Final Design
My Role
As part of my Interior Architecture Honours year, I led the end-to-end design process for The Unspoken — an adaptive reuse project transforming an abandoned Sydney power station into an immersive exhibition space. I was responsible from the end-to-end design process from research and site analysis to design concepts, spatial design, storytelling, and final visualisation. The work included cultural and historical research, concept development, 3D modelling, video journal, and detailed spatial planning.
The project explored themes of gender stereotypes and body image through the lens of fashion, using playful metaphors to challenge societal expectations. The Unspoken received several awards, including the Dulux Colour Award (Australia & NZ), and was featured in multiple design journals.
Introduction
Addressing Gender Inequality
The Unspoken is an adaptive re-use project revitalising the abandoned White Bay Power Station in Sydney. It reimagines the space as an immersive exhibition that fosters awareness and appreciation of gender inequality and unrealistic body expectations through the lens of fashion. Using playful metaphors, the project challenges societal norms while celebrating diverse body forms. The design aims to create an engaging and thought-provoking experience that resonates with visitors and encourages dialogue around these issues.
The Challenge
Revitalising a Historic Industrial Site Through Gender Equality & Community Activation
The White Bay Power Station, once a thriving industrial hub during the early 20th century, primarily served a male-dominated workforce while women were confined to domestic roles. Having remained inactive for decades, the challenge was to reactivate the space in a way that acknowledges this historical context while making it relevant to contemporary social and cultural needs. The project aimed to transform the site into an inclusive and forward-thinking cultural hub, balancing its industrial past with a redefined purpose that fosters interaction, creativity, and engagement for the wider community.
Addressing the Challenges
Process 1 : Research
Site Analysis – Reading the Gendered Landscape
My research began with a detailed site analysis of the White Bay Power Station and its surrounding context. Using a Nolli map and building scale studies, I noticed a striking spatial pattern: the buildings immediately surrounding the site — auto garages, commercial warehouses — were large, heavy, and utilitarian. As you moved further out from the site, the urban fabric softened into smaller, residential homes.
The proximity of the buildings are progressively smaller in relations to the gendered use of the space
The contrast between the potrayal of women and men in magazine throughout the years
Uncovering Gender Disparity & Community Needs
This contrast revealed more than just a difference in scale. It reflected the gendered structure of the past — a time when men occupied larger public and industrial spaces, while women remained in the domestic sphere. The building itself, once a powerhouse of masculine labour, became a symbol of these outdated roles. This insight laid the groundwork for how I would reframe the space — not just architecturally, but ideologically.
Process 2 : Research
Building on the spatial patterns I uncovered during the site analysis, I started exploring the gender dynamics of the era when the power station was active. It became clear that this space, like many industrial sites of the time, was shaped by and for men — both in function and symbolism.
To understand this further, I researched gender roles from the 1950s to today, diving into peer-reviewed journals and cultural studies. This helped me trace how expectations around masculinity and femininity have shifted — and how spaces like this one still carry echoes of those past roles.
Unrealistic body expectations
Unrealistic body expectations in the media
The contrast between the potrayal of women and men in magazine throughout the years
Gender Analysis
Key Findings – Tracing the Imbalance
Through my research, the historical gender disparity became hard to ignore — from employment rates to leadership representation and educational access, the gap was significant. This imbalance wasn’t just statistical; it was deeply embedded in the fabric of spaces like the power station.
Seeing how masculine the site once was, I felt a strong need to counterbalance that energy — to design a space that gave voice to the stories that were once invisible. That’s when I began looking at gender in a broader cultural context, through the lens of fashion — a medium that reflects, reinforces, and sometimes challenges societal norms.
Redefining the Site for Cultural & Social Engagement
The goal was to reactivate the power station as a cultural hub. The project aimed to create an immersive space that sparks discussion on gender and identity while bridging historical context with modern inclusivity. It encourages interaction, making it an engaging and accessible destination.
The Outcome
A Transformative Visitor Journey
The project symbolically depicts the objective treatment of the human body through playful metaphors. A look at the issues of gender inequality and unrealistic body expectations placed on both men and women of the past and present.
The design challenges norms through contrasting materials, dynamic lighting, and symbolism. Visitors journey through Journey to the Unknown, a monochromatic space sparking curiosity, followed by Chaos & Confusion, which creates disorientation. Pause & Reflection offers introspection before Hysteria & Celebration, where vibrant hues challenge gender stereotypes. Finally, Hope & Resolution represents inclusivity and progress.t
The Impact
This project has won multiple awards published in several design articles for its use in colour application and design project addressing gender inequality issues.
Check more here:
Dulux Colour Award Winner 2022
Tubadzin - "Climate change and gender equality issues addressed in the architectural space."
Architecture Australia - Challenging stereotypes