P.S. (Powerhouse Store) is the “postscript” for the visitor’s experience at Brisbane Powerhouse, Queensland’s home of contemporary art and culture.
The brief was to design a concept retail space as a repository for designer wear and locally made treasures on a section of floor previously occupied by the Powerhouse box-office.
A new concierge desk was relocated outside of the retail box in the main corridor, allowing Brisbane-based designer Alexander Lotersztain, director of his eponymous studio, to transform the former box-office space into the new concept store.
A source of inspiration for the conceptual framework was the building’s industrial heritage. The Powerhouse building is a 1920s power station reimagined as a centre for arts on Maiwar, the Brisbane River.
Operable drapes in heavy orange velvet add a touch of majesty and theatre.
Image: Florian Groehn
“The Powerhouse was originally responsible for powering all of the tram networks back in the day, when Brisbane still had trams,” said Lotersztain. Consequently, the designer selected raw aluminium surfaces to reference the site’s industrial heritage, and used fluorescent track lighting on the ceiling to evoke the notion of railway lines.
“We wanted to use this material in its raw state,” he said. “We accentuated this by doing TIG welding on all of the corners; there’s over 150 metres of wrought welding that was done by our joiners and our incredible welder.” The space eludes 15 metres of custom aluminium concierge counter, featuring “kink” handles by designer Martin Mogilski. “The guy is like a heart surgeon of welding,” said Lotersztain of Mogilski. “His precision is unbelievable. It almost looks like it has been achieved by a robotic arm.”
The idea for the P.S. fitout was an extension of Lotersztain’s BRUT-AL collection. Launched in Milan in 2022, it comprises aluminium and TIG welding pieces. “We always try to customize as much as we can in terms of joinery and furniture in our projects,” he said.
The custom handles are made by Derlot Group designer Martin Mogilski.
Image: Florian Groehn
Lotersztain used a bright, marigold orange carpet, ceiling and curtains to contrast with the abundance of raw steel. Operable velvet curtains demarcate the perimeter of the boxy footprint. Made from heavy velvet, the drapes add a touch of theatre, closing at end of day to conceal the aluminium interiors.
“I didn’t like the idea of doors because the store is in such a prime position within the Powerhouse,” said Lotersztain. “I didn’t want customers to feel like they were coming into a shutdown space after trading hours.” The Powerhouse hosts evening theatrical shows and comedy festivals, meaning the venue is open until midnight most days of the week after retail operating hours have finished. “Therefore, it still needed to have the ability to speak to the space without feeling shut off.”
Lotersztain had the idea of representing the Powerhouse’s function as a venue, a theatre and an exhibition space within the form of the concept store, using the drapes to reference a playhouse. The designer lit up the curtains using an LED treatment down the length of the velvet to dramatize the impact of the curtain.
