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himmelzimmer is an architectural design practice in Melbourne dedicated to investigating
an architecture that evolves from a continuous dialogue of imaginative and practical thinking.

As a studio we need to be able to define what building/design we aspire to the most:
For us this is ‘a room in the sky’, a ‘himmelzimmer’.

From its open window we can see the endless sky encouraging us that our ideas should be
dream-like without boundaries. With its window closed we can focus on the work on our desk
in front of us, the technical delivery of our ideas.

All our designs evolve from the dialogue of these two perspectives which are both essential
in the delivery of well-executed buildings that inspire and transcend the ordinary.

Our work is at its most successful where our window to the world is in a constant state of
in-between, where it is simultaneously closed and open.

We started in 2003 as studio505.
Following studio505’s closure in 2016 we are continuing our work as himmelzimmer

himmelzimmer is an architectural design practice in Melbourne dedicated to investigating
an architecture that evolves from a continuous dialogue of imaginative and practical thinking.

As a studio we need to be able to define what building/design we aspire to the most:
For us this is ‘a room in the sky’, a ‘himmelzimmer’.

All our designs evolve from the dialogue of these two perspectives which are both essential
in the delivery of well-executed buildings that inspire and transcend the ordinary.

Our work is at its most successful where our window to the world is in a constant state of
in-between, where it is simultaneously closed and open.

We started in 2003 as studio505.
Following studio505’s closure in 2016 we are continuing our work as himmelzimmer

lotus

wujin, china

nanyang primary school

singapore

ng teng fong + jurong

singapore

the strand facade

melbourne, australia

155 queen st mall

brisbane, australia

Patterson Lakes Primary School

melbourne, australia

norwood secondary college

melbourne, australia

watsonia primary school

melbourne, australia

royal domain tower art façade

melbourne, australia

the arena

melbourne, australia

bouverie street

melbourne, australia

wintergarden

brisbane, australia

Queens Rd Public Artwork

melbourne, australia

Queens Rd Public Artwork

melbourne, australia

artist

Geoff Nees

completion date

2018

client

Hallmarc

lighting engineer

Bluebottle

fabricator

Facadex

photography

Chris Mugeli + Earl Carter

Working in collaboration with the artist Geoff Nees, himmelzimmer designed and documented two public artwork screens for a new apartment development on Queens Rd.

The site was formerly the offices of Atari, the computer games company, and this formed the basis for our explorations into the design. One of the artworks which was conceived by the developer as a green wall, evolved to be a representation of this, but reinterpreted in the arcade game style of simple lines and geometric shapes. The outcome was a distinct, bespoke set of metal panels stretching 56.5m along the site boundary that is be illuminated from within, accentuating the movement of the patterns through the panels through subtle changes in light intensity.

Joining this horizontal artwork is a vertical piece that is prominently positions facing Queens Road. Utilising similar geometric cuts in 3mm aluminium sheet, this pattern creates a vertical field which changes in concentration and subtly highlights the play between light and shadow on the site through the reflective choice of finish.