New Zealand Commercial Design Trends Series NZ Commercial Design Trends Vol. 35/01C | Seite 18

Project
VicRoads building
Location:
Sunshine, Melbourne
Architect:
Gray Puksand
LEADING PRESENCE
Sculptural, dynamic and responsive to its setting, the new VicRoads building
is the leading light in the resurgence of Melbourne’s Sunshine district
Sunshine is a suburb of Melbourne that has
been under-developed and languishing over recent
years. However, the new VicRoads building offers a
key component to the regeneration of the suburb.
Adjacent to the Sunshine Railway Station, the
seven-level building was designed by architects
Gray Puksand for developer Crestwood Park. The
VicRoads building stands tall as the first-comer in
a retail strip that will provide the catalyst for the
redevelopment of the entire precinct to a priority
zone within the Melbourne metropolitan area, says
Gray Puksand’s partner in charge Nik Tabain.
“Located on a critical axis and a prominent island
site, the building was designed to be viewed from
all sides. The dynamic shapes of the white pre-cast
concrete façade were inspired by the continuous
look of a circuit board and also provide a sense of
flowing roads – a nod to the naming and principle
search | save | share at
tenant, VicRoads,” says Tabain.
Plus, the façade flares out to the west and east
of the building, creating a sense of openness and
activity on these important pedestrian frontages.
While texture and form play an integral part in
softening the impact of the building’s scale on the
landscape, it was the significant eucalyptus tree in
the adjacent carpark and the acknowledgement of
gum trees that would have been in the area prior
to Sunshine’s development as a residential and
industrial precinct, that inspired the vibrant colours
selected for the powdercoated sunshades.
“The tree’s sheer size and importance to the
local community also meant the building had to
be set back from the title line to protect its roots,”
Tabain says. “This solution was key to enhancing a
sense of arrival for staff and visitors, reinforces the
notion of movement and robustness, and results in