THE SYDNEY MYER ASIA CENTRE


Another incredible building at Melbourne University, Designed by another famous Melbourne architect
Nonda Katsalidis of the firm, Nation Fender Katsalidis, also responsible for the Eurika Tower, The Sydney Myer is designed to compliment the Ian Potter Museum adjacent to it. An $18.5 million project, The building was constructed by Probuild Constructions, which in 2002, won the prestigious builders award, the Master Builders Association of Australia award for 'Excellence in New Construction $10-50 million'. Just like the Botany Annexe, this building again shows the level of architectural quality and building practise to create an iconic and beautiful building.

An interesting feature of this building, is actually visible in the detail where the frame of the stair case, acts as part of the wall, along with the glass.
Using several universal beams, Nonda Katsalidis uses the flanges bottom and top to butt up against the curtain wall of the facade. It adds the break in the facade, but amazingly becomes part of the overhanging area seen in the picture below.

The detail in a close up shows how the flange of the universal beam creatively acts as the break in the curtain wall, then extending to become the overhang of the building.

THE BOTANY ANNEXE, MELBOURNE UNIVERSITY

The Botany Annexe situated at Melbourne University, Is one of Melbournes prized buildings. It is part of the universities rich architectural history, with other buildings designed by world renowned architects. The Botany Annexe was designed by Melbourne based, Lyons Architects, and has won awards since construction commenced in 2001, and finished in 2002.
The Botany Annexe to me is a building that should be amired not only for its excellent design, but also the workmanship behind it. With details so exact, with no blemish and nail nailed wrong, this building depicts the meaning of true architecture.

There is a feature to this building that is often missed and not understood. This picture shows how the building intended to be, a seperate building itself. The building has been designed to show the break from one, into two. One side (as shown above and below) and another side that is designed 'seperately'. The fact that Lyons Architects actually seperate it is due to there being two branches of the faculty. A symbolic piece of architecture.


Not necessarily a blow up detail, but my intention was to show the incredible transitions between three different materials so precisely and beautifully. The level of attention behind a detail like this with water proofing, material protection, brick courses, and down to the structural details not seen, but evident that a close relationship and understanding between the architect, and builder is vital.