What to do with an abandoned building, collecting dust, graffiti and shattered glass. Prime Constructions turned a run-down eye-sore in Pymble into a modern, highly functional office building with all the mod-cons.
I was given the unusual opportunity to photograph the project as a “before and after” record of how urban spaces can be reclaimed and repurposed.
The decision has been to respect as much of the original, high quality graffiti as possible especially in the lower ground floors and car park. In this way the past is featured as part of the present.
Tigerpak office and warehouse, Marsden Park (for The Prime Group)
SCT Warehouse, Minchinbury (for The Prime Group)
Charter Hall warehouse and offices, Prestons (for The Prime Group)
Prior to the offices of the NSW Department of Health being occupied in their new premise at St Leonards I photographed the interiors and exteriors of the multi-storey, purpose built facility, designed by BVN Architects and constructed by Multiplex, consolidating 10 NSW Health agencies into one location.
Improving collaboration between NSW Health agencies, the relocating health entities include the Ministry of Health, Agency for Clinical Innovation, Bureau of Health Information, the Clinical Excellence Commission, the Health Education and Training Institute, Cancer Institute NSW, NSW Health Pathology, Health Infrastructure, eHealth NSW and HealthShare NSW.
In preparation for her Sydney Festival show next January at the Parramatta Riverside Theatre Catherine Alcorn is starring in FNL (Friday Night Live) with Paul McDermott. Produced by Tenacious C this is a musical revue which incorporates Daniel Edmonds as musical director, Glenn Moorehouse as band leader, Ted Robinson as director and featuring the luminous talents of Verushka Darling .
Catherine Alcorn
Backstage at the photoshoot for FNL, Sydney Festival 2021, with Catherine Alcorn, Paul McDermott, Verushka Darling and Glenn Moorehouse.
Paul McDermott, Verushka Darling, Daniel Edmonds and Catherine Alcorn
On commission, I photographed the Sydney office of Lloyd Group construction company in Pyrmont, showing both the interior fit-out and the building exterior. The focus was on the clean lines of the board room, meeting rooms and working stations spread out over the 2 floors.
I continued my commission for Lloyd Group by photographing 4 new educational facilities in NSW – Hurstville Public School, Speers Point Public School, Wangi Wangi West Primary School and West Penshurst Primary School. This demonstrates the current commitment to providing dynamic learning environments and communal outdoor spaces.
Hurstville Public School
Speers Point Public SchoolWangi Wangi Primary SchoolWest Penshurst Primary School
It’s uplifting to see how clever businesses are able to find fresh ways to survive in the current climate, and to reward their loyal customers.
Le Coq, a well-loved restaurant in Darling Road not far from my studio in Rozelle, boasts a menu focussed on traditional French poultry dishes. Together with David Poirier, the owner of Le Coq, I recently set up a photo-shoot as a way to celebrate their regular clients at a time when business is beginning to return to normal. Inspired by Leonardo’s Last Supper, I created a series of iconic portraits of various local people from Rozelle and Balmain seated at a long dining table. The new series is called The First Supper. These culinary portraits will soon be hanging on the walls of Le Coq.
The Sydney Morning Herald published a short story in its Short black good food guide on June 20, 2020.
Some people may dismiss them as big, rectangular boxes built as part of the landscape of a city’s outskirts, not so interesting nor engaging. However, I am often commissioned to photograph the best designs for newly built warehouses in Sydney and beyond. They are essential structures which are rapidly demarcating the fringes of our urban sprawl in Smithfield, Minto and Kemps Creek.
Like many people, I tend to live in my inner-city bubble. Specialist food shops, cafes and “take-away for days” line my suburb. It’s easy to forget how important the infrastructure to support this life-style is. I am reminded when I venture out to photograph the massive, multi-purpose “boxes” that make this lifestyle possible. The best are examples of innovation in landscaped settings with native vegetation.
I particularly like the abstract nature and repetition of some of the construction details. The following is a visual display of features which have taken my eye while photographing these warehouses in Casula, Eastern Creek, Minchinbury, Moorebank and Yennora, produced as documentation for the construction companies that are building them.
Exterior Geometry
Goodmans, Eastern Creek for Hansen YunckenYennora Warehouse (Prime Constructions)
Exterior Features
I have developed a great respect for the sharp lines and primary colours used in the design of a simple, functional, hi-tech warehouse. I continue to expand in this genre of photography.
I shot the new linen collection for So French So Chic on a timber-decked yacht in Rushcutters Bay on Sydney harbour. The shoot was relaxed and breezy, to reflect the clothes.
See the product description below:
Good style is effortless.
Our beautiful linen and easy-to-wear designs are created with an attitude of casual chic, inspired by the breezy ports of the Mediterranean. Designed in France from linen sourced in Bandol near St Tropez, and tailor-made in Italy, our range breathes with stylish simplicity.
Dress up or dress it down. Feel free and relaxed.
We present our unique blend of A-line silhouettes and soft, falling fabric. Summer is colourful. Bright tones of watermelon, azure, turquoise and tangerine, are mixed with gentle pastels, or such neutrals as anthracite, pale mint and charcoal, or crisp, maritime white. Be part of our own French identity, but adapted to the Australian climate and outdoor lifestyle. Welcome aboard.
We are all grappling with the new Covid-19 threat and changes to our life-styles and livelihoods. The construction industry continues under new guidelines. With restrictions, building and documenting can continue.
Here are a few of the warehouse projects in western Sydney I have worked on during the past few weeks.
DHL, Erskine Park for Prime ConstructionsDHL, Erskine Park for Prime ConstrucitonsSunny Queen, MinchinburySunny Queen, MinchinburyDHL, Kemps Creek for Prime ConstructionsDHL, Kemps Creek for Prime Constructions
DHL, Kemps Creek for Prime ConstructionsDHL, Erskine Park for Prime ConstructionsWarehouse, Minto, for Prime ConstrucitonsDHL, Kemps Creek for Prime ConstructionWarehouse interior, Minto for Prime ConstructionsSunny Queen, Minchinbury for Prime ConstructionsManfreight, Smithfield for Prime ConstructionsDHL, Kemps Creek for Prime ConstructionsDHL, Kemps Creek for Prime ConstructionDHL, Kemps Creek for Prime ConstructionInner Sydney High School, mid-construction for Hansen YunckenInner Sydney High School, mid-construction for Hansen Yuncken
