The angles of the brick panels were carried through the entire design, providing an exciting internal space, allowing the existing tree to have more space, and providing the carparking spaces for good measure.
After a round trip of inspecting ANZ Banks I looked at the site. A main road (Hoddle Street) with the long side facing West. This exposure to the Western sun was creating a difficulty, as the Bank was looking for an "open" facade. The surrounding shops and terrace type buildings had a "serrated" skyline, which is typical for the streetscape of the area.
The final design included
tall prestressed brick panels placed on an angle to shield the windows on
the West side from the sun until very late in the afternoon. They extended
beyond the roof in order to simulate the neighbouring skyline.
The angles of the brick
panels were carried through the entire design, providing an exciting internal
space, allowing the existing tree to have more space, and providing the carparking
spaces for good measure.
The second storey did
not have to be extended over the whole area, creating the opportunity for
an impressive double-storey banking hall.
An interesting historic
discovery was made during excavation. A very large brick stormwater drain
went through the site, and only the oldest man in the Council was aware of
it. Nobody knew whether it was still in use, so we bridged the building's
substructure across it .
Design is not just shape, it is the development of a functional building to fit the owner's requirements into an envelope, using to advantage the opportunities as well as the restrictions specific to the site and to the brief.
