City of Sydney
Entry in invited 'Design Excellence' Competition

2005
The competition was for design of the façade of a new urban substation on a prominent site adjacent to the elevated Western Distributor freeway. The constraints of the 10 storey high envelope were very rigid, with an erratic but non-negotiable arrangement of ventilation openings and over-sized transformer access doors needing to be accommodated.

The design strategy was very simple: to form a robust glazed brick base, then wrap the rest of the building with a flexible louvre system. A large illuminated display frame faces the freeway, fitted with a back-lit transparency of a major artwork to promote a cultural institution or event. Since the façade system was well under budget; the money saved would have sponsored changing displays to promote the cultural life of the city.