The Condensery - Somerset Regional Art Gallery
The Condensery - Somerset Regional Art Gallery
Phab Architects
LOCATION
Toogoolawah, Australia
TYPE
Cultural › Gallery
The 1920s packing shed is the only building remaining from the once prosperous Nestle condensed milk factory—an important centre of Toogoolawah’s economic and social life until the factory was destroyed by fire in 1951.
The art gallery and workshop opened in December 2015, positioning the building as a catalyst for the ongoing cultural life of the region.
Fundamentally, the design was conceived to preserve the building and its architectural qualities “as found,”—the interior of exposed roofing iron and stained concrete floor and walls, remain largely unchanged.
The collapse of the western third of the building due to termite damage provided an opportunity to re-compose this elevation, subverting the symmetry of the gable, and creating a contrast to the eastern entry.
The complex palette of pinks, reds and browns produce a vibrant effect, and make the building’s history legible.