University projects are exciting in that you can think back to the time you were in secondary or tertiary education and the hopes and dreams that were completely unfettered by commercial realities, that allowed your mind to be opened by the pure possibility of life ahead. Architecture and music have many creative synergies and being able to create space for musicians to test, create and learn is a wonderful opportunity.
My role on this project was largely interior but with input into the facade and colour palette. While my colleague Tim delved into all the technical aspects of acoustics and architecture, I was fortunate to be able to work with Otago artist Simon Kaan to develop the colour scheme, material and fabric selections for the new extension and find a way for it all to work together in a complimentary way. In this project I felt as if I had returned to my days working with John Mills, whose flair for brave colour juxtapositions was sometimes met with initial questioning by clients. But colour is an amazing thing – it can transform a boring space into a warm cosy one, or a vibrant uplifting one, and can be changed at low cost if desired. Simon had some lovely ideas and together we made the interior pop!
Our firm also fostered a close relationship with local architecture firm Baker Garden who were involved with renovations and site works and so we were able to seamlessly manage communications with the university and gain local insights as the project progressed through their fantastic team.
As with many projects, working on design remotely, I often only see the final product in photographs but it will be nice to visit next time we find ourselves in Dunedin!