UTS Design & Architecture Building in Haymarket, Sydney Undergoes Significant Upgrade

29th January, 2010

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Located in Haymarket in the Sydney South CBD, is the Design and Architecture (DAB) building that forms part of the University of Technology. In early 2009 the DAB facility underwent a major upgrade, primarily in the Fabrication Workshop and Photomedia Laboratory. Gardner Wetherill Associates redesigned the space into modern environments suited to an internationally regarded and highly reputed institution.

BrandCulture was engaged to advise on the opportunity to make these spaces reflect contemporary technology and culture, then to design and manage production to the highest standards.

THE FABRICATION WORKSHOP

The workshop is divided into three main areas - a 24-hour studio, the laser room and the main workshop floor. For OH&S requirements, the 24-hour studio workshop and laser room were required to main a reasonably clear line-of-sight across the workshop. They also required a level of division so that occupants would not be continually distracted by other activities. As a visual tribute to modern architecture, a stretched plastic form was designed with a large dot screen running throughout to allow for visibility.

The main workshop floor required a clearly delineated walkway for safety reasons, with this feature becoming the key focus for the graphics wayfinding system. The system had to resolve two issues: to enable finding machines by number; and to lead the eye to cabinets displaying students work. The result pays tribute to modern iconic graphic styling with an engineering influence, featuring bold use of the flooring area, which became the focal point of this space.

PHOTOMEDIA LAB

Entering ‘through the lens', the floor measures the focal length, with a red ‘in view' line leading to three large, purpose-built light boxes displaying recent student works. Several walls are covered floor to ceiling with pin boards, used by students and teaching staff to review and collaborate on ideas and problem-solving techniques. These pin boards are etched with technical information used in photography, encompassing modern and traditional technology

Excerpt taken from the UTS DAB website 5.8.09

DAB is led by a senior executive consisting of the Dean, Prof Desley Luscombe, Associate Dean (Teaching & Learning), Louise McWhinnie, Associate Dean (Research), Dr Kees Dorst, and the Faculty Manager, Brian Glover.

The Faculty has three schools:

> School of Design, which provides specialist design education in visual communication, fashion & textiles, interior design, industrial design, photography and situated media, design management and animation
> School of Architecture, which leads and provokes the development of the architectural profession and its practices related to digital technologies
> School of the Built Environment, which engages the broad range of professional activities in the built environment: planning, development, construction, investment appraisal, project and urban estate management, and property economics.

The Faculty also has an active research culture, which provides cooperation across the three Schools and encourages external partnerships through its research centres. Creative research and exhibitions in the Faculty are uniquely supported by DAB Lab.

Read more: University of Technology Sydney, Design and Architecture

This article was written by and sourced from Brandculture: http://brandculture.com.au/