Tzannes-designed Dangrove wins Harry Seidler Award

Dangrove, the Alexandria warehouse designed by architect Alec Tzannes, has won the Harry Seidler Award for Commercial Architecture at the National Architecture Awards.

It was designed specifically for art collector Judith Neilson's collection, one of the largest Chinese private art collections in Australia.

The state of the art facility with 10,000 square metres of space has the functionality and flexibility to not only store and display artwork, but also host private events.

At the centre of Dangrove is the Great Hall. 

The grand room, around 90 metres long and 18 metres wide, is used for art to be temporarily displayed, evaluated and curated.

"The plan is formed by regular bays across the length and in cross section by a ceiling that steps in height from 6m to 28 metres at each bay," Tzannes describes the space.

"A soft even light floods this space through a double skin of UV reducing polycarbonate material above a wall datum of polished concrete.

"Sculptural concrete skylights terminate the Great Hall at each end to heighten the sensory experience of natural light within."

Dangrove is designed with a minimum 100 year life, delivering low net energy use and a low carbon footprint.

The upper level of the two storey facility is split in to two parts, with an adjoining sculpture garden.

The first art evaluation space is the long room which runs along the street with a scalloped concrete ceiling.