VISION 25 — BOUNDARY RIDER
site thereby diverting landfill impacts while reducing the
associated costs of soil relocation. Other ESD initiatives
include underground rainwater tanks for toilet cisterns and
landscape irrigation, solar hot water units, exhaust systems
with makeup air and low energy and high performing
mechanical supply air conditioning systems.
It’s definitely respectful of place rather than
upstart architecture.
We didn’t want a building that would overwhelm its site.
It needed transparency yet visibility so that on approach
from the side entry of Ingles Street, patrons are really
mindful that the building doesn’t obscure the view of the
goalposts or block views. You can also see through the
building, via the windows, so that was very important not
to impact the game in any way. One of the biggest
issues was the expanse of thermally broken windows.
High performance glazing helped us with energy rating
compliance because there was no scope to reorientate
the building.
You could have done the glazing in a less sympathetic way.
The project glazing is absolutely integral. We did a lot of
work on its colour. What’s really remarkable is the size
and experience the glass wall provides. It offers a special
daytime experience with how it is observed by day, and
that level of transparency that changes again of an evening.
Rather than being a resolute box, it allows the viewer a
special peek inside.
What else does glass give the project?
Oh it’s huge. Honestly it was massive because it couldn’t
work without Viridian’s high performance glass. The project
wouldn’t have occurred from an energy compliance point
of view, so that is really significant in this program with
such a viewing requirement and it’s such a thinly wrapped
building, so our glazing had to be highly specified.
You chose thermally broken windows for natural
ventilation?
That’s right. We were able to reduce a reliance on
mechanical systems by ensuring this could breathe and
so it could function as an overall building system. We’ve
saved quite a sum of money by not being totally dependent
on air-con and heating.
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