Woodhead have been recognised for a second time at the Design Institute of Australia (DIA) Awards in Western Australia. Woodhead design for the Edith Cowan University Lecture Theatre won the ‘Commendation’ award in the Interior Spaces under public buildings category.
Woodhead also received commendation for the office fitout for Perth Airport, at the hkew Alpha building in the Interior Spaces, Corporate category. The design of these projects are prime examples of how Woodhead’s design philosophy, which aims to capture a sense of place whatever the portfolio or location can be successfully applied.
The Edith Cowan University Lecture Theatre was designed to be instantly recognisable from other buildings on the campus and played a central role in connecting students with the nearby library and harmonising with the existing built form of the campus.
The distinctive shape of the building was derived from detailed studies into acoustics. The internal space of the lecture theatre was sculpted to optimise natural voice amplification, to clearly resonate outwards from the lecturer into the theatre.
Framed by an external forecourt and featuring an exhibition foyer, 375 tiered seats and the latest in teaching and learning technology, the building’s prominent position makes it a landmark building on the campus. The theatre space was the catalyst for the project and it is the heart of the building.
The remaining spaces including the foyer, control rooms and toilets plug into the perimeter, through the clear separation of elements, the distinctive ten sided form is expressed. The articulation of the theatre massing has been enhanced further by the manipulation of the building’s ancillary spaces; control rooms, ante and store rooms as a physical buffer between the theatre and the foyer.
The ergonomic design of desks and seating, ratios of floor area usage per person as well as direct visibility of the projection surface and individual comfort factors were investigated before the radial and tiered seating plan was developed.
The graphical treatment of the walls acts as chevrons to direct people into the building. From a distance they direct the ‘reader’ into the upper and lower foyers, but when read at close proximity, they direct towards the internal theatre entrance doors.
The foyer attached to the lecture theatre is an integral part of the building and functions as an inter median filter between the theatre and external surrounds. Designed as an informal learning area, the engaging space accommodates furniture elements, which through a variety of configurations enables either self-directed or collaborative learning. Further, the space has been designed as an overflow tutorial area, with the clean treatment of the eastern wall designed as a projection surface.
Through the expansive glass façade, the foyer has a strong visual connection with the forum space and the library beyond. The sliding glazed panels of the foyer can be opened up to connect the covered external forecourt, accommodating exhibitions and functions for up to 375 people.
The forum, nestled between the lecture theatre and library, is protected from the elements. It invites users to take advantage of the space, allowing for formal and incidental interaction and communication. Students are encouraged to engage with soft and hard landscape elements and to use it as a meeting place, recreation space and event space.