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Suburban offices are the lifeblood for many
builders, but much less so architects. This
absence of design shows. Good architectural
DNA is never accidental, so much as a deliberate
effort to rise above mediocrity.
The special effort to create workplaces that
transcend the banal and dreary is rewarded
in so many ways. Not least for passers-by who
quickly discern the difference between trash
and treasure. Employees deserve better and the
interest in sustainability is no longer just energy
ratings and operating costs, but workplace
culture and the ergonomics of well-being.
S
uburban and commercial shopping strips are realising
the benefits where the legacy of built form is an
inheritance rather than penalty. A few hours drive east
of Melbourne, Traralgon is a thriving regional town with
a population of 24,000 and spread of Victorian-era civic
highlights—its 130 year-old Post Office for instance is a
show-stopper.
Much more recent development however, is nothing
if not pragmatic. This makes the addition of new offices
by local architect, Gerhard Giedrojc all the more notable
and the result of the considered, rather than hurried,
discounted hand.
The result blends aesthetics and function and returns
to the street, rather than drain it of interest. A multi-hued
Viridian sourced glass façade has nothing to do with the
one-trick, 1980s mirrored boxes. Instead the coloured
performance glazing, central set-back and pavement
connections all speak of a lively interaction. If only
the metal entrance canopy was a more sympathetic fit
—a fritted glass projection perhaps?
PROJECT
Offices, Traralgon, VIC
ARCHITECT
Gerhard Giedrojc
INTERIOR FITOUT
(GROUND FLOOR & LEVEL 1)
GHD
PRINCIPAL GLAZING
Viridian Bronze, SuperBlue,
SuperGreen™ DGU’s,
ComfortPlus™
TEXT, IMAGES & FILM
Peter & Jenny Hyatt
CORE PRODUCTS
ENERGY
NOISE
CLEAR VISION
DECORATIVE
BUSHFIRE
STRUCTURAL
STORM
SECURITY