Audi Service Centre

Turner Architects, Audi Sydney, Payce and M Projects entrusted us to design the lighting in the new Audi Sydney East Village Service Centre, listening to our advice along the way. Construction was completed in 2015 with a 2 year process from enquiry to switch on.

Accidental lighting design decisions are made by many who don’t understand the effect of their “design” decisions in changing an element of the designed space. Pressure to reduce fee costs means documentation may not be as detailed as it should be, or that the lighting designers are not involved on site to ensure the design is installed as intended. Substitution of fittings for cost saving, profit or improved margin, a change in fitting location due to poor planning or construction, no aiming or commissioning because it doesn’t matter to whoever is paying (this is not necessarily the Client or user) means that opportunities for “bestness” are lost.

Good lighting doesn’t have to cost more if it is planned, detailed, costed and coordinated, with options discussed and solutions agreed well before a start on site. To acheive this requires the use of creative, practical, experienced and commercially aware lighting designers.

This simple space, without signage, people, decoration or cars, is interesting because of its basic forms and finishes. The interplay of light with surfaces, the light and the dark that results adds interest, reveals shape and reflectivity... light adds textures, depth and a feel.

Trust helped create a great result... a lot of communication helped as well.