Location and Climate

Climate

Macroclimate

The building is located on the Sunshine Coast, where the macroclimate is moderate. This means that it has predominantly a warm and temperate climate with hot humid conditions in the summer. Winter conditions are typically clear and sunny with high solar radiation level whilst in summer the cloud cover moderates the solar radiation. The climate is considered to be composite consisting of subtropical conditions in some parts of the year. The noticeable under heating period in winter is off set by high levels of solar irradiation in the winter months. The challenging aspects of this type of climate is that whilst 50 percent of the year the climate external to the building is within the comfort zone, there are both over heating and under heating periods which can give discomfort to the occupants.

Microclimate

The microclimate is influenced by the way prevailing winds are enhanced for summer cooling and reduced for winter heat loss. In summer the favourable wind direction is northeast, with easterly onshore morning breezes, and westerly offshore breezes in the evening. Wind speed is lower in the mornings and increases during the day. In winter, cool breezes from the southeast and west create a significant cooling problem. Shelterbelts, which provide a microclimate from these winds, are advisable. These shelterbelts should allow solar access to address the winter cooling problem. The annual heating degree-days can be reduced significantly if a favourable microclimate for the building is created.

Site

The site is located on the coastal belt about five kilometres from the Pacific Ocean on 100 Ha of rural land near Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast. This part of SE Queensland lies on the latitude of 26 degrees South. The site of the university has a slightly sloping topography in a zigzag form. The site is low lying and much of the original Tea Tree forest has been retained. Residential zoned land lies to the southeast and southwest with light industrial development to the other areas.

Architecturally the site forms a plane on which the buildings are strategically placed to take advantage of the natural environment.

Master Planning

The master plan was developed through consultation with the University by architects Mitchell/Giugola and Thorpe in conjunction with local architect Geoffrey Pie Architect and Planners. The master plan is based on extensive bioclimatic and environmental analysis of the University requirements and the site characteristics. The environmental analysis has some similarities to an environmental impact statement for the campus. The statement is followed by the planning document, which derives the criteria for building design from this analysis. This master planning approach is a useful template for designers to establish environmental constraints and opportunities for large-scale development.

Four planning criteria were established from the analysis, which were intern used to evaluate the design proposals for the layout of buildings. These are as follows:

1     An ability to create a sense of place and an identity for the new campus within the early phases of development;
2     A capacity to order, within a comprehensive but flexible plan, long term growth and change;
3     The use of land in a conservative manner, and
4     The support of passive environmental design principles for all campus buildings.
The planning arrangement developed which comprises a linear arrangement of open and built space with a long axis orientated perpendicular to the northeast. This led to an optimum orientation for buildings to allow solar access in winter and cooling sea breeze in summer. In addition, the entrance to the campus is anchored to a large stand of trees located to the northeast and is terminated in a proposed lake to the southeast.

The use of natural features is intended to create a sense of memory from the surroundings. The arrangement of the buildings follows a similar respect for the natural environment. The Jeffesonian model used to organise the disposition o buildings establishes a rhythm of built and open space as well as a hierarchy in the building typology. This establishes an interesting opportunity for the building designers to relate formal architectural issues with those of environmental sustainable design.

The key aspects of the Jeffesonian planning model were derived from the work of Thomas Jefferson for the University of Virginia. The characteristics that were adopted from this historical model are as follows:

• Linear form with a central common space open green space
• Building entrances face the green space
• Provide a framework growth in the number of buildings and facilities
• Distances between buildings across the green space is base on homocentric criteria, ie human scale and visual recognition, people can recognise each other from one side of the space to the other.
• Three storey height limit
• Recognition of the importance of indigenous landscape and biodiversity
• Access of buildings to natural elements for cooling and heating
• Planning of pedestrian circulation through arcades and circulation routes with a maximum travel distance, between the limits of the campus, of five minutes.
• Perimeter location of car parking and residential accommodation
• Provide a sense of community and focus in the region

The overall character of the master planning strategies is to create an open plane on which the buildings are located. Landscape elements in the green space are limited with an emphasis on vista and views to and through buildings. This provides an equal opportunity for buildings to access for light and breeze for environmental control purposes. This is important given that the building briefs require the use of passive principles where possible for environmental control purposes

Building Sitting and Layout

The building occupies the entire site area designated by the master plan and in doing so a central courtyard, occupying approximately a one third of the building footprint, is created. The building is orientated perpendicular to 15 degrees north of northeast. It is located to the northeast of the central green space zoned in the master plan. This building maximises building frontage to the central campus space. The environmental effect of this approach has some advantages and disadvantages.

The building creates a two-storey form to accommodate the spatial requirements requested in the brief. This is in contrast with other buildings on the campus. These have a linear form and are three storeys in height. The disadvantage is that it increases the frontage of the building exposed to the east and west; these orientations receive high levels of heat gain from low altitude solar access is a consequence. The envelope design consequences required a defence for this negative environmental aspect and provided a challenge to the designers. This inturn has created innovative solutions to the envelope design.