Campanas

Regional Workshop Concept
Location
Ballarat
Art
Aldona Kmiec

The Campana family name has been synonymous with great wine and food in Ballarat since 1976. The multi-generational family business occupies the corner of Mair St and Armstrong St, opposite the new Ballarat Gov Hub building. The original heritage building has been lost to many twentieth-century transformations, leaving a largely blank architectural canvass in a prominent location for this urban design experiment. A literal celebration of the Campana family name, this minimal-cost / high-impact concept transforms the current building façade. Rather than maintain the existing square openings, the windows and doors are grouped together to become a supergraphic.

A simple geometric typeface was developed to conform with maximum glass sizes and shapes, with a subtle brass inlay between steel plates outlining individual letterforms. Facing Mair St, the original upper-level heritage structure is retained and restored. The area immediately below becomes a dedicated public art space for the community. This is a formalisation of the current informal use of this façade where posters and artwork are currently displayed.