The jury’s comment:

“An immensely rich and welcoming project, this showroom tells a beautiful, bold story for Forté and the true hero, timber. The designers have reduced the space to a series of strong, crafted elements, pure forms and ideas, which come together in a harmonious environment that incorporates advanced 3D-printed elements alongside heavy, raw, natural materials with great success. This collaborative project brought together family members and makers, working together to create a space where the level of craftsmanship, care and attention to detail is palpable throughout.” - Interior Awards 2022 jury.

PROJECT DETAILS:

Location: Grey Lynn, Auckland

Client: Forté Showroom

Building area (m²): 400m²

Project brief: Forté, a local family business, started out crafting furniture from native New Zealand timber species. Now the leading supplier of refined timber flooring, they approached Wonder to design their flagship showroom.

Credits:

• Design - Wonder
• Project Lead - Seina Yan
• Project Principal - Buster Caldwell

“Our hero of the space — humble timber — is called on in various formats to cover the floor, walls and ceilings in a range of formats. There are areas for business and areas for comfort, with transitions between hard and soft finishes used to signal the mood. Cement and blackened steel cover the surfaces where timber is not featured, a deliberately minimal palette that doesn’t let the focus stray far from the wood. 3D extruded concrete provides sculpture and structure where needed, with linen and jute used to soften the hard edges. Everything superfluous is pared back, providing guests with the space to imagine the potential of the Forté wooden flooring within their very own special project.” - Buster Caldwell.

Watch the finalist’s presentation here: 

With thanks to our Interior Awards 2022 sponsors. Find out more about each of our sponsors here.