Photography: OpentoView

Client: Diversitat Geelong Ethnic Communities Council

Status: Completed 2010

Design elements used:

Design elements used:

- human scale building rather than monumental with multiple forms used to signify diversity of community and surrounding urban fabric

- transparency and therefore increased sense of engagement and sharing with users and general community

- honesty of context (of materials- timber, corrugated metal, fc sheet - picking up on fabric of surrounds and site history)

- respectful of site (engagement with site)

- activity rooms using landscape as an extension of space (actual and perceived)

- colour used as highlight for identity and scale

- Predominantly 100% fresh air cooling (evap) linked to high level glass louvre operation; automated night purging; 125,0001 water storage; solar hotwater; capacity for PV power generation; environmentally preferred building materials thoughout; optimal acoustic design; access control; radial sawn timber cladding; water sensitive urban design including bioretention swales and detention basin on site; 90plus carpark spaces; optimal controlled daylighting.

Through a reduction in embodied energy, operational energy and reduced peak energy demand in comparison to buildings of a similar size and function, the building will have a reduced CO2 output and a sustainable affect on surrounding services infrastructure. 

The building has been designed using a priority type sensibility of sustainable design (priority 1• must have; priority 2 - will have unless undermined by another building factor; and priority 3- would like to include if budget permits), and can be briefly described as follows:

Priority 1: Passive design 

Priority 2: Building Efficiency 

Priority 3. Active design