1+2 Architecture acknowledges the Palawa people as the traditional custodians of lutruwita, the lands on which our company is located and where we conduct our business. We pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present. We are committed to honouring Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' unique cultural and spiritual relationships to the land, waters and seas and their rich contribution to society.
Melville Street Office
LOCATION + TRADITIONAL COUNTRY
The Palawa, Hobart, Tasmania
CLIENT
1+2 Architecture
STATUS
Built (2019)
AWARDS
Not applicable
media
Not applicable
PHOTOGRAPHY
An historic industrial building in central Hobart has been given a new future through its transformation into our own contemporary architectural workplace, challenging conventional ideas of office accommodation by embracing adaptation.
The building had served many purposes throughout its life, including workshops, storage and most notably as the long-standing home of Pauls Bodyworks. Rather than erase this history, the project celebrates it - providing a workplace that supports sustainable practice, collaboration, wellbeing and identity.
KEY COLLABORATORS
+ Builder:
+ ESD Consultant:
RED Sustainability Consultants
+ Building Surveyor:
+ Structural and Hydraulic Engineering:
Aldanmark Consulting Engineers
+ Electrical & Fire Engineering:
+ Services Consultant:
Peter Ribbon Building Services
+ Environmental Assessor:
Place
Located on Melville Street in Nipaluna/Hobart, the project began with a careful investigation of the building’s physical fabric and layered history. Decades of paint, dust and alterations were methodically removed to reveal original stone and brickwork, timber structure, historic signage and informal traces of past occupants. This process transformed the building from a shell into a rich source of design direction. Discovery informed the architectural response, establishing a dialogue between preservation and intervention. New elements were deliberately composed to complement and contrast the existing fabric, allowing the building’s successive histories to remain visible and legible.
Process
Original materials and industrial details provide texture and character, while contemporary insertions introduce light-filled, flexible spaces that support a diverse range of working styles. The retained structure anchors the building to its past, creating a distinctive architectural identity that could not be replicated through new construction. By extending the life of an existing building, the project also demonstrates the environmental value of adaptive reuse and material conservation.
Impact
This project demonstrates how existing buildings can be reimagined to meet contemporary needs without losing their cultural significance. Through thoughtful adaptation, a redundant industrial facility has become a vibrant workplace with renewed purpose and longevity. The building now contributes positively to the life of the city, preserving a tangible connection to Hobart’s industrial heritage and reinforces the value of reuse as both a sustainable and cultural practice.
Awards + Jury Citation
