JWA wins Interior Award
Interior Design Award
The striking interior of the Queensland Brain Institute, a research facility at the University of Queensland designed by JWA, has recently won the Interior Design Insitute award for Best Public Building of 2008. The project was produced in association with Wilson Architects in Brisbane.
Client Brief
Our clients, The University of Queensland and QBI, required a new research facility dedicated to understanding the brain. The brief was to house a remarkably broad gathering of the scientific community including researchers, associated schools, centres, institutes and commercial bodies.
Design Competition
JWA,with Wilson Architects, won a national design competition in 2004 for this project with our theme for ‘A Theatre for Research’ that would encourage the fertile cross pollination of ideas hoped to be an outcome of the finished building.
Ideas
• Exaggerate the visibility of research activity, placing the laboratories on display.
• Elevate circulation routes from the prosaic to become lively promenades.
• Create informal conversation spaces for conducting ‘accidental research’ in a more social environment.
• Allude to an archaeological segment from a Roman theatre as a place for the exchange of ideas and conversation.
• Integrate vertical shade fins to protect windows from low incident sun and create a varying texture
• Democratise the uppermost level, with views, terrace, lecture theatre, social indoor spaces and seminar rooms given over to all building occupants.
Location
Queensland Brain Institute | The University of Queensland
Upland Road, St Lucia, Queensland
Timeline
2004–2007
Partnership
John Wardle Architects in association with Wilson Architects