The principles underpinning the design of Bayswater Early Years Hub “Sunflower” originated from the client vision and through a collaborative approach involving the client, key stakeholders and our practice. The result was a shared vision to create a building which minimises human impact on the environment with an eco-centric design— with the user experience and the surrounding environment being the key drivers for the built space.
Sunflower brings together early learning spaces, maternal healthcare, allied health, a series of supporting services and community rooms. The facility harmoniously intersects with the existing residential streetscape through the use of a refined material palette, boxed framed windows and a pitched roof.
Positioned at the centre of the local community amongst the existing community reserve, a school and a bowling club, Sunflower has created a new civic identity for the area and reinforced social connection.
A major element in the design was consideration to the potential future needs of the community for it to be adaptable to changing requirements. The balance of the program and the principles of proportion and orientation have been achieved by dividing the building into two main forms with linking bridges. The building takes on two U-shaped masses “turning toward the sun” which are arranged to create a journey through the building that allows for ease of wayfinding, reduced circulation and a functional program with minimal dead space. Sunflower has a focus on tactility, light and the experience of built form. The design is both dynamic and innovative and gives way to delight and joy to all who use the facility.
In a fluctuating market, careful monitoring of the project budget was required to enable the project vision to come to fruition. The project team designed to achieve a balance between cost and a high-end architectural outcome to meet the brief.
The application of passive design principles, access to natural light for internal spaces and solar control, reduces reliance on artificial lighting and cooling. Solar arrays, batteries, rainwater harvesting, and other sustainable initiatives form the building as a whole. The project provides Council with economic sustainability with reduced running and maintenance costs and has the ultimate goal of achieving a 100+ year building lifecycle and improved ecology for health and well-being. This building has become the flagship project for Knox City Council and setting a new benchmark for environmental design in the local council space, as well as across Victoria and Australia.
The success of this project relied on the coordination of the entire project team to create flexible spaces illustrating the design vision as well as creating a seamless transition for play and adventure between the interior and exterior areas.
The combination of the client brief and a thoughtful architectural response, results in multiple experiences for the users of the space. It is welcoming, playful, warm and light, providing moments of reflection, moments of laughter, and moments to breathe. It is a centre for learning, for the community and for the children. It is a centre for the future.
Material Used :
1. Blinds – Vertilux Green vision Roller blinds with Madison Two Room Darkening fabric.
2. Carpet Tiles – Interface Carpets, URBAN RETREAT- UR501 Sage, UR501 Flax
3. Concrete – Hansen Green Concrete – Reduced Cement Concrete
4. Magnesium Oxide Cladding Board – Multiboard Excom and iLine
5. External Walls - Bricks: reclaimed Bricks from local waste collection facility
6. Double glazed Windows: AWS, Capral, Criterion
7. Glazing: Viridian
8. Paints – Dulux Interpon D1000 powdercoat finish to door frames; Dulux Enviro solutions Paint Clean up methods; Dulux Zero VOC paints; Dulux Professional Enviro2 Interior Low Sheen on New Plasterboard and Multiboard iLine; Dulux AcraTex 955 AcraShield to external Excom Multiboard sheets
9. Structural Steel: ACRS certified Orrcon Steel
10. Roller Doors: B&D Garage Doors
11. Kitchen Stainless steel and Appliances – Britex, Mariljohn
12. Water Storage Tanks above ground – Kingspan Water, Tank Type: Modline ML-11150-4000-2320 in Colour: Woodland Grey; Tank Capacity 10,350 litres x10d
13. Water Storage Tanks inground – Livingwise Concrete Rectangular Tank (trafficable) inground 40,000 litres
14. Door hardware – Dorma
15. Seals- Kilargo
16. Insulation – Autex Greenstuf R2.5 wall batts, Autex Composition 10mm thick for acoustic treatment to walls, Kingspan k18+ insulated plasterboard, Proctor Group Australia for airseal fabric – CSR Bradford Enviroseal Proctorwrap BL vapour permeable membrane; Kingspan Air Cell Permishield 65.
17. Batteries – Zinc Bromide Redflow ZCell energy storage batteries
18. Solar inverters - Fronius Symo inverter capacity; Victron 48/15000 Quattro inverter chargers (VE Bus and CCGX components)
19. Curved Roofing – Kingspan Kingzi paluminium roof sheet win Colorbond colours urfmist
20. Sheet metal Roofing –Bluescope Steel Colorbond Ultrasteel, Lysaght Spandek Profile in Woodland grey.
21. Perforated Plasterboard - Criterion
22. Plasterboard – USG Boral Fibrerock Aqua-Tough plasterboard, USG Boral Firestop, USG Sheetrock plasterboard
23. Toilet Partitions – Laminex Partitioning Systems
24. Joinery – Laminex Greenfirst - Laminate E0 boards
25. Feature Timber – FSC certified Sculptform
26. Tactiles – Tredfx
27. Heat Pumps – Edson Commercial
28. Mechanical units – Fantech, Armcor, Daikin
29. Roof safety system – Sayfa
30. Decking – Modwood , Millboard Composite Decking Board
31. Monitors – Legrand for monitoring of energy / water usage, solar charging, battery storage levels, etc.
32. Sanitary fixtures / fittings – Caroma, Galvin Industries, Britex, Metlam, Enware
33. Skirtings – Criterion Decorum Masonite Skirting
34. Skylights – Solatube 750 DS Closed Ceiling with Daylight Dimmer; 290 DS Closed Ceiling
35. Suspended Ceiling – Armstrong / Rondo
36. Timber Ceiling finishes – Shiverme timbers reclaimed Timber dressed KDHW
37. Tiles – Johnson Tiles
38. Vinyl – Forbo SAFESTEP SAFTEY VINYL, Interface Woodgrain Level Set Collection 250mm x 1000mm x 4.5mm thick, Code: A00406014020502XX0902, Style/Code: TEX WG Antique Light Oak
39. Entry Mats – Birrus Ultramat
40. Perforated Mesh - Locker Group Dominoe 358, monument
41. Window Film – 3M
42. Landscape Timber – Class 1 reclaimed Hardwood timber
43. Natural Stone Rocks – sourced from site excavation and RockFx
44. Natural Timber logs - sourced from felled trees on site
