Stewart Architecture has designed Canberra’s first cross-laminated timber (CLT) office building.
To be built at 23 National Circuit, the six-storey office will sit within a precinct of innovative new offices, across the road from the Realm Precinct and Hotel Realm, also designed by Stewart Architecture, and next to Little National Hotel by Redgen Mathieson (now Mathieson Architects).
The architecture practice noted in a statement that the CLT structure will “hover” above the ground, with large sections of floor-to-ceiling glazing highlighting the timber structure behind.
“The simple, crisp design highlights the inherent beauty of the timber, visible through a predominantly transparent glass facade,” said Stewart Architecture associate Sasha Lesiuk. “The building talks to the street and will act like a lantern within the Barton landscape.”
An intimate, landscaped forecourt will provide a meeting place at the front of the building, while there will also be end-of-trip facilities for cyclists and an exterior green wall on the north-western facade. The building is targeting a 5.5 Nabers Energy rating and a 6-star Greenstar rating.
Stewart Architecture noted that the design responds to the changing nature of workplaces.
“We’re seeing a shift towards more lifestyle-oriented workplaces,” said director Felicity Stewart. “Tenants are looking for comfortable work environments which are high amenity and promote wellness. Research shows that timber environments impact users physically, lowering our heartrate and positively influencing our emotional state.”
The project is scheduled for completion in 2023.
