Telephone +61 7 3844 1362
studio@shanethompson.com.au
47 Wahcumba St, Dutton Park
PO Box 1170 Fortitude Valley
Queensland 4006 Australia
The Innovation Centre combined a 1200 square metre small business incubator facility (primarily for information technology companies) with a 2200-seat flat floor auditorium which can be divided into three halls. It was designed to accommodate both university and private functions and exhibitions.
The design evolved around an idea for a single large sheltering roof, which simultaneously achieved minimum roof falls, kept wall heights down for economy and reduced the perceived scale of the 100-metre long building. Most importantly, the roof transformed what is basically a large inexpensive shed into an evocative form, which met the university’s brief for a building of clearly identifiable character.
A consistent materiality works with the roof to make a strong form that is nestled into the landscape. The three thermal stack chimneys on the roof are clad in transparent fibre glass and are part of the passive ventilation system cooling the incubator offices in lieu of air-conditioning. Together with the extensive sun-shading systems, they are integral to the sustainable design principles incorporated into the building. At night, the internally-lit chimneys become lanterns.