Oxfam Surface Walkers
Congratulations to our Surface Walkers!
Gavin MacPherson, Ajay Chouhan, Cathy McPherson, Kartika Putra.
This weekend despite muddy conditions all four members of the team began walking on Friday morning at the 3rd starting time of 10am and completed the 100km walk in 34hrs 43mins.
In total so far they have beat their target of $4,000 and raised $4,200 for Oxfam.
Thank you for all donations to date but if you would still like to, there is still time to donate to Oxfam for their achievement by following the link below to their team page.
https://trailwalker.oxfam.org.au/team/home/18309.
Oxfam Surface Walkers
Freefall Engineers Australia Competition
On 1 August 2014 the winners of the Freefall Engineers Australia Competition was revealed. We are pleased to announce that Surface Design’s project was chosen as one of ten out of thirty-three for an exhibition at the National Arboretum Canberra.
Freefall competition entrants were invited to design a new feature for the National Arboretum Canberra as a showpiece destination within the Freefall Pin Oak forest.
Our design incorporated inspiration from Australia’s contribution to science, technology and engineering combined with Aboriginal history of the area.
The structure acts as a swale crossing and viewing platform for both able and impaired pedestrians and a crossing for small vehicles. The spiral shape gently leads you up to two viewing platforms while taking you along a path with 360 degree views of the arboretum allowing the visitor to experience the complete surroundings.
It is designed for durability, with minimal impact on the environment by reusing materials where possible. Materials such as reclaimed telegraph poles, shipping container and reclaimed wood. Through the use of these materials, our hope is to add character and history to the structure and ultimately, to express the importance of preservation to the future.
Each of the columns both support the spiral walkway and provide information through interpretive symbols. Each interpretive panel is incorporated into the pole at various eye levels along the journey and will be of a variety of technologies explaining the past, present and options for the future of both the cultural element and contribution of Australian ingenuity to the world.
We send our congratulations to Bligh Tanner on their winning concept. We here at Surface Design are very proud of our achievement but aim to improve in our next competitive project.
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Oxfam Trailwalkers 2014 100KM
Last year, four staff at Surface Design took on the challenge of the 100km OXFAM Trailwalker. While we gave it everything only one of us completed the full distance. We all learnt a lot about team work and support.
Inspired by what Oxfam have done for others we have bolstered our support team and recruited one extra who along with three of the original crew are taking on the challenge again. This year we are determined to finish as a team and we would really appreciate your support in raising funds and raising awareness of Oxfam!
The walk will take place over the weekend of the 22nd to 24th of August, begins at Parsley Bay, Brooklyn and finishes at the Georges Heights Oval in Mosman. We are aiming to complete the walk in 32 hours without any injuries and hoping to raise over $4,000 to assist people living in poverty all over the world. Your donation enables Oxfam to continue its work in delivering projects that help improve Indigenous health and wellbeing in regional Australia, support orphans worldwide, educate people in Laos on efficient farming techniques and people affected by HIV and AIDS in Southern Africa.
We will be pushing ourselves to the limit to raise funds and help those less fortunate than ourselves and we would love your support!
If you would like to sponsor us please follow the link: https://trailwalker.oxfam.org.au/team/home/18
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Opening of QANTAS Hub
Witnessing the excitement of the new tenants of your project, the first time they enter their new workplace, is a unique experience. The first day of operation and the Official Opening of the Qantas Hub atrium coincided on the 31 January, allowing the designers, builders and management to witness the excitement of the new occupants. Surface Design were extremely proud to attend the opening, view the finished product and discuss the project with the team and the new tenants. Alan Joyce (Qantas CEO) cut the tape to the applause of over 2000 Qantas staff.
It has been an enjoyable project, we have created new, and developed existing relationships. We began work on the project in 2010, this is a founding project for Surface Design. We worked through design and construction with Qantas, APP (project manager), Architectus (architect), Enstruct (structural engineer) and FDC (builder). We extend our thanks to Enstruct for taking us under their wing and Architectus for supporting us during our formative project.
We hope that the opening marks an important epoch for Qantas, and that as new tenants of the facility sparks an enthusiastic, healthy and successful work environment.
Read more...Merry Christmas from Surface Design
From all of us at Surface Design, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Surface Design has continued our support for the Starlight Children’s Foundation. If you would like to find out more about the Starlight Foundation or donate, please click here.
We would like to thank you for your support throughout 2013 and look forward to working with you in 2014.
Surface Design Christmas 2013 from Surface Design on Vimeo.
Please note that our office will be closed for Christmas Break from the 20th of December 2013 until the 13th of January 2014
Read more...4 National Circuit wins at ACT Architecture Awards
At the recently conducted ACT Architecture awards, on June 22nd, ISPT Property’s 4 National Circuit Project, and the architect Fender Katsalidis, was awarded three awards, being:
– Canberra medallion (the territory’s highest architectural honour)
– Commercial architecture
– Sir John Overall Award for Urban design
Surface Design were engaged by ISPT and novated to Lend Lease as the façade consultant for the project, from concept design through to completion of construction.
We are proud to have been involved in this award winning project.
The full outcome of the awards can be found at the link below:
http://wp.architecture.com.au/act-awards/2013-awards/
Read more...Surface Design fit-out Achieves 6-Star NABERS
As a part of our ongoing commitment to sustainability, we have recently completed a National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS) energy assessment for our office fit out; achieving a total of 6 Stars (including 50% GreenPowerTM) or 5.5 Stars (not including GreenPowerTM). As defined by NABERS, this indicates ‘market-leading performance’
The details of our assessment can be found at the link below:
http://www.nabers.gov.au/public/WebPages/ContentStandard.aspx?module=30&template=2&id=311
Canberra Airport Opening
As part of the Canberra Centenary celebrations (March 8 – April 7 2013), Stage 2 of the new terminal at the Canberra International Airport will be opened to the public on March 13th.
The new works feature the 14m high glass fin supported frameless glazed façade, triangular glass bridge in the main lobby and hung glass airlocks; engineered by Surface Design.
Photos of the final works being completed on site can be found at the link below:
Read more...National Arboretum Opening Festival
The opening of the National Arboretum was celebrated at Tuggeranong Parkway, Weston Creek ACT on February 2nd 2013; in time for the beginning of the celebrations of the Canberra centenary. The Arboretum was originally envisaged by Walter Burleigh-Griffin, the designer of Canberra, 100 years ago and was finally put into development by the ACT government in 2005. The first plantings occurred in 2006 and the development of the site has culminated in the completion of the village centre in early 2013.
Information on the opening festival can be found on the link below
The Arboretum is now open to the public 7 days a week for walking tours and a range of events. Full details can be found at the website:
http://www.nationalarboretum.act.gov.au/home
Read more...One Central Park: Installation of First Cantilever Truss Frame
On 8th December 2012 Watpac Construction lifted and installed the first steel frame that will form the sky-garden and support the reflectors at One Central Park. This will form a unique architectural feature to the project including optimal views of the city, with a BBQ and recreational area.
Over the following week the installation of the rest of the frames will be completed.
Opening of Canberra National Arboretum Visitors Centre
On Saturday 24 November, the Arboretum will be hosting the 2012 Voices in the Forest event, followed by a dinner in the Visitor Centre. The dinner will be attended by a significant number of the people involved in the Arboretum, including the board, clients, builder, the project designers and Surface Design. This event is being viewed as an unofficial opening of the Visitor Centre. Anyone is welcome to attend and share in the celebration of this project.
Following is a link to the ticketing website. Please pass this suggestion along to anyone you think might be interested.
http://www.voicesintheforest.com.au/
Read more...Data Centres Win MBA Awards
Surface Design congratulate our partners Equinix, John Holland and Aurecon in winning ADAPTIVE RE-USE OF AN HISTORIC BUILDING over $20m for the design and delivery of 1960s Harry Seidler designed heritage listed government stores warehouse
Surface Design acted as the LEED Accredited Profession for the project and on behalf of both John Holland for construction and Aurecon for design working closely with the client. The project was awarded LEED gold rating earlier this year
This is a significant achievement as the project is the first data centre in Australia to achieve a LEED Gold rating. The award is particularly important in promoting the Sustainable Reuse of our existing building resources
See links
http://www.thesustainabilityreport.com.au/equinix-sydney-facility-receives-leed-certification/2582/
http://www.mbansw.asn.au/Excellence-Awards/EIC/2012/ENTRY-112/
Surface Design congratulates Lindsay Bennelong and FDC for the their MBA award in Communications Buildings for the Gore Hill Project. Surface Design has a long involvement in the Gore Hill site through various stages including providing advice on the building fabric for the Data centre
Read more...‘Kaleidoscope Cube’ Completed
The annual Sculpture by the Sea kicked off last weekend featuring over 100 sculptures lining the 2km Bondi to Tamarama coastal walk. Surface Design are proud to have helped with the engineering of “Kaleidescope Cube” a pod of 16 mirror-like towers designed by Alex Ritchie.
The sculpture consists of 16 columns positioned in a cube arrangement and cladded with a mirror-like composite panel. Located on the sands of Tamarama beach, the sculpture gives an interesting play with reflection and light appearing to dissolve with its surroundings.
Open from Thursday 18th of October to Sunday 4th November, make a day of it, the event is free.
http://www.sculpturebythesea.com/Home.aspx
Read more...GPT Fit-out Achieves 6 Star Green Star
The fit-out of the GPT headquarters has been awarded all six of the targeted Green Star stars. Located in the iconic MLC centre, which was constructed in the 1980’s, this landmark refurbishment employed innovative ideas and technologies in order to create an effectively carbon neutral working environment. More information on the GPT fit-out can be found on the projects page under sustainability.
http://www.gpt.com.au/news.aspx?urlkey=nm_news&newsid=41262
Read more...Independents Group
As Surface Design grows and develops we continue to create links and contacts throughout our industry and with academia.
We are participating in the ‘Independents Group’ (http://www.aaschool.ac.uk/STUDY/RESEARCHCLUSTERS/independents.php) set up by the Architectural Association School of Architecture (UK).
Our invitation to this association has been through the local ‘Independents Group’ team coordinated and led by the RMIT’s Spatial Information Architecture school (http://www.sial.rmit.edu.au/) in Melbourne.
We look forward to continuing our participation in this collaboration through input into innovative projects with the aim of benefiting society for the future.
Read more...Have you ever wondered…
We are committed to improving our understanding and using technology in our day to day work.
Surface Design has purchased a Spectrophotometer allowing us to provide our clients with a wider range of invaluable information about their projects.
The principle of Spectrophotometric analysis is that it measures the amount of visual light that is reflected from a particular sample surface.
These results can be used in the assessment of the colour of surface and its reflectivity.
The Spectrophotometer is portable and can be used to evaluate appearance and compliance of products such as paints/coatings, concrete, cementitious products, metals/metal finishes, plastics, timber products, ceramics and glasses.
Read more...MS Gong Ride
Surface Design participated and sponsored this year’s Sydney to Gong MS Ride from Sydney to Wollongong. The fundraising efforts of this event are vital to MS Australia and the people/families living with MS. The Gong Ride is more than just an important date on Sydney’s sporting calendar – it is also Australia’s biggest fundraiser for people with MS. Last year almost $4.1 million was directly fundraised by riders on the Gong Ride and this year’s target is $4.5 million.
For more information on this event check out the website http://www.gongride.org.au/about/about-the-ride.asp
Read more...Surface Design Fitout Achieves LEED CI-2009 Silver rating
We are pleased to announce that our Sydney fitout was awarded LEED Commercial Interiors -2009 Silver rating 
in October by US Green Building Council of Australia. This is a great achievement as we are one of the first fitouts in Australia to achieve this certified rating under the LEED-2009 suite of tools. This rating complements our 5 star Green Star Office Interiors v1.1 rating.
For anyone who is interested in finding out more on how to achieve LEED certified ratings please feel free to contact us directly on (02) 9249 1400.
Read more...Surface Design Presents at Ausfenex Conference
Beres Dowdle is presenting at Ausfenex Conference in September on the integration of sustainability in glass structures and buildings. The Ausfenex Conference is being held this year at Jupiters Casino in the Gold Coast and brings together the industry leaders in glass and glazing systems. The Ausfenex Confernce is a collaboration between the Australian Window Association (AWA) together with the Australian Glass and Glazing Association.
For further information we refer to http://www.ausfenex.com.au/.
For any parties interested in the obtaining a copy of the presentation please feel free to contact us on (02) 9249 1400.
Read more...External Presentation Series – Greenpeace
As part of Surface Design’s engagement with the greater Sustainabilty Community we have commenced presentation series and the first presenter was be Reece Turner from Greenpeace Australia.
Given the recent actions taken by Greenpeace in regards to Green Buildings we are interested in hearing their thoughts. The discussion forum was held on Wednesday 21 September and the attendenace included architectural firms, builders and engineers.
To find out more what Greenpeace are working on globally in regards to the timber industry we encourage clients and parties to visit: http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/files/swfs/forests/worldmap.swf
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