Hotel Pacific is a restaurant, bar and gaming place located in the Australia Fair shopping centre at Southport, Gold Coast. As part of a major refurbishment of the place, DSGNK was engaged to provide a cost and time-efficient solution for renovating the on-site amenities.

In collaboration with BSPN architecture (architect) and MCD Construction (builder) we successfully proposed to install a woven textile glass straight onto the existing, outdated wall tiles. The textile glass was finished with a zero VOC paint ensuring a durable and sustainable outcome.

This renovation process not only offers endless opportunities to customise design and colour, it also prevents from construction waste and dust on site, while being super time and cost-efficient.  

Community Homes is a very unique, bottom up social housing start up based in Logan, Queensland. According to founder David Ng, it has a multi-facet purpose of building inspirational affordable homes with a unique concept to accommodate the housing and societal needs of the locals.

To present their current development proposal and overall concept to the broader community, Community Homes took part at the 2019 SEQ property expo. DSGNK was engaged to develop a stall design which represents the feel of the business and stands out from the usual real estate advertising.

Given the very small budget and a short time frame, we decided to create three simple full size banners, which can be reused again for future events. The banners feature a perspective which creates the impression of sitting in between plants on a roof top while being at the stall.  This idea originates from the actual Community Homes development, which includes green roof tops on each of their future dwellings.

Easts Leagues Club is one of Brisbane’s largest and most popular sporting clubs. The club and its staff pride themselves on having a strong focus on serving quality food. Ashley + Cooper Construction was appointed to build an all new re-designed kitchen and back of house area. The project involved the demolition of the existing kitchen area and the construction of a new sustainable, functional and free-flowing 200 square meter commercial kitchen.

DSGNK got involved as a subcontractor to deliver an Australian First. Instead of using wall tiles, which are typically used in commercial kitchen renovations, we successfully proposed textile glass. This solution provides a durable, safe and more important sustainable and cost efficient outcome. The end product positively surprised even the most experienced building professionals on site and speaks for itself. It delivers the greatest practicality and functionality for years to come. This is now the only commercial kitchen in Australia to feature innovative, fully sustainable wall linings, courtesy of DSGNK.

Concept design for a client, proposing to integrate a new kind of medical “pop up” shops into existing pharmacies in Melbourne. The goal with this project is not only about utilising existing structures in the best way possible, but more about providing a new user experience in the medical field. To create a health space in its true sense, every bit going into the project had to be considered carefully.

In close collaboration with the client, DSGNK developed a project proposal aiming for the highest ethical and environmental standards, while working towards the ultimate goal for the future – achieving a 100% waste free clinic.

In the Computer Game “Tetris” you’re likely thinking about how each object will fit together strategically with minimal empty space. This is the Tetris Effect!  “Community Tetris” delivers strategies that fit together social, economic and environmental ideas to create effective (sub)urban communities aiming for intentional diversity.

“Community Tetris” will provide framework for a shared economy community and assist in guidance for amenity, safety and maintenance – but community has to find and develop its own identity to develop forward, using their individual skills and budgets. Maximum safety for the community will be achieved by designing for people, not for cars in the first place. That guarantees a clear division between cars on the street and people in the community. Signage is unique, way finding is strongly developed and one feels safe, where surveillance is natural and social interaction is a way of life. Playgrounds and other activities located in the corners of the block are screened of the streets by walls and natural ramps.

“Community Tetris” is a (sub)urban place of enjoyment where residents build pride in their living environment. It takes the sharing economy model into housing and provides affordable housing by combining home ownership with individual placemaking.

Start the “Community Tetris” experience by arriving in public transport at the doorstep of “the Queenslander, a corner building retained and revitalised for community use. Other building structures appear modern, modular and made bespoke via resident interventions and art/craft works. Those buildings offer maximum flexibility through a “frame and envelope” model.

This supplies the future tenants with a basic set up – structure, façade, access and utilities – and makes it easy to modify according to individual needs and budget. Most frames are new modular systems prefabricated elsewhere, others have been developed using local salvaged timbers and steel to extend the life cycle of all valuable materials. Design for deconstruction techniques are understood and practiced, ensuring future uses are not limited wherever possible. Passive Solar design principles including renewable and innovative energy solutions as well as sustainability are a given expectation for all dwellings and spaces.

Ground floor activities define this neighbourhood and capture the developing (sub)urban character fuelled by residents. Hobbies are displayed and developed, resources are shared, and startup businesses have incubation places. Aged persons have safe and central spaces overlooking children playing and mentoring younger entrepreneurs, trying things their way. Infrastructure is subtle but accessible, with the Community Micro grid undergoing regular testing and expansion. Most ground level facilities are shared; however, private spaces exist for older persons living at ground level and any families with accessibility issues. Some areas are described as having a Eurasian character, the activity of Asian streets for active commerce and the European lifestyle of outdoor dining with music echoing from local performers.

Living spaces are mostly raised, ensuring privacy from public areas. Neighbour decks provide community entertainment opportunities and additional space for quieter, more private activities. In addition, the space underneath the decks work as laneways and act as the connector between public and private outdoor area. For safety and privacy reason, each laneway can be closed individually.

The ”loop” frames the community and provides a circulation linkage where interactions occur and footpath living and working is experienced. Bicycles are welcome for exercise and transport. Vehicles are deliberately kept separate with only residents crossing the loop to park cars at low speed and access private secured facilities if required. Signage around the community is unique, wayfinding is strongly developed and one feels safe, where surveillance is natural and social interaction is a way of life.

The landscape is self-regulated and works as a bridge between natural environment and human habitat. Vegetation is prominent and works with the vibrant living environment, productive for a shared economy and practical in providing shade, sound absorption and privacy to residents. Landscaping sensibly integrates water sensitive urban design, reduces the heat island effect and creates microclimates to manage climate changes and bolster resilience.

 “Community Tetris” is a complete community space where energy develops. 

Barangaroo was once a bustling container terminal, but due to a big urban renewal project this suburb on the edge of Sydney Harbour is now a dynamic extension of the city, offering prime, sustainable commercial space, representing world class design.

At its core sit International Towers Sydney, among Australia’s most sustainable high rise workplaces. These offices have been benchmarked against office developments in New York, London, Hong Kong, Singapore and Shanghai and specifically designed to help forward thinking organisations adapt to and capitalise on next generation working practises.

As part of the fitout for the new KPMG head quarter situated in International Tower 3 at Barangaroo and following our successful completion of the KPMG pilot project in Melbourne, DSGNK was sub-contracted to supply and install 600 sqm of textile glass wallcoverings.

This innovative and highly durable material was installed on an illuminted curved wall in the entrance walkway area of each of the ten levels, used for video projections. Based on the clients requirements and according to the interior architect, the product was chosen for its outstanding sustainability features as well as for providing safety by having a group 1 fire certification in compliance with NCC Volume One C1.10.

Despite facing unexpected on site challenges, DSGNK finalised the installation including painting in 8 days with only two qualified installers on site and proofed once more the incredible time and cost efficiency of the textile glass product.

“An average person will spend approximately 1.5 years of their life in the toilet. Why not make some of that time an experience you will remember?”

DSGNK’s concept design for the Dunny competition in Kenilworth, QLD is based on the idea of making the time we spend in the toilet an experience. Rather than designing a toilet as some “standard monument”, we decided to integrate our loo into a productive and recreational landscape for the community and their visitors.

While going for a simple, yet creative set up for the toilet itself, we feel the bigger picture is crucial and needs to be considered. Therefore our solution looks at the entire site, proposing a holistic space, which works fully self-sufficient. For this reason, the entire site is planned to work as a closed loop, reducing waste and maintenance to an absolute minimum. Depending on the acceptance of the initial stage our concept allows for future growth, to either remain as proposed or to grow organically with a rising level of activity on site.

Project Team: Ronny Matzat, Aiden Taylor

RAIL EXPLORERS BYRON is a 100% Australian owned tourism experience in which customers use pedal-powered ‘rail-bikes’ to experience the spectacular Australian landscape along old railway tracks.

RAIL EXPLORERS BYRON proposes to use the 13 km of abandoned railway line that runs between Bangalow and Byron Bay in northern NSW, Australia. DSGNK was approached by the owners Alex Catchpoole and Mary-Joy Lu to assist in putting together innovative concept ideas and designs for an EOI to the NSW government in order to make that beautiful idea become reality. Our work included concept ideas for the masterplan and the areas around both train stations in Byron Bay and Bangalow as well as creating mood boards and providing general advice and visualisation service.

The installation of textile glass wall coverings in kitchen, dining and meeting room areas at the KPMG head quarter in Melbourne served as a pilot in preparation for the new office fit outs for KPMG across Australia.

After successfully finalising the pilot in Melbourne our textile glass wall coverings were chosen for the new KPMG office at Barangaroo in Sydney.

The plan of owner Justin Brown was to restore the old caravan to its former glory, and beyond, making it available for hire by anyone for special occasions, functions and events. After some fundraising, hard labour and lots of love for detail, it is now a mobile pop-up bar to be enjoyed by the greater public on a regular basis.

DSGNK got involved with installing the external roof lining, giving it a unique and waterproof look. Find the full story of the “beast” here.

Removing a wall between the existing kitchen and the home office resulted into an open kitchen with lots of space for storage and food preparation to perfectly cater for dinner parties and family gatherings. This renovation also improved the entire entrance situation to the family home in the outer Northern suburbs of Copenhagen, while bringing additional natural light into the newly created space.

Computer software company Silver rail was looking for a modern, “google flair” look for the new office fitout in Brisbane´s CBD.

DSGNK was engaged to install textile glass wall coverings to show its durability on a bike rack wall, its individuality on a company logo wall in the entrance area and its functionality with a full height magnetic whiteboard wall in the companies new think-tank room.