Cinderella Deep, a 200-square-metre workspace in Redfern, is designed to be lived in and worked in, not just looked at. It’s the anchor space for Cinderella House, a private creative collective.
Valeria Geller, whose CV includes RCR Arquitectes in Barcelona, MORQ Architecture in Perth, and YSG Studio in Sydney, leads Geller Studio. The studio treats architecture, interiors, and furniture as one continuous decision.
Geller Studio’s approach is evident in Cinderella Deep, where materiality plays a significant role. Ceilings were cast off-form, with texture pulled from custom silicone moulds, while clay-rendered walls are engineered to oxidise over time.
A lattice screen of reclaimed heritage brick filters light into the bathroom, and sculptural beams hide the air-conditioning while providing acoustic control. This detailing looks effortless but requires careful consideration.
Walnut adds warmth to the space, with a nearly eight-metre bar table built for meetings and conversation. The table’s design is inspired by Donald Judd’s Marfa-honed geometry, translated into rich, sculptural joinery by Sublime Custom Cabinetry.
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Furniture in the space tells its own story, with Mario Bellini’s Amanta lounges reupholstered in mushroom-toned Artesian leather, alongside Verner Panton Spiegel wall lamps and vintage Castorina & Co finds.
In the bathroom, a custom floating galvanised mirror and rare Pierre Disderot sconces sit against high-gloss Tuscan Glow surfaces, combining industrial cool with quiet luxury.
The name Cinderella Deep carries weight, referencing a nineteenth-century goldmine in South Africa, and symbolizing gathering, storytelling, and starting again. This is underpinned by Ubuntu, the philosophy of “I am because we are,” which guides Cinderella House.
Cinderella Deep isn’t trying to impress, but rather is built for the long haul, for the tenth meeting as much as the first. The space is designed to accumulate, layer by layer, material by material, over time.
With its focus on materiality, furniture, and philosophy, Cinderella Deep offers a unique space for entrepreneurs and creatives to work and collaborate, one that values the importance of community and storytelling.
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