SPATIAL SOLUTION

Rather than build high, the developers of the Axa Centre chose to build horizontally, creating a groundscraper more akin to a college campus than a corporate hub

Views of the Axa Insurance Building developed by architecture, building, corporate headquarters, daylighting, facade, leisure centre, metropolitan area, mixed use, structure, gray — Views of the Axa Insurance Building developed by Grocon.

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Finding ways to ensure staff can communicate easily with each other in large buildings is a spatial puzzle that continues to engage architects. The campus-style groundscraper a solution first developed in Europe aims to solve the problem by building links horizontally as well as vertically.

The architects of the 11-storey Axa Centre in Melbourne's Docklands took this approach, says David Waldren, design manager of developer Grocon.

"The building has ten floor plates of 6500m² it's like three office blocks sitting side by side on one level, with atrium spaces and wintergardens connecting each area. People on each floor can see each other, which encourages easy communication between staff," he says.

The building has a distinctive retail podium base, clad in glass reinforced concrete (GRC) and perforated orange metal panels, below glazed office space. The building was designed by Cox Architects, the firm that worked on the master plan for this area of the Docklands. Aboriginal artist Jonathan Jones designed the GRC panels and metal panels around the podium the chevron pattern is based on Victorian possum-skin cloaks and a large light installation in the main entry atrium.

The Axa Centre is designed to achieve an ABGR energy rating of 4.5 stars, and is being assessed for five-star Greenstar compliance. With its high-performance glazing and variable air volume system, the building scored highly on energy use, light, indoor air quality and management.

"The modelling work was done in the summer now we need to monitor how the building works in the other three seasons, and see how people actually use the space, so that we can make adjustments," says Waldren. "This area of the Docklands is prone to high winds, so the engineers modelled the building's public spaces to eliminate wind tunnels mainly by diverting wind over the pedestrian areas."

For more information, contact Grocon, 3 Albert Coates Lane, Melbourne, Vic 3000, phone (03) 9631 8833, fax (03) 9639 9585. Website: www.grocon.com.au.

Story by: Trendsideas

28 Mar, 2008

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