Australian Design Centre

Object: Australian Design Centre is a leading non-profit organisation for the promotion of contemporary design. It plays a critical role in building and supporting design culture in Australia. The organisation occupies office and gallery space on the redeveloped St. Margaret’s Hospital site at Surry Hills, Sydney.

Object: Australian Design Centre is a member of the peak organisation, Australian Craft and Design Centres (ACDC), which represents the professional design and craft sector in all states and territories in Australia.

Established in 1964 as Australia’s first Craft Association it took on the name Crafts Council of NSW soon afterwards. From 1995 to 2000 the organisation was known as the Centre for Contemporary Craft. The name ‘Object’ was introduced in 1998 and in 2000 it was officially renamed Object: Australian Centre for Craft and Design. The current trading name of the organisation is the Object: Australian Design Centre.

Since its inception the organisation has placed significant focus on exhibition and retail galleries, and from 1981 occupied the Mariners' Church, an historic building at the Rocks, Sydney. During the 1990s, a period of rapid growth for the organisation, Object's core business expanded to include the Object Magazine, Object Gallery and highly regarded retail outlets located in the Rocks and in Circular Quay, Sydney. In 1996, under the name Centre for Contemporary Craft, the organisation joined the City West Development Corporation and the Federal Government of Employment Education and Youth Affairs in redeveloping five derelict terraces houses in Pyrmont. The refurbishment of the properties was intended to provide a craft precinct of six studios, a communal workshop, office, shop and meeting room. The initiative was funded as a Business Incubator for three years by the Federal Government.

At the same time the organisation was negotiating for space within the soon-to-be redeveloped Customs House at Circular Quay, hoping to expand Object's exhibition space and retail outlet. The move to Customs house was supported by Australia Council, the NSW Ministry for Arts and the City of Sydney with an offer of subsidised rent.

Since 2000 Object has become more focused on human-centred design to examine social issues related to health, education, and the environment. It committed itself to working with designers such as F!nk, Marc Newson, Koskela, architects and urban designers as well as community audiences to explore the potential of design in Australian modern life.

Object currently occupies the St Margaret’s Chapel building in Surry Hills, originally designed by Ken Woolley in 1958. The 16 metre diameter building is an early example of Woolley’s architecture when he worked for the NSW Government Architect's Office. The curved and elevated chapel is constructed of precast concrete with steel windows and was originally linked to the Sisters' Home by way of a walkway. In 2004 Sam Marshall Architects adapted the interior as a contemporary exhibition space for artists and designers.

...
Wikipedia