Australian Institute of Architects Gold Coast and Northern Rivers Regional Architectural awards

Tonight marks the 2014 Australian Institute of Architects Gold Coast and Northern Rivers Regional Architectural awards ceremony at the Dreamworld Cinema and Big Brother House. Fulton Trotter Architects have two projects entered into the awards; Tamborine Mountain College Library and Tweed Health for Everyone Superclinic.

Tamborine Mountain College Library in the Gold Coast Hinterland was completed in 2012 and is the second building of the master plan to be completed.

The client’s brief was to create a space for their students to access their digital library, undertake quiet study or complete small group work on the ground floor and a flexible space on the first floor that could be used for teaching a single class through to holding school assemblies. The current programming on the ground floor provides a small library space and associated librarian station, three GLA spaces and two small learning group rooms.

The material palette of the new building includes familiar elements found in structures and the natural land forms found on the basaltic ancient volcanic plateau including basalt stonework, tall white columns and woven timber screens. A thunder egg metaphor is implied where the edges of the building are ‘broken open’ to reveal colour and wonder on the insides.

The varying volumes and rock plinths create a dynamic series of spaces that embrace the morning natural light and provides seating and a ‘stage’ to play and appreciate the site’s natural assets.

Click here for more photographs of Tamborine Mountain College Library

The Tweed Health for Everyone Superclinic in Tweed Heads is a primary care facility funded under the Federal Governments GP Superclinic Program. As an integrated facility, doctors, allied health the professionals, medical students and nurse practitioners treat patients in a holistic setting. Primary considerations in the brief were to ensure a comfortable, calming and functional environment drawing on the elements and attributes of the Tweed Valley, while providing an effective and functional care setting.

With 22 consulting rooms, colour coded satellite waiting areas provide way finding and comforting waiting spaces rather than the traditional bus station approach. The use of natural light and external views from consulting rooms and most of the waiting areas contribute to a relaxed and positive environment for staff and patients.

The design team adopted a healthy building philosophy. All externally orientated spaces can be naturally ventilated. Consulting rooms have individually controlled air‐conditioning to minimise wasted energy when not in use but also for acoustics and individual environment control. Extensive use of natural light reduces the need for lighting while water tanks, second-hand timbers, xeronscape landscaping, low VOC materials and roof ventilators are also used. As a tilt-up concrete steel framed building it can be disassembled and changed over time. Services have been designed and located to allow for future flexibility.

Click here for more photographs of the Tweed Health for Everyone Superclinic

Good luck to these exciting projects!