First Building, Bradfield City Centre
A state-of-the-art innovation hub with sustainability and First Nations culture built into its design.
The completed facility houses stage one of the Advanced Manufacturing Readiness Facility (AMRF)
Services (1)
Sectors
Location
Dharug Country, Bradfield City, NSW, Australia
Client
Bradfield Development Authority
Architect
Hassell
The First Building, housing stage 1 of the Advanced Manufacturing Readiness Facility (AMRF), is an innovation accelerator located in Bradfield City Centre (Dharug Country) in Western Sydney. It offers world-class shared facilities for advanced manufacturing technology, expertise, training, and networks. As the First Building in Bradfield City Centre, the building marks the creation of a new innovation-centric city in Australia and sets a benchmark for future development in the area.
Cundall's team provided sustainability advisory and peer review for the project’s sustainable design and Green Star Certification and modelling. The project is targeting a 6 Green Star Buildings v1 rating and is designed to accommodate a 5.5 Star NABERS Energy Rating. The building features an extensive green roof, photovoltaic panels with a capacity to generate 332MWh of energy, and responsible materials to limit upfront embodied carbon, including a timber frame and rammed earth walls manufactured from locally sourced material. The project incorporates principles of Designing with Country, celebrating local waterways and the Cumberland Plain, with rainwater harvesting, water sensitive urban design and native landscaping.
“Completion of the First Building is a key milestone for Bradfield City Centre, which is set to transform Western Sydney. Our team was engaged to ensure an additional element of rigour was applied to the project and to make sure the client’s high sustainability ambitions could be delivered.” Hannah Morton, Associate Director.
The First Building will form a hub for innovation with sustainability and connection to First Nations culture at its heart.
Awards
Most Outstanding Innovation Project
Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue
The building’s timber structure comprising prefabricated modular components that are mechanically fixed together and can be disassembled, expanded and relocated for future use.
The building boasts rammed earth walls manufactured from locally sourced materials, natural daylight and ventilation.
Roof mounted solar photovoltaic panels have been installed alongside nature.
The First Building offers office space in addition to manufacturing facilities.
Occupants have the option to reduce energy use through stairways as an alternative to elevator use.
