Words from Krista Ninivaggi – Principal, Woods Bagot
“While working with Sculptform was a first for our NYC based team, our colleagues experience in Australia gaveus the confidence that we could turn to them as partners and guide us in the technical recommendations for the product. Ultimately, we chose the Click on-Batten based on the the Sculptform team’s suggestion that it would be the best approach for what we wanted to achieve.
We wanted the design of the space to evoke the feeling of the natural landscape of Australia, specifically The Outback so the use of wood and the warmth it provides was a material we gravitated to. Sculptform was a natural choice to express the design intent. The batten system made the means and methods less rigid than comparable systems and gave us the opportunity to design complex curves and overlapping geometries. We were able to take a complex parametric design and apply it to our space with ease.
We were impressed that the installation of the Sculptform seemed to be quick. It was also very appealing that we could incorporate acoustic material behind and essentially hide it behind the beauty of the wood feature. The substructure was seamless compared to other systems that have more complicated or rigid substructures and tend to interfere with the design.”
A Statement of Curved Oak
The space benefits from sweeping views of the skyline through unobstructed expanses of glass. A beautiful statement throughout the interior are the American Oak Click-on Battens, which cling to walls, ceilings, and columns throughout the space. Woods Bagot intended for the timber battens to ‘evoke the undulating and layered Australian topography while creating a cocoon-like feeling of warmth’.
The curved timber features bend upwards toward the ceiling, drawing the eye to the exposed ceiling structure, intended to amplify the sense of verticality alongside the expanses of glass.
The oak battens tastefully embellish the columns, the lobby and encase a subtle golden bar area, extending to frame a pair of frosted glass sliding doors, leading to private offices and a boardroom; included to fulfill the practical aspects of the business.
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