With no room to mitigate the size of the building with a podium, the architects instead raised up the entry corner of the building as a welcoming canopy.
VicRoads has a retail store at ground level and occupy the two mid floors of the building. To activate the two levels of offices and avoid a separate culture developing between floors, a large staircase penetrates the floorplate.
“We designed the stair to loosely echo the forms on the exterior of the building,” says Tabain.
“Perforated aluminium sheeting on the bannisters and upstairs surround provides privacy and an attractive shadow play.”
Besides its colourful cladding blades, the VicRoads building is green in another way, too. Natural cross ventilation, a wealth of bicycle parks and six shower facilities all add to its sustainable credentials, as does the rigorous sourcing of low VOC materials, finishes and furniture throughout.
Credit list
Project
VicRoads building, Sunshine, Melbourne
Task chairs – Kronos highback from Balance Interiors; Tub chairs from Stylecraft; Relm stools; Zenith tables; Tambour cabinets by Planex; lecturns by Lecturn Australia; shelving by Dexion; Excel Lockers
Architect
Gray Puksand; partner in charge – Nik Tabain, project leader – John Pinkerton
Feature finish
Woodford Architectural
Carpet
Shaw Contract, Classic Architectural
Panasonic, Haier, Westinghouse
Pendant and feature lighting
About Space, Luxxbox
Story by:
Charles Moxham
Photography by:
Tatjana Plitt
24 Jan, 2021
Hettich
Design with premium Hettich hardware