Bringing a domestic scale to medium-density commercial architecture, MGAO finds a way to draw a pocket of landscape into the interior.

Collingwood’s intoxicating blend of rough urbanism and inner-city charm, makes it a hotspot for development. Alongside the warehouses and street-level cafés are new mixed-use towers, quickly transforming the suburb into a commercial precinct.

MGAO’s latest commercial project on Peel Street, in the heart of this urban melange, gives rise to the firm’s rationalist approach, while being grounded in the surrounding context. Matt Goodman, founder and principal of MGAO, saw the project as an opportunity to create a strong connection between the structure and its surrounding landscape.

Positioned on a tight parcel next to a small parklet with a copse of established trees, Goodman took the opportunity to bring the outside in. “The thing that struck me were the sight of the trees and the trunks,” Goodman reflects.

This observation informed the design’s core concept, where the borrowed landscape plays a pivotal role. “The qualities of the space were about looking into the trees and the reserve,” he explains, noting that the green surroundings provided a simple yet profound response in connecting the building to its context.

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The project was driven by a commitment to maximise floor area while balancing light, shadow and openness. Each façade was carefully considered, with varying degrees of transparency to ensure that natural elements could be integrated into the interior experience. “It’s really an office building in scale, but a house in its connection to the outside,” Goodman summarises, highlighting the design’s ability to make occupants forget they’re in the city, thanks to the proximity to the greenery.

Key to the building’s design was the use of materials like forest-green Colorbond steel and blonde bricks, the latter chosen as a nod to the memory of the original warehouse site. Inside, the warm shell fitout provides a versatile foundation for various tenancies.

Despite its corporate purpose, the building places a strong emphasis on its surroundings, enhancing the end-user experience by creating a space where the urban meets the natural in a harmonious blend of design and context. “It’s all about forgetting you’re in the city,” Goodman says, underscoring the project’s success in crafting a peaceful urban retreat that remains deeply connected to its Collingwood roots.

MGAO
mgao.com.au

Photography
Jack Lovel

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