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Flooring company Godfrey Hirst Commercial has achieved Climate Active Carbon Neutral certification via two key projects that have offset over 17,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. The Carbon Conscious Carbon Capture Project is a reforestation mission across 5,700 hectares in Western Australia. The project has seen more than 6 million native Mallee trees planted in […] More
A Hobart housing complex for vulnerable youth designed by Liminal Architecture is moving forward, with the Tasmanian government calling for construction tenders.
The development will deliver 26 independent residential units for people between the ages of 16 and 24 years, along with an “urban community hub” where support and education services will be available to both residents and non-residents.
To be known as the Hobart Youth Foyer, the project is part of the state government’s Youth 2 Independence (Y2I) Program, which combines housing and training to break down structural barries affecting young people at risk of homelessness.
Liminal’s design responds to the “layered” urban context ans surrounding heritage masonry.
“Located in a transitional position between commercial and city precincts, the site holds a bookend status and acts as a ‘marker’ within the larger city context,” the practice notes in a design statement.
“The building is made up of modular housing units that are pushed and pulled to create individual expression and serve to open up social areas, break-out nooks and green spaces, enabling natural elements to perforate the circulation spaces.
“The translucent, light-weight skin that ‘cloaks’ the building adds a layer of vibrancy, picking up on the red and orange hues of the contextual palette while also offering shading and privacy for the building’s occupants.”
Housing minister Michael Ferguson said the Hobart facility will be located near Tas TAFE, transport and other services. “The Y2I development is an optimal solution for this inner-city site which was originally designed to provide more residential units,” he said.
“Young people transitioning to adulthood coupled with circumstances like family breakdown, trauma and ill health may find themselves disconnected from education, employment, housing and support.
“There are also challenges for our youth finding accommodation through population growth which is putting pressure on housing availability.
“Participants in the Youth2Independence program agree to work with their support providers to develop independence in the areas of: education, employment, health and wellbeing, housing and living skills, community participation and social connections.
“In return, these young people enjoy safe, secure, supported and affordable accommodation for up to two years.”
Rent is capped at 25 percent of income. There are three existing Y2I facilities – Thyne House (Launceston), Eveline House (Devonport) and Trinity House (Hobart) – and another 25-bed facility is planned for Burnie. More
Brisbane City Council has released concept designs for two green bridges linking West End with St Lucia and Toowong, which are being built to make it easier to walk and cycle around the city. Open for public feedback, the concept designs show two quite different styles of pedestrian and cyclist bridges, one with a single […] More
The Victorian government has announced it will allocate an additional $241 million to the now-$1.7 billion transformation of Melbourne’s arts precinct in Southbank.
The first stage of the project, the northern precinct transformation, which includes the refurbishment of the Theatre Building, will soon begin, with the tender to be released on 23 November.
NH Architecture and Snøhetta were appointed to design the refurbishment of the Roy Grounds designed Theatres Building in 2018. The refurbishment will be the most significant revamp of the State Theatre since it was originally built in 1984.
The upgrades will include improvements to accessibility, acoustics, back of house facilities as well as new rehearsal studios, two new loading docks, and an overhaul of its lighting and sound systems that will also enable live streams.
“Restoring this site to its original glory is a wonderful legacy for the people of Victoria and our new restaurants and bars will transform the visitor experience,” said Arts Centre Melbourne CEO Claire Spencer.
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Proposed upgrades to Arts Centre Melbourne designed by NH Architecture and Snøhetta. Image:
Courtesy NH Architecture
There will also be two new restaurants and bars at the northern end of a new 18,000 square metre elevated park, designed by Hassell and So-il, that will become the central hub of the arts precinct. The space will host major festivals and public art and join together the existing buildings with the proposed NGV Contemporary, to be built at 1 City Road.
The upgrades to the Theatres building will also include a new western entrance onto the elevated park.
Victorian creative industries minister Danny Pearson said, “The vital works to the State Theatre will transform the building inside and out, making it more accessible and comfortable, and keeping it at the cutting edge of live performance venues in the country.” More
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
