Beacon Lighting breathes new life into Taren Point architectural gem
When Beacon Lighting began its search for a new site for their Tarren Point store, an interesting location opened up across the road to the existing store. The 1970s building had a unique architectural interest, great visibility, and plenty of potential – but also a long list of complications.
The negotiation for the building took more than 18 months, with talks over rent, incentives and compliance stretching the process well beyond the typical timeline.
“It was a challenge from the start,” said Beacon’s property team.
The structure, though striking, was showing its age. Among the issues Beacon faced, compliance documents were missing, and the building needed significant upgrades to meet modern codes. Even basic certifications, electrical, structural, accessibility, had to be redone from scratch. Being constructed more than 50 years ago, it had not been designed to accommodate accessibility needs, so a new lift needed to be added to take customers up to the mezzanine level.
The building’s roof needed to be reinforced to support Beacon’s signature suspended lighting displays, weighting in anywhere up to 12 tonnes.
Because of the building’s unusual shape, Beacon’s design and construction teams trialled more than a dozen layout options before finding the right configuration. The result is one of the brand’s most architecturally distinctive stores, the original exterior arches now framing a bright, modern interior that feels both contemporary and true to the building’s character.
The beauty of what has been created opens up new opportunities for Beacon Lighting stores. Distinctive, standalone buildings can be just as effective as those within Large Format Retail centres, and often at more competitive rents. The team at Beacon Lighting has seen similar approaches adopted by leading international brands, creating destination stores they know customers are willing to travel further to experience.
“The mezzanine has completely transformed how we can showcase our products, giving us greater visibility and a space that feels open and inspiring,” says Beacon Lighting CEO, Glen Robinson. “With its arches and Palm Springs-style architecture, the building has such a unique character. It’s right on trend and a perfect fit for Beacon’s direction.”
The Taren Point showroom has become a standout example of how architectural preservation and retail design can coexist, delivering a space that is as visually compelling as it is functional.
And while that project has been a milestone, Beacon Lighting’s development pipeline continues to grow. The next major opening is in Geelong, where the brand is building its largest-ever store – a 1,700-square-metre space that includes its inaugural 400-square-metre trade-focused showroom designed with darker finishes and a more industrial aesthetic. The Geelong store represents Beacon’s first purpose-built trade showroom, an evolution of its existing trade desks, and another significant step in its ongoing national expansion.
