2 minute read
Point of interest
COLLEGE GREENING
TCL was engaged by Queensland University of Technology, in Brisbane, Australia, to transform a service road in a deeply shaded and steeply graded area on its Gardens Point campus. The brief was to create a walk that runs between and into the buildings, and which incorporates planting and water features with no apparent boundaries between the interior and exterior gardens. ‘We had to provide access for services, create outdoor social-learning spaces and to green the campus spine across three levels of interconnected terraces,’ says TCL director, Damian Schultz. ‘The design was a realisation of beauty, form and function.’
INDIGENOUS FEATURES
Consultation with indigenous communities is a standard part of the design process in Australia, Damian says. ‘We aim to nurture relationships with them, to better understand the ancient knowledge systems of Australia, and we are fascinated by how these perspectives influence spatial design and urban ecologies.’
Working with the university’s Oodgeroo Unit, ‘An outdoor area was provided as a mark of respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people who welcome visitors to their land,’ says Damian. ‘It includes a “yarning circle”, for sharing stories and knowledge, a fire pit for smoking ceremonies, and Oodgeroo gardens planted with traditional bush food and medicinal plants.’
BIOPHILIC DESIGN
A desire to use nature to create a calming and restorative environment was a key factor in the design. ‘The brief was for substantial green elements to be incorporated within the fabric of the building,’ says Damian, although he adds that integrating long-term plantings in an air-conditioned space ‘is, by nature, a difficult proposition’.
TCL collaborated with Wilson Architects, experts in subtropical plant design and the design of interior gardens, and Danish firm, Henning Larsen Architects, specialists in sustainable design, to ensure adequate natural light levels within the space, and the moderation of air exchange and temperature controls.
Full-height curtain walls of glass at each end of the atrium and substantial skylights were specified to allow sufficient daylight to penetrate the six-storey building, and light studies were conducted to determine the correct choice of plant species.
SUSTAINABLY SMART
The project was informed by a sustainable approach to campus planning, water-sensitive urban design, consolidation of services, the improvement of micro-climates and a reduction in vehicle access to the grounds without compromising maintenance work. The site is steeply sloped so consideration had to be given to the level and location of services and access covers. Pavements were designed to integrate smart-service infrastructure, including common service trenches for cabling and the use of smart technology for consolidating lighting, CCTV, water, power and wifi. Service boxes were positioned within retaining walls and seating terraces, to maximise planting opportunities, reduce visual clutter and maintain clearways for service vehicle access.
TCL, tcl.net.au
