NORMAN DISNEY YOUNG

e + architecture wanted to ensure that this office represented a model for future developments by their client, Norman Disney and Young – a multi-disciplinary building services consultancy and leader in ESD, whose project brief included the achievement of a Green Star rating of 5 for the  “Design’, ‘Interiors’ and ‘As Built’ categories. Within the perimeter of an existing engineering foundry, volume, materials and colour have been employed to express the client’s corporate image while the stairs have been designed using a skin of tensioned wires as a balustrade. This combines with the open plan office to promote physical and visual interaction. To create an indoor oasis, the break-out area was given the colours of greens, yellows and browns while custom designed lights feature scenes from the city’s botanical gardens. To facilitate components of the client’s philosophy such as training, research and technology, e+ architecture added value to the building’s services, exposing them as an on-site study medium for staff and clients and celebrating them aesthetically as an integral part of NDY’s role – contributing to the building’s restrained technical and industrial ambiance. The building has received a 5 Star Green Star rating for Design, As Built & Interior Categories. It was the first refurbished building in Australia to receive the Triple Award of 5 Star Green Star. The building is also currently tracking towards a 5 star NABERS Base Building Rating. The general office space can be easily reconfigured due to the ‘ceiling-less’ open plan layout and modular workstations & carpet. Excluding ceilings throughout most of the project also reduced raw material consumption. In addition to specifying low VOC paints, e+ architecture also ensured that no tints were used in the general paintwork to eliminate their associated VOC’s. Building materials were carefully selected, reducing their normal PVC content by more than 60%.  Landfill waste was reduced by re-using the perimeter walls of the existing building occupying the site as well as management procedures enabling 80% of construction waste to be re-used or recycled. e+ architecture specified acoustic and thermal insulation far exceeding building regulation requirements, with some insulation being specially manufactured to guarantee it contained zero Ozone Depleting Potential. ESD measures incorporated into the building services include chilled beams, zero ODP cooling equipment, small zone energy efficient lighting operating on motion detectors, solar hot water, reduced flow water fittings and rainwater harvesting. The design uses exposed services to showcase ESD initiatives for consideration by designers & developers at building design stage. To justify their inclusion in future developments, ongoing building monitoring substantiates the effectiveness of these measures and equipment. e+ architecture has been awarded a High Commendation for the Norman Disney and Young Headquarters at the 2009 National Interior Design Awards and the project was also short listed in the Interior Design Excellence Awards.