Studio Pop Up

Like many small businesses, the Public Realm Lab architectural practice got started at a kitchen table, took over the dining room, then commanded the backyard with a little studio.

They were growing fast.

Most of their work was helping organisations use their space to support their strategy and culture.

So the time had come for them to walk the talk – albeit at a very modest scale.

They found a former hair salon in a building that was due to be demolished.

It was ideally situated in a prominent location within their local village.

But it sure was ugly, marred from many strange alterations and reconfigurations over the years.

When the previous tenant vacated, they left mirrors, basins, and water pipes everywhere.

With a short term lease and a $10,000 budget, Public Realm Lab set themselves the task of showing what a small business can do to create a vibrant, flexible workplace that delights clients and staff, whilst enhancing their neighbourhood.

Built in just three weeks by their own team, Public Realm Lab’s fitout used recycled or recyclable materials.

They made a strategic choice to leave everything as it was and ‘insert’ a series of unfolded boxes, like little stages for their work and interactions.

The design was based on sheet sizes for the Oriented Strand Board.

That minimised waste, with only two bags of waste generated by the fitout.

With this project, Public Realm Lab demonstrated that communicating your values and culture, creating great spaces, and choices for staff are all possible even in the smallest footprint and on a shoestring budget.