On May 26, 2016, Living Edge was pleased to launch its newest showroom in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley.
After the successful launch of the Sydney flagship in 2015, the new Brisbane showroom marks the second stage of Living Edge’s rollout of an innovative new approach to retail and workplace design.
The new Brisbane showroom is a split-level space, featuring a range of Living Edge’s premium brands. The first floor is dedicated to residential ranges from brands such as Herman Miller, Vitra, e15, Muuto, BassamFellows, La Chance and Louis Poulsen, to name a few. The second floor demonstrates Herman Miller’s Living Office concept with open-plan work settings, featuring commercial ranges from brands such as PROOFF, Howe, Walter Knoll and Waldmann, among others.
The showroom was designed by respected Brisbane architects Richards & Spence, whose portfolio of work includes other high-end James Street precinct businesses. Richards & Spence sought to create a “living showroom” where furniture is displayed and used for work and play for both staff and their clients.
The result is a building that provides a variety of spaces for display and occupation at varying and appropriate scales. High and low, large and small, and internal and external spaces deliver multiple experiences and vantages for one or many.
The palette of materials used in the space is deliberately restrained in deference to the furniture. A limited palette of concrete and white masonry is used inside and out. Sub-tropical planting enhances the sense of place and softens an otherwise minimal aesthetic.
Richards & Spence implemented a passive approach to sustainability when designing the space. Materially robust and formally retrained, the building is designed to endure and improve with time. A flexible plan accommodates different programs and future tenures.
