2013 Australian Interior Design Awards: Sustainability Advancement

Jury comment

This project demonstrates a clear commitment to sustainability and its practical application. The project’s attention to material selection, benign finishes, energy efficiency, natural light and double glazing all highlight a coherent suite of environmental features intelligently addressed through good design.

Design statement

The brief was to design an eco-principle-driven, purpose-built kindergarten building for sixty children within a tight budget of $2600 per square metre. The brief was to create relaxed teaching environments that would benefit the pre-school age group, and which used materials and finishes with inherently simple and nurturing qualities. Passive and active design solutions have been brought together through the use of energy-efficient and sustainable materials and finishes. The primary structural timber armature follows a simple plan, morphing in three-dimensional form to marry perfectly with the interior space, expressed through the geometry of the teaching areas. Internal surfaces are clad in urea-formaldehyde-free plywood, while thermally rated skylights, positioned at ceiling level amid the coloured acoustic ceiling panels, flood the teaching spaces with soft natural light. The design of cabinetry as puzzle pieces is a visual metaphor expressed in form, creating a play zone, storage facility and room dividers to separate the teaching spaces. Using a balance between active muted colour tones and natural timber, the overall ambience of the space is playful, warm and nurturing.

The project also won the Public Design category.

The Australian Interior Design Awards are presented by the Design Institute of Australia, DesignEX and Artichoke magazine.