LONGLAND STREET
Set close to the Brisbane River in Newstead, the Longland Street project was an exercise in taking an existing design and modifying it to be a mixed mode building with a flexible facade. The project also aimed to improve conviviality between levels and lower the carbon footprint of the building.
The flexible facade allows the building to capture the prevailing north easterly breeze on the site and the introduction of a central atrium evacuates stale air, while allowing the depths of the floor plate to be lit naturally. It also means that the building can be night purged to cool it of any heat gained during the day.
The frame was changed to a predominantly engineered timber design to help capture carbon and create a pleasant atmosphere inside the building. The breathable facade is clad in terracotta tiles that share the warmth of the timber interior and evoke the memory of the masonry buildings that stood along the river in times gone by.
Terracotta tile blades also shade the facade and glazing to reduce the amount of solar gain of the facade. The glass is designed to cut heat and glare which is particularly important in the office environment.
The ability to reuse building materials at the end of the building's life cycle, reduce the everyday running costs of the offices due the flexible mixed mode design and the pleasant and comfortable workspaces make this design more sociable and environmentally friendly than the original proposal.
