industrial Sydney goes creative.

The new Koskela in Rosebery, Sydney, 2012

Have you ever noticed that in the blink of an eye everything around you can suddenly change? 

After years of subtle shifts and bemoaning that nothing ever moves on, everything can suddenly be completely altered in a few short months. 

Im noticing this phenomena right now. 

And no - im not just talking about the weather.

Jobs changing or finishing, friends moving or having kids, galleries renovating or closing... and whole suburbs moving on and changing their vibe...

It is all happening, and all happening this year.

One example....

Surry Hills.

In 2005 this inner city suburb of Sydney was undergoing a major revamp. The area was becoming the 'place to be' with fashion stores, artists' studios, and restaurants all moving in and deciding that this was the creative and designer hub for the urban and creative sophisticate - or anyone still at art school! 

I was working at the new Object gallery space at the time, and i remember thinking how great it was to find all these industrial warehouses and factory spaces of ye ol' Sydney being re purposed into functional public spaces, that had a soul and a character....

And one space in that ilk was was the Koskela furniture and design showroom on Campbell st. 

It was on the first floor of an old space and it had all the old characteristics and soul of its original existence as a Surry Hills warehouse. Fantastic old beams, steel struts and peeling paint, and in the centre of it all, an Australian design business run by Russel Koskela and his partner Sasha Titshkovky. 

The massive factory space also houses the businesses of Megan Morton, which
includes The Propery, The Studio and The School which runs creative workshops
for children and adults alike.

Well... times have changed and the Koskela business has now moved out of Surry Hills and into the another old factory ... this time in the suburb of Rosebury. It only opened a short time ago but on a wet and dreary Monday I thought it was time to go on a little reccy mission and have a look at this amazing space. 

Koskela design has transformed the old Four 'n Twenty Pie factory into a mecca for anyone creative with a love of old buildings! And along with Megan Morton and Kitchen by Mike, they have done an amazing job at restoring the space. 

It never looked so good. And I could not stop taking photos... 

OK - enough talk.

Here are a few of my photos of this amazing industrial space...

Hope you enjoy...

The entrance has a beautiful old brick face with peeling paint and a peep hole into the
big industrial kitchen of cafe/restaurant Kitchen by Mike.

The entrance. Huge right?! Would not find a space like this in Surry Hills anymore!

The space is split into zones as it is SOOO big with the tendency to swallow up furniture!
This is the gardening section at the entranceway - Gnomes included!

With all this colour it could only be the children's craft section... with pom poms and big cardboard robot included. I love the green wheel barrow that could be a borrowed prop from Megan's studio?!

View back onto the massive entranceway and the cafe Kitchen by Mike - that on a weekend is completely jam packed. We went on a wet, and dreary Monday... so it was perfect for a good look around.

Book and zine zone... which is so spacious and comfortable for a good flick through at all the
titles...

Can you see the space?! We were thinking that you need to give people an idea of scale - as it would be easy to buy something, take it home, and THEN realise how big it is, even though it looked dwarfed back in the showroom!
It is HUGE.

Loved all the textures and old factory markings on the floor...
And no - im not trying the show off my new shiny gumboots!

Koskela have created fantastic workshop spaces at the back of the factory floor,
that will be perfect for demonstrations and classes...
I loved the look of these wooden modular spaces within the big concrete shell of a factory,
 as they add character and give a feeling of 'space at work'
rather than only acting as a showroom for big shiny designer toys...

The rugs by Loom also soften the space and add character. I loved this section... complete with MASSIVE indoor trees!

Colour and texture... in the form of rugs and a beautiful wooden boxes that were NOT for sale!

More props...

Lights by Bye Bye Birdy . I just loved looking up at all the exposed beams and roof...
Lines upon lines upon lines...

And finally the indoor entrance to The School by Megan Morton for all the brilliant workshops.
The Propery and the massive photographic studio are also housed in this space...
And im sure over the coming months the space will be packed with creative kids having fun... and big kids who love going back to their childhood roots for some nostalgic crafty mayhem!

Koskela
85 Dunning st
Rosbury 2018
info@koskela.com.au
www.koskela.com.au