AUSTRALIAN CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY
2010
AUTHORITY:
North Sydney Council, Roads & Traffic Authority, Building Owners, Client Peak Body
CONSULTANTS:
Compliance, Structural, Quantity Surveyor, Services
DESCRIPTION:
The new Physiotherapy School at North Sydney for ACU was a fit-out within existing leased premises and required Anatomy, Muscular Skeletal, Neuro, Cardio Respiratory and PC2 Laboratories, preparation and storage facilities, seminar and tutorial rooms, break out spaces and student common & dining room, offices and meeting rooms.
PROJECT INFORMATION:
DTB’s role was to design and document the project for construction and provide assistance during the fit out construction. It included the interior design scope and full coordination of structural and services consultants under the direction of the Project Manager.
Site conditions and additional safety requirements of the building owners necessitated a number of revisions to construction methodology. Partial closure of the Pacific Highway being limited to Sunday evenings and base building defects impacted on program and cost.
UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY
BOSCH BUILDING
2009-2010
AUTHORITY:
Client, Federal Government
CONSULTANTS:
Mechanical, Laboratory Gas, Electrical, Hydraulic, Quantity Surveyor
DESCRIPTION:
Serving undergraduates from 2nd and 3rd years in Bachelor of Medicine, Pharmacology and general Science the 1970’s laboratory was required to be refurbished for the 21st Century.
Providing facilities for and increase in the number of students able to conduct experiments on human and non-human tissue in small practical groups. The requirement was to improve integration of teaching, demonstrating, practicing and learning by creating a more functional layout with improved technology and to make the facilities safer and more comfortable for staff and students and result in excellent user feedback.
PROJECT INFORMATION:
DTB were commissioned for the conceptual design, design development & construction documentation, assistance during construction tender, head consultant during construction and for provision of as-builts on completion.
The construction period was limited to 10 weeks at the mid year break with the space being vacated in the week prior to construction commencement. Budget being provided by a Federal Government Fund was being closely monitored and scrutinised by the Federal Government. In addition to the normal building and operating standards and compliances, strict compliance was required under human and animal ethical standards. The physical constraints of the existing building and its services were an additional constraint on the project.
LOCATION:
University of Sydney, Anderson Stuart Building
Vesalian Lecture Theatre & Laboratories
DATE:
2016-Current
AUTHORITY:
University of Sydney
CONSULTANTS:
Acoustic, Audio Visual, BCA, Fire Engineer, Heritage, Mechanical, Electrical
DESCRIPTION:
The building houses the Sydney Medical School Discipline of Anatomy and Discipline of Physiology. It has been in continuous use for medical research and teaching since its construction in the 1890’s. The exterior fabric of the building has remained mostly intact. However the interior has been subject to internal subdivision.
The upgrade has converted the Vesalian theatre into a minimum 130 seat lecture theatre, with a flat floor section to be used as a demonstration platform for wet specimens. The audio visual system is required to transmit to secure locations on and off campus. Under-seating storage will accommodate anatomical specimen fridges and ventilation tanks and be super ventilated for the high formaldehyde exposure levels.
The Retzius Lab is being upgraded to produce new flexible use, technology enabled teaching spaces as the Anatomy Teaching Dry Laboratory. The architectural brief included fixed and loose furniture and fitments, new finishes, services upgrades and new openings to adjacent rooms to enable the spaces to function together.
The Anatomy Teaching Wet Laboratory is being upgraded to accommodate eighty students around ten anatomy tables for Anatomy practicals and self-initiated learning. The space will also be used to conduct training workshops by the Australian Medical Forum. Adjacent spaces are required to house an Advanced Microsopy officer and a Biostatics Officer.
PROJECT INFORMATION:
Currently at Construction Handover stage DTB’s involvement in the construction process has been constant and vital to enable fast-tracked response to planning changes that the “hidden surprises” that compromised heritage buildings contain. The added value in being able to respond quickly to site related issues will be the ability to retain and celebrate significant heritage features within the sterile environment of the spaces.
UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY
BLACKBURN BUILDING
2007
AUTHORITY:
University of Sydney, Office of the Gene Technology Regulator
CONSULTANTS:
Architectural, Services Engineering, Structural Quantity Surveyor
DESCRIPTION:
The brief required the upgrade of three existing rooms on Level 6 of the Blackburn Building to form a suite of PC2 laboratories for the Department of Infectious Diseases. The laboratories were required to be use primarily for research to accommodate the new Bosch Chair of Infectious Diseases.
PROJECT INFORMATION:
The project generally required new benching and joinery, all new services (except mechanical), fume cupboards and biosafety cupboards. New services included electrical distribution boards, gas and water, Exit lights, EWIS, thermal detection and removal of some asbestos lagging on hydraulic services. Schematic design and design and documentation were required to be completed within 6 weeks.
UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY
BLACKBURN BUILDING
2008
AUTHORITY:
University of Sydney, Office of the Gene Technology Regulator
CONSULTANTS:
Architectural, Electrical, Hazardous Materials, Hydraulics, Mechanical, Structural and Quantity Surveyor
DESCRIPTION:
DTB Architects were required to work with Facilities Management, Stakeholders and Laboratory Managers to determine how three medical laboratories (preparation, research and teaching) and their ancillary spaces (preparation rooms and storage) could be upgraded to comply with Work Health and Safety standards. Some laboratories with original building features could not be made to comply with the current Laboratory Code and meet the requirements of a modern medical teaching facility and retain the original features at the same time.
PROJECT INFORMATION:
The laboratories all required certification under the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator to Physical Containment Level 2 (PC2). Thus requiring greater attention to detailing and finishes with a view to elimination or minimisation of surfaces which would be absorptive or attract collection and retention of dust and dirt.
All laboratories and their ancillary spaces required demolition of internal walls, complete strip out of fixtures, facilities and redundant services, construction of new walls, benching, joinery, new air conditioning and reticulation of new services, new flooring and painting.
