HUMMING PUPPY
KAREN ABERNETHY
Architect: Karen Abernethy // Photographer: Katherine Lu // Project Overview: “Humming Puppy was born from a desire to follow my passion for teaching yoga and inspire those who thought that yoga maybe wasn’t for them, and was only for hippies. Chris and I also wanted to present yoga in a way that was unlike anything in the industry, and provide our students with an experience that thought about their every need,” says Co-founder, Jackie Alexander. The studio designed by Karen Abernethy in collaboration with Louisa Macleod is based in Redfern, which is undergoing an amazing transformation. Positioned in an existing old Victorian Warehouse, this Yoga Studio is like no other. It is a sanctuary, an escape away from the busy streets below. All the original, elegant bones of the building such as the high ceilings, timber beams and brick walls have been kept and left exposed, so there is a strong connection to the buildings past. You access the building off the street taking a flight of stairs to the first floor, which is where the reception and bathrooms are located. Here they have chosen a neutral white pallete. The original floors have been finished white and the brick walls whitewashed, softening the rawness. The many large original windows let in an abundance of natural light and have been framed by floor to ceiling white flowing drapes. The result is a tranquil, spiritual space, a sanctuary away from the hustle and bustle. Inserted into the original shell of the building are new modern inserts like the angled screen you see as you enter level one. The screen, which is lined with dichroic coloured filters, looks like a jewel within the space glimmering and changing colour as you move around the space. The bathrooms and change-rooms are located on the other side of the staircase. The floor to ceiling black walls used in the space to divide the rooms give a sense of grandeur and depth. It feels like you are heading deep into a cave, a tranquil calm space. The neutral palette has been continued here. The white palette transitions to black in the Yoga studio, which is located on the level above. The whitewashed walls are left but the ceiling and plywood flooring has been finished black and the windows framed with black flowing floor to ceiling drapes. You would think the boldness of the black would take away from the calmness of the space, but it is quite the opposite. The result is an immersive experience, from the moment you enter. The lighting throughout the space has been kept minimal as the many large windows allows for an abundance of natural light, during the day. Inlite Tuba II Surface spots have been used throughout the space for general lighting. On level one they have chosen to go with white in keeping with the palette and have placed them between the raw exposed beams. In the Yoga studio they have gone with black which blends into the depths of the black ceiling. A big congratulations to Karen Abernethy for taking out the Social Space Award at this years INDE Awards for Humming Puppy! It is a truly beautiful social space. // Products Featured: Inlite Tuba II Surface Spot White-White / Inlite Tuba II Surface Spot Black-Black
