This project’s aim was to upgrade an existing educational building on the Curtin University Campus. The goal was to adapt the building to achieve the highest GreenStar rating as possible while avoiding large design changes.
The brief required the building to be transformed in terms of services, maintenance, passive design, environment and useably of a space.
Upgraded Building 201
Academic / 2021 / Individual Project
The services and systems in the building have been proposed with more efficient and environmentally friendly options.
To improve the 1960’s design with minimal changes, passive design features have been applied to improve the comfort levels inside the building and decrease the reliance on artificial energies for ventilation, temperature and light.
Structural elements of the designs are proposed to be adapted to perform better and provide for comfortable spaces for users.
Focusing on one area of the building upgrade, the library was chosen as an internal space to adapt. The comfort level and wellbeing of users was important as this is an educational space. Adapting the lighting, ventilation, temperature and sound control was necessary to improve the wellbeing of the space. Bringing in more natural light will increase concentration and focus of students, natural ventilation will allow fresh air to be replenished into the space, a large indoor garden will increase oxygen and reduce pollution and sound absorbing materials such as cork are used to decrease sound bounce.