our latest designs.  This year we launched three new lighting collections – Edo, Snag and Snitch – all of which are imbued with personality and character.

Edo is our first outdoor light and takes its name from the Edo period in Japanese history when art and culture thrived and maneki-neko (beckoning cat) emerged as a lucky symbol.  The spun aluminium disc projects from the wall and is available in a choice of metallic anodised colours and painted monochrome finishes. The dedicated LED light source is fully dimmable and cleverly reflected from inside the fitting. This provides practical lighting suitable for outdoor and indoor settings, including bathrooms.

Snag is a linear pendant and wall light infused with a retro 1980s aesthetic. With a long cylindrical form and rounded ends the light takes its inspiration and name from the snag – classic Australian slang for sausage, and the relaxed lifestyle that is associated with their consumption. The metallic ends of Snag are spun in aluminium and available in a choice of bright copper, bright brass, bright stainless steel and bright black chrome. Snag can be wall or ceiling mounted. As a pendant it can be suspended horizontally or vertically, or joined to make a string of Snags.

We unveiled a prototype of Snitch at DENFAIR 2017, and this year the production form is released. Snitch is a pendant light inspired by the swinging spheres of Newton’s Cradle. It comprises individual glowing orbs (in arrays from 4 to 400) that are arranged in a grid format. Each orb is machined from solid brass and finished in either black, gold or a custom finish. A matt hemisphere diffuses each dedicated LED lamp source with dimming by a choice of control protocols.

Three existing products were also on display at DENFAIR 2018: Grapho Bubble, Teamwork and the award-winning Fab 25.

Recognised for its outstanding design and innovation, Fab 25 Table Lamp received a prestigious 2018 Good Design Award for Product Design. The lamp is the evolution of our original Fab Lamp and it continues to embody many of the concepts that our founders Simon Christopher and Celina Clarke originally set out to explore: local batch production, flat-pack assembly and end-of-lifecycle recycling. Fab 25 is a portable, modern and appealing table lamp with an elegant shape machined from aluminium and brass. It also incorporates the latest technology including LED lamp, cordless battery power and USB re-charging.

Grapho Bubble Pendant is handcrafted in Melbourne from Japanese rice paper and it mysteriously inflates and deflates when turned on or off. First launched at DENFAIR 2017, Grapho takes its name from the word meaning ‘to write’ or ‘to sketch’ as custom graphic designs can be added to the pendants during production. A small fan inside the Grapho Bubble Pendant is connected to the sustainable LED light source and inflates the rice paper when switched on, and gently deflates when switched off.

The Teamwork pendant demonstrates a mastery of both light and sound with special acoustic qualities that making it perfect for workplaces. The spun aluminium shell has a decorative fabric panel that discretely conceals sound absorbing material. In doing so, the pendant helps to enhance concentration and collaboration in the workplace by reducing ambient noise through its clever acoustic qualities and outstanding light output.

Stay tuned to ISM Objects Blog over the coming weeks as we bring you more on our latest products.