A new concept is coming to the north shore; a 4 star green Furniture and Design Centre – the first of its kind in Australia.
The centre, known as Home HQ is located in Artarmon and is one of a kind. It is situated in a heritage listed building with a 4 star Green stamp.
Bromley and Tate Interiors will be moving into the new centre, due to open on March 24th 2010. Bromley and Tate will have a one stop design studio within the furniture showroom of barbara’s AT HOME (formerly located in Crows Nest). Also, showcasing for the first time, the design studio will have within its confines, a working kitchen, which will be home to many celebrity chefs from all over New South Wales, if only for a short time, to show off their many skills and at the same time showing clients how to design the perfect kitchen.
Barbara Bromley from Bromley & Tate Interiors
“The 434 squares of floor space will be designed to showcase the latest designs in lounges, dining tables, bedroom furniture, office furniture, new fabrics and brand new colours whilst taking on board the 4-star green approach of the Centre. The showroom will be mixing a new classical look with contemporary chic. The design of the showroom will exude a definite “wow factor” and offer thousands of design ideas.” Said owner and interior designer, Barbara Bromley.
The building accommodates 29 tenants and has parking for 503 cars over three levels. According to architects, Rice Daubney the new centre will provide an addition to the existing building which unapologetically asserts itself as new.
“The existing building is ‘clasped’ by the ‘arms’ of the new addition allowing the bulk of the existing building to be read and appreciated as not just a façade but as a three dimensional object,” the architects said.
“The contrast between the new and the old elevates the status of the existing building to an iconic object and therefore re-establishes its position in the contemporary world.”
Home HQ North Shore has been awarded a 4 star Green Star – Retail Centre V1 Certified Rating, which represents ‘Best Practice’ in environmentally sustainable design. It is the first 4 star Green Star Rated Bulky Goods Centre in Australia; a significant achievement given the heritage listed nature of the building.
A high standard of energy efficiency for the building is achieved through green features including extensive rainwater capture and re-use; energy efficient plant and machinery; the use of building materials that reduce the need for artificial heating and cooling by up to 60%; and the adaptive reuse of a heritage listed warehouse.
The building and site has heritage significance as one of the few surviving buildings associated with the development of the industrial precinct of Artarmon.
Its early use provided the location of a metal fabricating firm, Federated British Engineers which were involved with the Australian Government in the manufacturing of components of Navy Destroyer Ships.
More recent use has been the Willoughby City Council Works Depot Site. The Western Façade is a combination of retained brick wall and precast concrete with the original intent and look retained.
The structure is a combination of existing and new steel frame with concrete PT slabs. The existing roof which consists of existing structural steel in a saw tooth arrangement and steel gantry’s crane have been retained for heritage purposes.
This is a very exciting move towards a sustainable future in the furniture and design sector.