VISION Issue 7 | Page 12

12 Vision Magazine How did the constraints influence the result? You have to turn constraints into opportunities. We had to to protect the trees on site and work that into the solution. In terms of design it has to do several things. For instance, the deck on the north side is an access way but it’s also an emergency egress and offers views as well. What else? In the main dining room we eliminated a ceiling and that produced a loftiness and void space and it’s one less thing you have to do yet there is an appreciable sense of volume as a direct result of that budget. You do pay a penalty for building on sloping sites and building around trees. And yet your materials have a lovely, uncompromised feel. It might have been a lean budget but key elements such as the glazing and deck are a beautiful quality and we really didn’t want to compromise on those. What emphasis did you place on the glazing when the budget pressures were telling you to rein in every aspect of the project? Sunlight and views are crucial to the basic amenity and are always important. If it’s an eating/meeting place and you want students and staff to utilize that and work and socialize there, it can’t appear to be something that is heavily discounted. It has to have good amenity. It’s elevated with fabulous views into bushland and back towards Bendigo, so it’s about celebrating that setting in a way the old campus buildings don’t. Above Western end of recreation/dining hall reveals treetop vista. High Distinction Right A lightweight attitude and vernacular simplicity produce intrinsic, rather than applied, Green credentials. Viridian ThermoTechTM double-glazed units and veiled canopy along main north elevation.