A Former Torpedo Factory and Submarine Base in North Sydney is the New Home of Lifestyle Brand Koskela

In 2018, North Sydney’s Sub Base Platypus – a former torpedo factory, submarine base and gasworks – opened to the public for the first time in 150 years as a mixed-use waterfront hub, housing workspaces, a community playground and barbeques. Now, it’s also home to the new store and headquarters of ethical lifestyle brand Koskela.

Husband-and-wife team Russel Koskela and Sasha Titchkosky left their corporate careers to “create a better business for a better world”, launching Koskela in 2000. Its former Rosebery location showcased the best in Australian lifestyle design, and allowed visitors to book in-store consultations and see exhibitions by leading First Nations artists. Its new two-level, heritage-listed North Sydney space plays the same role, and is also a physical reflection of Koskela’s values.

“Russel and I started Koskela 22 years ago with slightly different design-based motivations – he was motivated by a passion for furniture and product design, and I was motivated to design a company that aligned with our values,” Titchkosky tells Broadsheet. “At the time we started, the Australian manufacturing industry was being offshored to China and we really wanted to know who was making our products, what was going into them and the working conditions available. We also wanted to prove that you could design and manufacture products in Australia that were as good as any available globally.”

The building’s industrial bones have been left exposed as a nod to its past lives, while floor-to-ceiling windows overlook the harbour. Titchkosky says that “the new space helps to reposition ourselves again. A smaller, more carefully curated footprint enables us to create much more meaningful relationships with our customers, which was really difficult in our gigantic space. It also helps expose what we do to a whole new audience, which we’re excited about.”

Titchkosky also says the new location – right on Sydney Harbour – helps “emphasise our connection to Sydney”.

The store is on the land of the Cammeraygal people. A newly commissioned artwork by Koori artist and four-time Archibald finalist Blak Douglas speaks directly to the history of the area, which Titchkosky says was “once plentiful with fish, oysters and mussels”.

“The Cammeraygal’s presence is still very visible today, with incredible sandstone rock carvings in nearby areas.”

To pay tribute to the natural features of the area, the store’s design incorporates solid Australian timbers and Sydney sandstone.

The waterfront space will host a new exhibition every six to eight weeks, but will always show works from First Nations artists, as well as Koskela’s collaborations with Aboriginal artists and makers.

“Mavis Ganambarr is an incredible Yolngu weaver from Elcho Island. She works on a lighting collaboration with us called Yuta Badayala,” says Titchkosky. “Julie Anderson from Warakurna in Western Australia is another very talented weaver … part of the Tjanpi Desert Weavers. She uses beautiful colour and pattern in the lighting collaboration Tili Wiru.”

Titchkosky’s vision for Koskela is to be the Patagonia of the furniture industry – “a company guided by values and a north star that motivates us to be change-makers in our industry. My hope is that Koskela is admired for how we do business as well as for our products, and that we actually have an impact … in transitioning our industry to a regenerative model.”

Koskela
Sub Base Platypus, Building 10–08/118–120 High Street, North Sydney
(02) 9280 0999

Hours:
Mon to Sat 10am–4pm

koskela.com.au
@koskela_