Project Overview
Located in the Sandringham Village, the new Bayside Police Station houses a force of approximately 100 personnel encompassing units from the Traffic Management; Uniform Branch; Crime Investigation and Regional Response Unit. The facility also includes crime desks, custody facilities, and station administration. The building provides a new and effective spatial platform for a diverse range of operations under one dynamic and cohesive unit.
With its functional and visual relevance the design aspires to enhance the level of vibrancy and quality of life by providing a building that is environmentally sustainable, operationally effective and appropriately scaled to its surrounds.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
Structural and Civil Engineer (including stormwater) - Taylor Thomson Whitting
Mechanical, Electrical, Lighting, Communication, Security, Hydraulic, Fire & Vertical Transportation - BRT Consulting
Landscape Architect - Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp
Acoustic Engineer - Watson Moss Growcott Associates
Building Surveyor - PLP Building Surveyors
Quantity Surveyor - Turner & Townsend Construction and Management Consultants
Access - Morris Godding Accessibility Consulting
Environmental Consultant - Irwin Consult
Traffic Consultant - Arup
Town Planning - Davis Langdon
Geotechnical Engineer - Douglas Partners
Project Brief
The brief required the design of a 24 hour Police Station, consolidating three existing stations, to more effectively serve the public, whilst providing state of the art facilities for police. The Police Station was to also encourage maximum interaction with the community to which they serve. The brief included the provision of contemporary office accommodation, flexible training and meeting facilities, gym, interview rooms and operational facilities. The building was also to be designed to enable maximum flexibility for workplace and technological changes as well as being open and inviting.
The proposed building is representing a contemporary building that reflects the needs and opportunities of policing in the 21st century whilst ensuring scale, proportions, colours and materials are appropriate within the immediate streetscape.
Project Innovation / Need
The building has been designed to incorporate the following opportunities and design objectives: To create an inviting civic building that clearly articulates a police presence as a natural part of the local community it serves. Great care has been taken to ensure the mass and articulation of the building respects and sits comfortably within its surburban context.
The splayed form of the south facade has been carefully designed to offer a welcoming expansive gesture to the community while articulating the materiality of the street; terra cotta, timber and glass. The dramatic form offers a clarity of entry and offers glimpses of the police at work.Clear circulation throughout the station via a dramatically naturally-lit internal atrium featuring local Victorian timber-veneers and a photographic artwork representing the history of policing in the Bayside area. The space creates a transition zone allowing for maximum interaction between staff and general public. Conference and meeting rooms located to be easily accessible from central atrium spaces. External glazing to the east, west and north facades have been cleverly shaded by a delicate louvered veil encapsulating a lush garden creating a green interface between the station and surrounding residential context. The western facade has been designed adhering to passive sustainable design principles with minimal glazing while creating a high level of texture. Native vegetation has been utilised in the external landscape along with water-sensitive urban design features throughout. The Bayside Police Station is designed to reflect the highest level of contemporary Police operations.
Design Challenge
The overall design response has not just restricted itself to issues relating to the building, but has reflected upon local climatic conditions and the long term impact of the development. Considerable attention has been given to provisions that could be made within the development to ensure its ongoing energy efficiency and environmental responsiveness.
The new Bayside Police Station, with its functional and visual relevance and impact on the vicinity, must be critically considered in its context in regards to the livelihood and vibrancy of the existing precinct and residential areas.
The design of the facility aspires to enhance the vibrancy and quality of life to its surrounds by providing a building that is environmentally sustainable, operationally effective and appropriately scaled.
Seen as an opportunity, the building explores ways of conveying a method of operational transparency whilst maintaining utmost security of sensitive and critical areas. As a result, the cleanly composed thresholds of the facades of the police complex are inviting and engaging towards the onlooking public.
Sustainability
A key objective for this project was to establish an Australian excellence standard of environmentally sustainable design. Sustainable design elements was viewed as important within this project as the Victoria Police are a role model in all aspects for the wider community. As such the Environmentally Sustainable Design took a holistic approach.
fjmt’s ESD approach was generated from a number of key design principles: a strong understanding of the urban context, the functional brief, reducing the reliance on traditional energy sources, and maximising the use of natural light, water, heating and ventilation. The design seeks to establish a contemporary sense of place providing an open and inviting “public” facility with strong connection to its setting.
ESD initiatives include Lighting Control System; External Shading Devices; Landscaping with native planting; Thermal Mass Materials; Water Harvesting; Solar Hot Water; Waste and Recycling Initiatives as well as Roof and wall insulation designed to minimise heat gain in summer and heat loss in winter.
fjmt have sought to maximise natural light into all work areas and provide as much induced local and native greenery into the perimeter as possible in order to provide a comfortable and optimum level of working environment. Green vegetation on the periphery provides an engaging visual aspect from the internal spaces outwards while acting as subtle privacy screens from the exterior. A prominent central atrium provides subtle south facing natural daylight into the building, creating a sense of openness when one enters the building.
Tags
Architecture - Commercial - Constructed
This award recognises the design process and product of planning, designing and constructing form, space and ambience that reflect functional, technical, social, and aesthetic considerations. Consideration given for material selection, technology, light and shadow. The project must be constructed.
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