Project Overview

East Village introduces a unique shopping experience by creating an urban marketplace under a forest canopy. With a sustainable approach at the heart of the vision, we designed it to let nature in ? to express an organic beauty using raw colour, texture, honest materiality and engaging our senses.

Organisation

PAYCE Consolidated Limited

Team

PAYCE Consolidated Limited, Developer
Koichi Takada Architects, Interior Designer
Ionic Management, Project Manager
Turner, Architect
Wallaringa Consulting, Project Manager - Retail
Dasco Constructions, Builder

Project Brief

‘Forests’ is a theme of East Village interior design that builds on the architectural concept of hybrid mix?use residential living in a park. It seeks to draw the landscape of the park inside the built form to create continuity and balance between the external and interior environment. Through a careful play of materials and reflection, the interior condition is revered and opened up to
light and nature.

Forests is a journey of discovery and surprise through design and nature. The reference to nature and landscape in the finishes, fosters a sense of freedom and detachment from the demands of daily life. Mirrored surfaces invite nature into the interior. Reflections of the sky?garden scenery and natural skylight penetrate the interior of East Village.

Project Innovation/Need

Our experience of today’s shopping centres is very internalised and artificial, often air?conditioned, over?stylized and with highly polished materials. Our interior design concept for East Village
challenges the common perception of such an artificial retail experience by introducing more natural elements.

Design Challenge

The use of raw timber materials that are very organic combined with rustic steel creates a surprising yet inviting warehouse feel. The result is a new shopping experience where natural light is featured, and where even the artificial light is designed to mimic the dappled light through the branches of a tree, mimicking the spatial experience of a natural forest.

Sustainability

East Village has been designed and awarded a ‘5 star Green Star’ rating for the retail design in ‘Australian Excellence’ in environmentally sustainable design. The internal environment of the retail precinct is designed for maximum comfort; utilising skylights for vertical natural lighting, high comfort diffusion systems, low emission paints and laminates, and numerous design considerations
to enhance the public amenity. Air quality also makes a major contribution to the experience of the indoor environment, and coupled with noise reduction plays a considerable role in the satisfaction of
users and enhances the natural experience of East Village.