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DESIGN OUT OF SPACE Dave Smith and Jordan Ralph c
ombined to found and design The Space Between, a new space for yoga and meditation as well as talks, exhibitions and experiences. They share their experience of the journey so far. words Richard Seabrooke photos Agata Stoinska – Where did the idea for The Space Between come about? What was the inspiration? Dave: Trauma was my inspiration and I only half-joke when I say that but certainly the trauma of losing Mabos (my previous space) fuelled a very strong desire in me for another space, this time with more control over its longevity. The concept is really a hybrid of various projects I’ve been involved in over the years, bringing together key elements, whereby the space can then sit between these things. Jordan: I first met Dave about six years ago while mentoring for an IDI event in his legendary space, Mabos. He showed a keen interest in what I was about from the get-go. He was super into art, music and culture, and making interesting things happen. Fast forward five years and we bumped into each other at the opening of the Fake exhibition I designed in the Science Gallery. He vaguely mentioned he had a project coming up that might be of interest. A few weeks later I came down to the warehouse on Fenian St. and he told me about his plan for The Space Between. Eventually, after teasing out some basic concepts and design approaches, Dave could see my genuine passion for the project and what it meant as a cultural institution to me. I was buzzed to finally get the commission! – Can you explain your approach to the brief and the challenges set out by Dave? How was the process from your side? J: It was an unusual design process because there wasn’t a defined brief or set list of deliverables. Dave’s vision for the space was fluid, and in constant flux. He had tons of ideas, probably way too many for one space, and was super comfortable with allowing his overall plan to evolve alongside the design process. This was, at times, incredibly frustrating and difficult, but the flip side to this was that I got to be super involved in working with Dave to shape the overall concept and direction of the space from the ground up. – When did it turn from an idea into a real thing? What was the catalyst? D: Ha…it still feels like an idea. It honestly only turned real for me the morning we opened and the space began to get populated. The catalyst was a phone call out of the blue from Richie, one of my partners on the project. I’d approached him about getting involved and despite our shared interests he gave me a hard time on my ‘over aspirational/light on factual’ pitch. He rang me out of the blue at a very synchronistic moment to say he’d a change of heart – I’d walked away from the project long before that moment but amazingly there was still 24 hours left to get a pitch in for the building so we scrambled and got a submission in the next day. That was the moment. – The finished space is stunning in every detail, no doubt the result of painstaking thought, craft and effort. What are your own personal favourite successes of the build? J: Thanks so much! The energy in the space we have created. I’m really proud of that. Sometimes when you finish a project you and the client/job need some time apart, but every time I go to The Space Between I find it impossible to leave because it feels so good being there. – In your own words, how would you describe the space? What is your ambition for it to become? D: I’d describe it as wide with a rigid core. At its core it’s designed to support the personal journey through yoga, meditation, movement and a sprinkling of alternative offerings like Wim Hof 16