Darling Downs
And
West Moreton
Region
Darling Downs
And
West Moreton
Region
Darling Downs
And
West Moreton
Region
Rowes Precinct
WINNER OF PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD
The Rowes Precinct is a significant redevelopment of existing historical buildings across one entire city block in the heart of the Toowoomba CBD. Aspect spent 5 years carefully crafting an Architectural outcome for the precinct that is worthy of both its location and history. The redevelopment involved the repurposing of the existing Rowes family retail complex and adjacent sites into an amalgamated commercial precinct that includes significant street
interaction and activation through a public plaza and gardens.
The redevelopment has been a complex process of consolidation, repurposing and new architectural extensions. A considerable portion of the new buildings have been constructed using recycled bricks, with unusual interiordetailing incorporating recycled timber, antique cold room doors, wagon wheels and original signage. Critical to the inclusion of the historical recycled materials was a noted intent not to create quirky spaces, rather a considered contemporary offering reflective of the current times.
By Aspect Architects and Project Managers
Photography by Matt Edwards Photography
Ipswich Grammar STEM Building
The STEM building at Ipswich Grammar School, completed in 2020, is a project which respects the school’s 158 years of tradition, whilst simultaneously celebrating its forward-thinking aspirations as a contemporary education institution.
The design minimise it’s impact on significant views to and from the adjacent State Heritage Listed Great Hall through the design of its massing, form and façade. Externally, the building’s height is broken into a solid-mass podium, with a lighter ‘floating’ screened façade above. Rather than an overbearing solid form, the STEM building’s intricate second-skin ‘veil’ lightens its presence against the Great Hall.
Internally, the building’s layout applies the concept of ‘the whole buildings as a single learning environment’ for the delivery of Biology, Chemistry, Physics and STEM subject. It’s design enables students and staff to freely rotate between a 150-seat presentation space, learning studios and subject-specific lab spaces throughout the course of a class period.
By Towill Design Group
Photography by Steve Bull
Engineering, Teaching and Research Laboratory, USQ Springfield
The vision for this dwp project is to sustainably morph a utilitarian building into a 21st century vision for on-campus teaching and research for the University of Southern Queensland.
The solution realised by dwp makes a dramatic statement celebrating its ‘Engineering’ purpose by having expressive structural engineering, a celebration of the essential fume hood services, and exposed building services throughout.
The building has two main facades, one to the campus centre, and one to the ring road. A building that successfully presents both an outward civic presence and an active pedestrian campus frontage. The building is composed with large swatches of bold colour, dramatised with the application of a strong dynamic linear metallic cladding. The building achieves a dynamic design aesthetic, addressing passive solar control in a sustainable and creative way within a constrained budget.
By dwp Australia Pty Ltd
Photography by Scott Shirley
Paroo Civic & Community Enterprise Centre
Nestled on the Warrego River in Outback Queensland, Cunnamulla acts as the heart of the region, and now has a brand-new hub to not only facilitate its community but empower them with access to new opportunities. The Paroo Civic & Community Enterprise Centre replaces the existing council building and adds extra amenity with flexible facilities.
The revitalisation of this key building in the greater precinct breathes new life into the community. Awnings draw shade to the area, with the neighbouring landmark “Princess Anne Tree” highlighted and celebrated.
The form and materials of the building act as a stimulus to embrace the community, with the feature clocktower creating a new landmark for the town. The building reflects the cultural heritage of the Indigenous community as well as Cunnamulla’s art deco architecture. With a civic face and community heart, the building’s architecture has its DNA in Australian rural architecture.
By Elia Architecture
Photography by Doug Fairclough
QUEENSLAND FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES SOUTH WESTERN REGIONAL HEADQUARTERS
The QFES South-Western Headquarters is a prototype facility for regional Queensland. It operates as a Regional Operations Centre during disasters, receiving and analysing information and relaying it where needed, as well as providing administrative support, a triple-0 call centre and fire station.
Co-locating agencies has improved efficiency through sharing of intelligence, resources, and common facilities. This design succeeds giving each agency autonomy as well as opportunities to communicate, develop rapport and a shared culture.
The site and future development nearby were key drivers for architectural expression. It is sympathetic to its current rural context yet fits with the proposed industrial/commercial that will ultimately dominate.
Landscaping and the relationship with the building played an important part in grounding the facility into its environment while integrating opportunities to learn about indigenous fire-stick farming practices. This ties the facility to the landscape, first nations and current users making it a true community building.
By Sims White Architects
Photography by Salt Studios
Kingaroy Hospital Redevelopment
The Kingaroy Hospital Redevelopment is a new, 66-bed stand-alone clinical services building located on the site of the existing hospital. Delivering expanded clinical services including a new emergency department, acute inpatient unit (incorporating rehabilitation and mental health), operating suites, maternity unit, dialysis and chemotherapy services, outpatient consulting spaces and clinical support spaces.
The design facilitates inclusive, accessible and adaptable services that are set to meet future changing clinical needs without significant building modifications whilst prioritising the patient experience across key areas.
The complexities of maintaining the functional operations of the existing hospital during construction, required resolving numerous site wide and building service challenges and detailed co-ordination. Design solutions were continually balanced against the impacts and opportunities of the landscape to deliver integrated and enhanced site amenity.
The Kingaroy Hospital Redevelopment imbodies the community feel of the original hospital whilst creating a new identity as a civic hub in the region.
By Conrad Gargett
Photography by Angus Martin
Toowoomba House
The Toowoomba House sits on a large, gently sloping site under a remnant grove of enormous gum trees just north of Toowoomba with views across the Lockyer Valley towards Brisbane.
The project was conceived of as a quiet, horizontal shadow beneath the verticality of the gums above.
The house itself is pulled apart into a series of pinwheeling modules that serve to edit neighbours from the view and create a series of three courtyards of different orientations, scale and typology. These courtyards become flat areas within the natural slope of the site that are open to sunlight and the view, but protected from overlooking and the cold south easterly winds that blow up the valley.
At the centre of this plan is the key ‘room’ of the house – a protected courtyard with a sculptural fireplace at its heart and the canopy of the gums above as its ceiling.
By Nielsen Jenkins
Photography by Tom Ross
University of Queensland Gatton Campus Heart & Entry
The University of Queensland’s Gatton Campus has grown to be a key part of the university’s educational legacy and, through continual growth, provides critical research and education in the environmental and animal husbandry fields of expertise. Lat27 was engaged to develop and implement a design for the arrival precinct and central spine with a vision to strengthen the connections between the campus’s historic and contemporary fabric; enhancing the sense of arrival and creating an activated and enhanced heart.
The built outcome has delivered a vibrant central green heart that unifies the campus and is complement by new activated places for outdoor learning and social gathering.
By Lat27
