Charles Wright Architects Pty Ltd
Architectural in Cairns

Tropical & contemporary residential architecture - charles wright architects pty ltd charles wright architects pty ltd is a contemporary design practice with offices in melbourne, victoria and port douglas, queensland. We are a company with fresh perspective and specialist technological capabilities to develop iconic and sustainable solutions to complex problems. We possess award winning major project experience - at the forefront of environmentally sustainable design (esd) and driven toward carving out a new direction for a progressive architecture.

We sited the new building to straddle and activate the pedestrian promenade linking the gardens with the Arts center, acting as an open and compliant conduit into the interpretive and per formative spaces. The design centered on producing an integrated tropical design which made the most of the spontaneous amenity of the region as healthy as creating a collaborative and energetic learning community within. These spaces were then wrapped around a central community atrium forum, bringing natural light deep within the building, connecting the upper levels and ground floor together and producing a civic space for everyone to meet. The upper slick labor spaces were designed as a continuous and collaborative learning environment with student and teaching spaces spilling into each other. The ground floor plane with operable walls and glazed opening were designed to permit teaching to spill into the central forum and spill out into the outer landscape. Light throughout the levels is delivered through a central light well. Efficient planning ensures each room has sufficient access to instinctive light and greenery aspects. Extensive research was undertaken to explore and thrive low maintenance and carbon impartial energy use technologies, low embodied energy building fabric solutions, cyclone proofing engineering for the project and a focus on low impact site implementation strategies. Through the adoption of robust sustainable technologies, we were qualified to significantly lessen the running cost and maintenance programs for the project whilst providing for a world class exemplar tropical BSD solution. The intention was to create low impact on surrounding environment yet tall profile outcome serving the client to meet potential market expectation and providing users with sustainable luxury in the form of a progressive tropical architecture. Integration of Allied Disciplines was critical to the thriving delivery of our vision for the project and its advanced sustainability initiatives. Sustainability: From the outset we focused on Adaptive Reuse of the decommissioned Nursing Home wings All rainwater is harvested for reuse, all windows are shaded with feature facade systems and landscape designed to contribute to yielding building operation with indigenous selections. Response to Client and User needs: Through the development of this ambulatory concern center, KDHS aims to ensure tall quality health care is delivered to the people of Kyneton and surrounding areas in an integrated fashion at the local level. Public and Cultural Benefits: The school engaged us with the view to utilizing our design as an opportunity for architecture to aid with re branding, marketing and changing culture on campus. Relationship of Built Form to Context: With a permeable ground plane, the science facility acts as an unfold conduit with direct covered links through to the rest of the campus. All Services in the building are exposed which needed intense cross collaboration from all allied disciplines. Sustainability: As a new Science facility, sustainability was cored to the concept for the project. The roof area is harvested into a water tank for Frey water recycling and we utilized low energy LED fittings throughout along with low water usage plumbing fixtures. With insulated thermal mass engineering, the shaded tangible structure is ideal for the location due to its inherent lengthy life cycle efficiency and material properties to deal with the harsh, corrosive wet tropical environment. Response to Client and User needs: The School’s science facilities had not been updated since the mid 1980’s and they required a new building to cater for emerging technologies and temporary pedagogues in the STEM field. Conceptual framework: The building design represents a rethink and fresh direction for tropical architecture, moving away from the conventional building vernaculars toward fresh and progressive solutions that can be applied anywhere on a tropical latitude. Relationship of Built Form to Context: The building acts as an at tractor in its roadside location, whilst nestling up to the pristine rain forest with sheltered viewing platform and private verandas from which visitors can look out for the elusive tree kangaroos. Sustainability: The project features BSD initiatives including mixed mode air conditioning systems promoting automatic ventilation, low energy light stings throughou