Denton Corker Marshall’s Broadway Building, UTS

 

Denton Corker Marshall's winning design features four tilted and skewed plates (one for each façade) that form the building’s envelope and mark the entrances by extending to grade. The building also features “gills" located on the surface of each plate to signify the designers’ vision of a living, breathing structure. Perforated aluminum sheets, serving as screens, are attached to the plates. Each screen is perforated with a series of 1s and 0s to resemble the binary sequence for "University of Technology, Sydney Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology," which makes it a one-of-a-kind addition to the campus.

The Broadway Building (ITE Building) has much more to offer than mere aesthetic appeal. Its internal design is as unique as its exterior. Spread over 27,000 sq. m. (approximately 290,625 sq. ft.), the Broadway Building's 16 levels (four below grade) will be able to accommodate 4,300 students and 500 faculty, as well as house research and teaching laboratories, lecture theaters, seminar rooms, academic and administration offices, and parking. The lower levels of the structure will be open to the public, with access gradually decreasing as the levels increase. Also, a pedestrian atrium will run vertically and horizontally throughout the building (representing the heart) that will enable UTS students and faculty to easily connect with the school’s surrounding neighborhood, as well as provide natural light.

In addition to revolutionary design, the Broadway Building will also be sustainable. Targeting a minimum 5-star Green Star rating (similar to LEED in the U.S.), the building is expected to deliver 30--45% energy savings, 20--30% potable water savings, and a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions when compared to similar educational facilities (the Broadway Building will be the first 5-Star Green Star building on the UTS campus). The building was designed for maximum access to daylight and fresh air to reduce dependence on artificial lighting and the use of air conditioning. It will also feature low-energy lighting, a double-glazed façade with night-purge opening panels, and an ultra-efficient under-floor air distribution system. The binary sequence perforating the exterior façade of the building also acts as a sustainable feature, as the 45% shading coefficient it will provide will result in energy savings of 10--15%.

Demolition, which included the removal of three existing buildings to make room for the structure, was completed in October 2010. Excavation efforts are scheduled to begin in January or February 2011. The project, which is estimated to be worth $170 million, is scheduled for completion in late 2012 or early 2013.