Sculptform | Woods Bagot

Physical connection and a celebration of craft

Blurring the line between retail space and installation, this brilliant ‘working showroom’ shows how working within an existing building envelope can produce showstopping results when thinking outside the box. Design, local manufacturing and quality craftsmanship come together in a testament to Sculptform’s expertise, design passion and bespoke philosophy.

Sculptform is a bespoke cladding manufacturer whose factory is in Bendigo (two hours from the showroom in Melbourne). Sculptform sought to establish a signature showroom in central Melbourne to strengthen connection with the architectural and design community—to be physically closer to industry groups, other manufacturers and architect clients, and to establish itself as a hub for industry activity and events. The space would also serve as the daily workplace for up to 16 people.

Intent on using Sculptform’s name for inspiration, Woods Bagot was challenged to explore a concept that was both immersive and sculptural. The aspiration was to co-create, test details and really push the limits of the materials and the makers to craft something truly extraordinary. The exploration was to re-evaluate the singularity of the accepted workplace and showroom model to be more of a manifestation of the brand and to embody the passion and expertise of Sculptform’s business and their people.

Much of the scheme is on show from the street, with views into the space crowned by a magnificent, sculptural timber ceiling.

On being awed by its beauty, one of the next things visitors will appreciate is the journey the sculptural and spatial formation takes us on. It’s a physical loop around the business and its processes – taking in the social space and events auditorium, a digital gallery, meeting rooms and workstation. At the heart of it all is the Co-Lab, a workshop and creativity incubator with broad sweeping visual engagement to the rest of the studio.

Ambassadors for beautiful architecture, and passionate collaborators in the design process, Sculptform’s business is based on turning creative concepts into tangible architectural solutions – no more so than for their own showroom.

With its entire manufacturing facility in Bendigo, Victoria, putting the business on display in the central Melbourne studio showroom was a new venture which managing director Jeremy Napier describes as a logical next step.

“We’re a creative enterprise building a reputation and a product range beyond our timber origins. It makes sense to be physically closer to industry groups, other manufacturers, and architectural collaborators, many of whom have a presence in or close to the city.” said Napier.

Napier and his team have opened the showroom as an event space to engage with diverse industry sectors and an active design community through events such as Melbourne Design Week. “The amphitheatre arrangement is where ideas cross-pollinate from within and beyond our studio,” he said.

Woods Bagot principal and design leader Bruno Mendes understands the need for a creative firm’s home to speak volumes about its values.

“A showroom is like a style guide to an entire business, reflecting what defines them as creatives and what they’re known for in the design industry,” said Mendes. “While the nature and scale of our businesses are different, Woods Bagot and Sculptform share an intent for a culture that's about collaboration and co-creation, and engaged with the city.”

Mendes calls the design concept for the Sculptform showroom an homage to curiosity.

“In celebrating the Sculptform process, the journey is designed to be an intriguing and engaging one,” said Mendes. “The products and the process are the heroes, and what visitors will experience is a physical connection to Sculptform’s work – something that can’t be found online.”

Project details

Project: Sculptform Studio Showroom
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Client: Sculptform
Woods Bagot scope: Architecture / Interior Design
Status: Completed May 2020

Woods Bagot design team: Bruno Mendes, Sue Fenton, Krisi Patras, David Ley