White Bay
Power Station
Role:
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Graphic Design
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Interior Design
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Concept Design
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Research
Tool:
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SketchUp
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Enscape
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AutoCAD
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Procreate
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Adobe Photoshop
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Adobe Indesign
Date
2022
Project
Brief
White Bay Power Station, once Sydney's longest-serving metropolitan power station, has now been transformed into a world-class cultural facility. It holds significant cultural and historical importance in New South Wales, with strong ties to the community for social, cultural, and spiritual reasons. Demonstrating aesthetic excellence and technical achievement, WBPS is set to become a cultural symbol of Sydney. My project aims to introduce WBPS as a heritage site by converting its vast interior into a platform for promoting global cultures and serving as an educational and recreational hub for the community.
My
Goal
Transforming the White Bay Power Station into an artistic venue within an urbanized context aims to fulfill various functional needs, including experiencing, communicating, and exhibiting art. This revitalized space will be designed to accommodate a wide range of activities, ensuring flexibility and adaptability for diverse artistic and cultural events.
Furthermore, this transformation will establish the site as a major focal point for cultural and social activity within the neighborhood, fostering community engagement, promoting local talent, and creating a vibrant hub for creativity and social interaction. By integrating the power station into the cultural fabric of the area, it will become a landmark destination that attracts both residents and visitors, enhancing the overall cultural landscape of the neighborhood.
Site
Analysis
White Bay Power Station
Original Building: Former coal-fired power station
Size: 38,000 m2(410,000 sq ft) site
Location: Victoria Road, Rozelle, NSW2039
WBPS is surrounded by residential and commercial areas:
- Lack of amenities (No public facility)
- Lack of vegetation (Empty open space)
- Noise from the street and neighborhood
- Lack of accessibility (Fences around WBPS)
+ Close to commercial areas (A high flow of people)
+ Highly dense residential community (Potential visitors)
+ Large empty open space (Good for further reconstruction)
Demographic
Analysis
According to the data, the proportion of people aged 25 to 49 in the community is the highest, reaching 41.3 percent.
This community age will ensure the operational staff needed for the initial establishment of the White Bay Power Station Community Center. It can also provide visitors and visitors to this new community center that is integrated with traditional architecture.
The data also shows that the household types in this area are mainly couples without children, couples with children and long person.
This ensures the consumption ability and economic creativity of people in this area. At the same time, this living community dominated by young people can better accept this new living community with the reused old factory as the site.
1
2
Strategic
Analysis
Community
Providing recreational activities and
mental well-being for the residents
of the nearby community
Environment
Improving the site's surrounding
environment to create a sustainable
open space
Culture
Cultural promotion through the
historical significance of the original
building
Inspiration
Cave
The cave is the birthplace of art, serving as a narrator of artistic expression for thousands of years. This project's design narrative extends the natural curves of the cave into a modern framework, bridging traditional and contemporary methods of art display. By integrating these elements, the design seeks to establish a new connection between historical and modern storytelling techniques in art presentation.
Color
Pallette
Blue
The primary color palette of the interior design is blue. Blue is a color that embodies freedom, vastness, and depth, making it a versatile choice for various spaces. In interior design, darker shades of blue can create a sense of infinite space and serenity, ideal for areas intended for relaxation and contemplation. Lighter blues, on the other hand, contribute to an atmosphere of purity, brightness, and cleanliness, perfect for spaces where a fresh and open ambiance is desired. Therefore, the use of blue in this design not only enhances aesthetic beauty but also suggests infinite possibilities in creating a harmonious and inviting environment.
Spatial
Experience
Well-being
Mental & Physical
Connectivity
Functional
Old and New
Structural Combination
Continuity
Spatial Arrangement
Sensory Perception
Activate visitorsʼ personal pattern
Layered
Vertical Design
Final
Design
Axonometric
Diagram
Exhibition Space
Mezz
Holographic Lifting Platform
All Levels
Outdoor Pop-up Shop
Forecourt
Holographic
Lifting Platform
# 3 D I M E N T I O N
# A D V E N T U R E
# V A R Y
Material
Board
Live
Visual Experience
Visual
Perception
Movement
Pattern
Interaction
Detail 01
Interaction
Detail 02
Exhibition
Space
# 2 D I M E N T I O N
# P L A Y F U L
# O R G A N I C
Material
Board
Contemporary
Art Form
Old and New
Combination
Traditional
Art Form
Contemporary
Interaction Detail
Traditional
Interaction Detail
Outdoor
Pop-up Shop
# I N V I T I N G
# I N C L U S I O N
# A B S O R B
Material
Board
Organic
Interactive Canopy
Multifunctional
Space
Cave-like
Architect
Interaction
Detail 01
Interaction
Detail 02
Reflection
Transforming the White Bay Power Station into an artistic venue within an urbanized context has been an enlightening journey. Initially focused on creating a community center with commercial and recreational values, my design concept evolved significantly through self-reflection and critical design thinking. I shifted my focus to reimagining the power station as a versatile artistic venue, aiming to accommodate various functional needs such as experiencing, communicating, and exhibiting art.
This new direction sparked fresh creativity and was supported by extensive research. The design process emphasized the importance of integrating all aspects of the environment, including lighting, materials, and furniture, to ensure a harmonious and cohesive outcome. The revitalized space aims to become a major cultural and social focal point, fostering community engagement, promoting local talent, and creating a vibrant hub for creativity and interaction. By embedding the power station into the cultural fabric of the area, it is poised to become a landmark destination, enhancing the neighborhood's cultural landscape. This project deepened my understanding of holistic design and its impact on community and cultural integration.