Revitalised waterfront

Decorating articles and inspiration from TrendsIdeas

A historic landmark on Sydney Harbour, the Waterview Wharf Workshops are redefined by their distinctive new paintwork in complementary Resene shades.

Heritage maritime buildings on the Sydney waterfront have been given a new lease of life. The Waterview Wharf Workshops, originally a ship repair yard that operated from 1905 to 1970, have been given a new coat of paint that better reflects their new role as a venue for creative industry.

Gone is the faded green and cream exterior. The iconic buildings, which have been conserved and adapted for a variety of creative uses, have been painted in bright Resene shades.

The design team researched similar waterfront warehouse structures in Scandinavia, Italy and South America, and chose a similar design response for the wharf workshops.

But the process of selection was slow. More than 100 different Resene testpots were supplied and applied to various buildings, with many tenants invited to voice their opinions. As a result the final colour scheme features Resene Biscay (stormy blue), Resene Clockwork Orange (bold orange), Resene Awol (willow green), Resene Silver Aluminium (silver metallic) and Resene Galliano (sweet yellow) with Resene White trim.