Pipe Down is a living archive, paying respects to the history of its location while also making the most of its modern setting. The large-scale photographic artwork combines archival imagery with contemporary architectural materials to set the tone for the Billbergia Projects development.

The first building to exist at the site of 88 Walker Street was a local fire station. Today, it is being developed into a 50-storey building that will house offices, a business hotel and state-of-the-art recreational facilities. Pipe Down, an artwork produced by Collide, sits at the entrance of the multipurpose development, connecting both past and present. 

As a tribute to the fire station that once served the community, Pipe Down features images of late 19th-century firefighting equipment across its façade. These images are of artefacts now housed at the Museum of Fire in Penrith, drawing further connections to the surrounding Sydney community. 

Each image has been expertly printed onto Grafico custom mosaic tiles fitting its architectural size and reinforcing the industrial theme. 

While using these rugged elements from yesteryear, Pipe Down remains invitingly modern. Bright lights illuminate the work, reflecting off the building’s all-white surfaces. A scalloped pattern across the ceiling further adds to the piece’s contemporary appeal. 

Creating slippages and illusions between past and present, Pipe Down invites the community of Northern Sydney to tell its tale about place and time.