Ngunnawal Country
ACT
Brindabella Business Park, typical of suburban business parks, consists of object buildings within bucolic landscaped grounds. However, it has always lacked a central community gathering space. Our aim was to give Brindabella a social heart as an archetype for humanising and urbanising business parks.
A triangular plaza, in the form of a civic-scaled verandah with a six-storey floating canopy, frames the playing field. Retail tenancies activate the plaza while a field of trees with circular seating elements creates an open and welcoming place. A laneway, aligned with the park’s main entry, bisects the site and links the loop road to the pedestrian spine.
Our aim was to humanise this building type with warm, natural materials and fine, human-scaled details. Aerofoil profile sunshades are oriented for solar protection. Soft-cornered triangular atriums are lined with timber and animated by glass lifts. Diffuse daylight is provided inside via a perimeter skylight and reflector.
We identified the site, an on-grade carpark, as having the potential to accommodate two office buildings. Bates Smart were commissioned for the buildings. What they delivered has exceeded our wildest imagination.
Of course, there are two buildings, but the real transformation is the creation of a town-centre for everyone in the business park. It’s a spectacular sun-filled place in the middle of the park opposite the playing fields. Framed by a canopy this space is an all-weather place that has social benefits well beyond the two commissioned buildings and has transformed what it means to work at Brindabella Business Park.
Alberto Sunderland, Project Lead
Andrew McKie, Model Maker
Celine Noviany, Graduate of Architecture
Francisco Lopez Bosch, Architect
Jesmine Lim, Architect
Jun Yi Loh, Architect
Ketki Mahadik, Graduate of Architecture
Mark Ojascastro, Interior Architecture Lead
Michael Chen, Graduate of Architecture
Michelle Foo, Interior Designer
Moataz Hamde, Graduate of Architecture
Naigel Carusi, Project Lead
Nikolay Pechovski, 3d Visualisation
Olivia Yanni, Interior Designer
Peter Charter, Architect
Peter Pittas, 3D Designer
Philip Nguyen, Architect
Philip Vivian, Design Director
Stephen Green, 3D Designer
Tarek Abou Dib, Graduate of Architecture
Wilson Tan, Architect
ABS Facade, Facade Manufacture and Installation
Atelier Ten, Environmental Design Consultant
CCS Group, Mechanical Contractor
Marshall Day, Acoustic Consultant
Northrop, Fire Services
Northrop, Hydraulic Consultant
NW Access Consultancy, Accessibility Consultant
O’Neill and Brown, Fire Services Contractor
Phase 4, Electrical Consultant
Redbox, Landscape Consultant
Sellick Consultants, Structural Engineer
Steensen Varming, Mechanical Engineer
Steve Watson and Partners, BCA
Surface Design, Facade Engineer
Swell, External Signage
Warrington Fire, Fire Engineer
The Australian Institute of Architects acknowledges First Nations peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the lands, waters, and skies of the continent now called Australia.
We express our gratitude to their Elders and Knowledge Holders whose wisdom, actions and knowledge have kept culture alive.
We recognise First Nations peoples as the first architects and builders. We appreciate their continuing work on Country from pre-invasion times to contemporary First Nations architects, and respect their rights to continue to care for Country.
