A CSIRO lab in Geelong for research into exotic and emerging animal and zoonotic diseases is set for a major upgrade, which the agency says will support Australia’s response to future pandemics. Appointed to design the upgrade to the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness is the design consortium BioDesign Collaborative, led by engineering and design […] More
The $60 million redevelopment of Bendigo TAFE is complete and the city campus is ready to welcome students in 2022.
Designed by Architectus with Six Degrees Architects and landscape architecture firm SBLA Studio, the project has delivered a new learning hub, a “one-stop-shop” for student training and job support and an Indigenous education centre. There are also a range of specialized learning environments for students studying hands-on subjects including hair and beauty, hospitality and creative industries.
Architectus associate Jayden Peacock said the design was based on ideas of self-paced learning.
“The revitalized Bendigo TAFE City Campus empowers students to become agents in their education, training and careers by expanding choices around how, when and where they learn,” he said. “The design team has created a range of stimulating new spaces that cater to all kinds of learners – from hands-on practical environments, to high energy collaborative settings, and quiet zones.”
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Bendigo TAFE’s redeveloped city campus by Architectus with Six Degrees Architects and SBLA Studio. Image:
Trevor Mein
Artworks by Wurundjeri, Dja Dja Wurrung and Ngurai Illam Wurrung artist Mandy Nicholson are prominent on campus. On the facade of the building, filigreed metal shades depict Waa and Bunjil, the two primary moieties in Dja Dja Wurrung culture, and on entering the building students will be greeted by a giant mural of the “wise crow” Waa.
Bendigo TAFE chief executive Sally Curtain said the refreshed campus embraced the history of the city.
“This campus has been a vibrant feature in the heart of Bendigo city for 167 years,” she said. “We are proud to deliver an improved educational precinct that continues to embrace its strong heritage in Bendigo city, while providing state-of-the-art, fit-for-purpose facilities to train the workforce of tomorrow.”
Peacock, who led the project for Architectus “from conception to completion,” has strong connections to the TAFE.
“Having lived in Bendigo for most of my life and as an alumnus of Bendigo TAFE, I’m excited for students and staff to experience the new uplifting and energizing education environments at the revitalized city campus,” he said. “It has been enormously rewarding to lead the design of a project that is both knitted into the historic fabric of Bendigo and firmly focused on the future of the region and its people.” More
The New South Wales government is planning to build a new high school in Jerrabomberra, a suburb of Queanbeyan on the border of the ACT.
Designs for the school by Tanner Kibble Denton Architects and Context Landscape Architecture have been placed on public exhibition as part of a state-significant development application.
Part of the Monaro Cluster of Schools, which includes projects in Jerrabomberra, Bungendore, Googong, Murrumbateman and Jindabyne, the school will help address increased demand created by a rapid growth in surrounding residential development. It will cater to up to 500 students initially, but core facilities such as the school hall, canteen and staff areas will be designed so that they could suit a 1,000-student school, should the learning spaces need to be expanded in the future.
Planning documents describe an L-shaped building form framing the high point of the site, which will be kept as open space and act as a natural “gathering place.”
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The new high school in Jerrabomberra by Tanner Kibble Denton Architects.
The bulk and scale of the proposed buildings, which range from one to three storeys, respond to the natural topography, with the buildings stepping down the slope toward the west and south.
“Breaks in the built form have been made, to allow visual and physical permeability, and to further break down the building mass,” the architect notes. “The design of finishes, including external screening and sunshades, create a visual rhythm on the facades which divides up the length of the buildings.”
The school will sit on the land of the Ngunnawal and Ngarigo peoples and the design process is being undertaken in consultation with local Indigenous representatives. Informed by these talks, the design team has incorporated a number of gathering places, including a yarning circle and a productive garden. The importance of moths to the area as the subjects of ancient and modern stories has also been reflected in the design, with the metal screening on the facade representing clusters of bogong and golden sun moths.
The school is expected to be operational by 2023. More
Prized for its natural warmth and reliable performance, timber flooring represents a quarter of the flooring market. Within this category, engineered timber flooring has emerged as a preferred choice due to its superior stability and durability, and a natural look that is almost indistinguishable from solid timber. Not all engineered timber flooring performs the same however; product type, species, composition, installation method and the climatic conditions of the install environment all affect performance and stability. In today’s market, sustainability and health requirements must also be considered.
With the growth of engineered timber products on the market, it is critical for architects, designers and specifiers to know what to look for when choosing the solution best suited to their intended application. Leading timber supplier Big River Group has released an informative guide to specifying engineered timber flooring for architects and specifiers titled, Australian Native: A Specifier’s Guide to Engineered Flooring.
Engineered timber vs solid timber
Engineered timber is comprised of a decorative surface layer of timber, called a veneer or lamella, bonded over a timber substrate. By comparison, solid timber floors consist of planks made out of solid pieces of wood and is the more traditional style for flooring. The processes of layering, compression and lamination used to manufacture engineered timber provide additional stability and durability to the end product. Every board is created by bonding together layers of wood, creating a solid core board. The core is then covered with a real wood top layer or lamella. This construction makes engineered timber less susceptible to warping and bowing while maintaining a high degree of structural integrity.
The impact of the install environment
Australia has a diverse range of climates across the country and the location – climatic conditions and the specifics of the interior space – is critical to successful timber flooring specification and installation. Heat, cold and humidity fluctuations may cause timber to shrink, expand and/or swell, causing the floorboards to move and warp. Solid timber flooring is more susceptible to movement than engineered timber, which is more resistant to climatic changes provided it is specified correctly.
Design considerations
Stability – Enhanced stability is a key advantage that engineered timber has over solid timber. However, not all engineered products perform the same in this regard. For example, three-ply and multi-ply products have different structural characteristics that will impact their suitability for an application. The composition and species used in a board should also be considered whereby some engineered timber products have a core that is a different species to the face lamella and the face lamella may have a different density to the core.A core that is the same species as the face lamella results in a product that has superior balance and stability. One of the most stable engineered floors in Australia and New Zealand is Big River Group’s Armourfloor; its base board is the same species as the face veneer, providing optimum balance and stability.
Durability – The durability of engineered timber products is influenced by several factors such as surface finish, thickness of top layer, timber hardness and the quality of installation and maintenance.
Quality of lamella – The lamella can be made of any species of wood. A stable lamella is essential for a high quality engineered timber floor. The main options for cutting the solid wood lamella layer are dry, solid sawn, rotary cut or peel and sliced cut or peel.
Aesthetics – High quality engineered timber retains the aesthetic of real wood. Different species and manufacturing methods will result in different looks. Engineered timber flooring also tends to have more stylistic variations than solid timber flooring. As a natural product, engineered timber is subject to some degree of colour variation and there will be natural variations in knots, grain and sap marks.
Installation method – Engineered timber flooring is installed using either the floating or glue-down installation method. The choice should be determined by the species of the flooring product, cost and time constraints. All installations should follow the manufacturer’s specifications and guidelines.
Sustainability – Sustainable product certification and Chain of Custody (CoC) of forest products help specifiers identify timber products that are sourced and produced in a sustainable manner. Buying local manufactured engineered timber products is more sustainable than importing products in the same category.
Armourfloor engineered flooring
Manufactured in Australia, Armourfloor is a stable timber floor. The product is manufactured using a five-layer, cross-ply construction – a quality that enables Armourfloor to perform to expectations in all geographical locations. No expansion is required through the floor unless the area exceeds 15 meters in length and width, although perimeter expansion gaps are still required. The rotary-peeled lamella on Armourfloor opens the grain, giving a distinctive flowing appearance and is unique in appearance compared to conventional back sawn products. As a raw uncoated product, Armourfloor must be coated in-situ, enabling the use of different finishes to be applied to produce desired sheen levels. Finishes, such as polyurethanes, oils or wax, can be chosen based on the specifics of the application.
Engineered timber technology has improved greatly over recent decades, resulting in superior performing flooring materials that boast high levels of inherent stability and durability, and greater resistance to temperature and moisture than solid timber. Leading quality products, such as Armourfloor by Big River Group, also offer a natural look that is almost indistinguishable from a solid plank floor.
All Big River engineered flooring and plywood is milled from managed regrowth and plantation forest hardwoods. Big River hardwood is Australian Forestry Standard (AFS) certified.
Big River’s pre-finished engineered flooring comes with a lifetime warranty against warping, buckling or bond failure and a 20 year limited warranty for the finish against wear-through under normal residential usage. More
Ten new splashback collections have been carefully curated to offer homeowners and designers an array of styles and design options. From the simple sophistication and elegance of natural stone and delicate watercolours through to a range of daring and eccentric statement pieces, DecoSplash’s latest collections offer the chance to create a stand-out kitchen, bathroom or laundry.
DecoSplash’s unique splashback sublimation technology allows for a completely customized splashback option, turning any high resolution image or photograph into a one-of-a-kind splashback masterpiece.
“Our latest DecoSplash design collections really push the boundaries, offering an eclectic mix of classic, bespoke and contemporary design options for 2022. There is something in there for every person and style,” said DecoSplash product manager Meika Doonan.
“Our innovative technology also means that we have been able to replicate looks and styles of some of the most popular splashback products on the market, like marble and tiles, without the associated hefty price tags, all whilst providing the durability and ease that is associated with aluminium splashbacks.”
Also new to the range is DecoSplash’s Chrome Effect, an exclusive finish that can be applied to select splashback designs to create a moody, metallic vibe – the perfect fingerprint-less alternative to mirrored splashbacks.
Not just limited to kitchens, DecoSplash is the perfect option for bathrooms and laundries,with a dedicated collection for these spaces, and can also be used for outdoor kitchens or any other area that requires a durable lining with a creative or custom design.
Made from a 2 mm solid aluminium flat sheet, and coated in a durable and low maintenance powdercoat finish, DecoSplash is the only aluminium splashback of its type available in Australia. It is safe to use behind both gas and electric cooktops, and is lightweight and easy to install, requiring only double-sided tape and silicon to secure it directly to the wall surface. This makes it great for DIY renovations or cabinet makers who don’t have time to wait for glass or tile installations.
DecoSplash is available in large 3600 × 1500 mm sheets and can be cut to size to suit any space. Designs can also be set across multiple panels with absolute precision and seamless joins. More
Carrara and Artista aesthetics, together with the Sparkling Granita, take design in new directions, incorporating high performance and high-level beauty. Sparkling Granita has translucent, sparkling particles that create an effervescent effect in a fresh white surface to convey energy and visual depth. Artista Grey is an enduring grey, freshened with an intricate vein pattern within […] More
Detailed designs have been revealed for the $891 million Cockle Bay office tower and retail proposal that has long been a bone of contention for Sydney planning authorities.
A state-significant development application has been submitted for the Cockle Bay Park Redevelopment, which is designed by Danish firm Henning Larsen together with Architectus and McGregor Coxall.
The application calls for a 183-metre tower accommodating 75,000 square metres of office space along with 14,000 square metres of retail at the base of the tower. Henning Larsen was selected as the design architect in 2020 through a competitive design process after a concept design by FJMT, Tony Caro Architecture and Aspect Studios was approved by the New South Wales Independent Planning Commission in 2019.
Henning Larsen’s design director Viggo Haremst said the design was focused on the eye-level view and the public realm.
“We see Cockle Bay Park as agreen village within the dense CBD of Sydney, a place of discovery, work, recreation, wellness and relaxation,” he said. “Architecture is fundamentally about staging human interaction, and we see Cockle Bay Park as an opportunity to emphasize the best of what Sydney can be.”
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Cockle Bay Park Redevelopment by Henning Larsen with Architectus and McGregor Coxall.
The four-level podium, occupied by shops, restaurants, bars etc, will be “woven into” a surrounding public park, with the tower standing in the middle.The tower’s facade will be defined by a curtain wall system composed of triangular glazing and shading elements. A section of porous metal cladding on a triangulated steel frame will form the crown of the tower, serving as a “bridge between the tower and the sky.”
The development was decried by the City of Sydney when it was first proposed, particularly because of concerns that it would cause overshadowing of the council’s planned Town Hall Square.
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Cockle Bay Park Redevelopment by Henning Larsen with Architectus and McGregor Coxall.
The state government, meanwhile, has consistently championed the development, which is being led by GPT and AMP Capital. Announcing the public exhibition of the proposal, planning minister Rob Stokes emphasized the new public space it would deliver, including two new public parks which would form a landbridge across the Western Distributor between Darling Harbour and Darling Park.
“The Western Distributor rips through the heart of Sydney, but this proposal seeks to resolve that with significant new public space to create new pedestrian connections between the city centre and one of Sydney’s most popular tourist destinations,” he said.
The proposal is on public exhibition until 12 December. More
Setting the pace for design trends and unique product development, Littlehampton has made a completely unique range of 50 mm slim bricks and slim clay pavers. Discerning architects, designers and luxury builders are improving their projects by creating striking linear lines with these unique building materials. Littlehampton currently has an award-winning range of slim clay […] More
