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The Elder Street 'Ice Pick'

The Elder Street 'Ice Pick'

maarch* Architects

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The Elder Street ‘Ice Pick’ Completed: 2022 Builder: Gwyth Jones Location: Elder Street What is it, you ask? Read more
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The Elder Street 'Ice Pick': A sculptural meeting place featuring a coffee shop, open-plan office, public amenities, and a lookout tower, seamlessly integrated into Perth’s Parliamentary Precinct while navigating a challenging urban site.

The Elder Street ‘Ice Pick’

  • Completed: 2022
  • Builder: Gwyth Jones
  • Location: Elder Street

What is it, you ask?

Well, it's a chaotic; crystalline object, located on an impossibly small site which weaves its sub-structure between high-voltage electrical sub-station cables. It has been nicknamed the ‘Ice Pick’.

The highly sculptural design includes a High-Definition digital screen and an ambitious array of public amenity; with complex form inspired by the geometry of Buckminster Fuller, visionary.

It's a meeting place. It's a coffee shop with an open terrace, it's an open-plan office on the floor above. It features a public water fountain and charging station, and it's topped by a lookout tower directed to observe the western edges of our city.

Due to open late 2022 / early 2023, The program aims to wedge itself into Perth’s Parliamentary Precinct.

8841h 54m

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Professional Reviews

1 / 4

“Service-wise, Mark was very attentive, I give him 10 Marks out of 10. The extension transformed our living, with more a spacious kitchen, natural light and plenty of room for a growing family. The architect did everything, - as a busy doctor in the emergency department I found that the process was great as I didn’t have to do everything, Mark had it all taken care of - Planning, Building Permits and running the job with the Builder. Very happy that I didn’t have to monitor work to ensure specifications were met. I just specified what I wanted and it happened. The overall cost was reasonable - good value, and it took a pretty quick time to do on Site. As this kitchen/ eating area is the most used room in daily life, the plan had been to provide a new family space where we as owners would be able to cook and sit whilst being able to keep an eye on a newborn. The Project was a well-designed interior in contrast to the rocky landscape outside. The extension integrates some nice natural ventilation principles, with breezeway louvres which we use to cool out the warm air overnight with easterly breezes and insect screens. Light and shade are balanced well between old and new parts of the house, in a design solution which we are delighted with.”

Nurul Mansor, April 2018

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