The genesis of the revitalising of a derelict row of historic warehouses began with creating a winning submission as a response to a Tasmanian government competition for the redevelopment of the site.

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We advocated the recycling of the historic architectural elements of Hobart’s oldest waterfront warehouses with innovative contemporary design and an infusion of the visual and performing arts, in order to create a new cultural precinct for Hobart. The basic ideas which underpinned our thinking throughout all aspects of the project were always towards the retention of the unique quality of the warehouses with the most absolutely minimal alteration of their original historic character; the inclusion of the latest techniques in order to achieve long term sustainable environmental design solutions, and the collaboration of various arts groups, especially the Hobart Art School ,as partners in enhancing the overall quality throughout the buildings.

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At the rear of the old warehouses is a glass covered toroidal shaped atrium roof covering a open plaza, hosting a wide variety of arts related and corporate events. Additionally our aim was to create a long term sustainable environmental design solution, utilizing the thermal properties if the historic masonry warehouses themselves. The atrium does this by providing fresh tempered air to passively warm the entire interiors of the warehouses, which because of their thermal mass being 12 hours out of sync with external temperatures, can be slowly warmed or cooled. The result is cutting edge environmental design, and the integration of passively heated air, sophisticated air flow monitoring techniques and the innate thermal properties of the historic urban fabric, is truly unique.

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The IXL project is attracts national and international interest and acclaim.