Jury citation
The Research School of Physics Stage 1 Building by Hassell is an exciting and extremely well-executed celebration of science at the Australian National University. It balances a complex technical brief with an innovative structural, servicing and formal solution to create laboratories that are on display to scholars and visitors (the “ballroom concept”); and work and teaching spaces that are light-filled, inviting and collaborative.
The formal organization and alignment of the building is well considered within the context of the ANU campus. The building is broken down lengthways into three long fingers to reduce its scale and to respect the existing figure-ground of the Cockcroft and Oliphant buildings. A love of physics is evident throughout the building, from the waves in the acoustic timber wall treatment and the external shading fins to the randomized patterns of seats in the main lecture hall. A spectacular lake view adds to the effect.
Research School of Physics Stage 1 Building, Australian National University is located in Acton, Australian Capital Territory on Ngunnawal and Ngambri Country.
Project credits
Architect: Hassell; Project team: Mark Roehrs, Mark Craig, Rohan Patil, Ben Wilson, George Hsieh, Peter Hastings, Emma Ludwig, Yann Frampton, Michael Copeland, Vinh Hua, Scott Segal, Troy King, Roseanna Blackie, Polina Radchenko, Samantha Barry, Keith Hayes, Hanna Bauer, Jeff Wen, Matthew Todd, Lucy Corones, Sophie Kebbell; Builder: Hindmarsh; Structural, civil and facade: Taylor Thomson Whitting; Mechanical, electrical, communications, security, lab gases, dry fire, vertical transport and ESD: Wood ; Hydraulic and wet fire: Rimmington and Associates; Acoustic and vibration consultant: Acoustic Studio; Building certification and DDA: CBS Canberra; Fire engineer: Warringtonfire; Dangerous goods: CETEC; Signage and wayfinding: ID Labs; Quantity surveyor: Rider Levett Bucknall; Landscape architecture: Hassell.
