Day01. Gallery

Darlinghurst, NSW
2022

A 20 square metre former hair salon has been converted to an intimate gallery space on an exceptionally modest budget. With no budget to relocate existing plumbing on the rear wall and a bathroom door taking up valuable wall space, as well as a visible wedge of concrete from the stair to the apartment above, a simple strategy of concealment was adopted in the form of a full width pivoting wall across the rear of the space. Located 250mm off the rear wall, not only does it conceal the plumbing, concrete stair and bathroom door but it provides a shallow storage space for artworks or packaging as well as allowing additional hanging space for artwork on the rear of the wall.

As the space is so small a permanent desk for the gallery owner was out of the question, particularly during opening functions. However a single window to the street provided an opportunity to integrate a fold down desk that doubles as a window shutter to close off the view into the space during changeover of exhibitions and provide more space for openings, while also allowing posters for exhibitions to be fixed to the desktop when the desk is folded up into the window. Arne Jacobsen’s Ant and Tongue chairs are the only pieces of furniture within the space.

A false wall at the front of the space has been extended to align with an existing ceiling bulkhead to enclose the fire extinguisher and an existing air conditioning unit moved from the bulkhead to a location above the entry door, together with new LED tube lighting, a coat or two of white paint to the main space and a splash of pink paint to the bathroom complete the transformation. No change was made to the existing concrete floor.

Builder: MIH Built
Photographers: Brynn Donkersloot + Pim Van Nunen