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Harrup Park Country Club

April 4, 2017

Project No. 6485

BE Collective were proud to be a part of the Harrup Park Country Club project team, which recently received two awards at the Keno & Clubs Queensland Awards for Excellence 2017.

Harrup Park Country Club was the 2017 Winner in the Best Central Queensland Club category, and a close second in the Club of the Year Category.

The BE Collective team provided significant civil and stormwater consultancy services, along with some structural design works.

Our commission focussed mainly on carpark drainage issues, where tight restrictions necessitated a very shallow carpark and a stormwater diversion. Our design allowed for the carpark to act as a detention basin, and included planning and design for possible future extensions.

Aside from regular sporting events and screenings, Harrup Park offers wedding and event hosting. (more…)

Bangkok Sustainable Masterplan

June 16, 2016

Project No. 6589

The BE Collective team was commissioned to provide ESD services in support of a huge 17-hectare high-density, mixed-use development concept in Suan Lum in the heart of Bangkok; master-planned by The Buchan Group.

Tasked with facilitating sustainability and environmentally conscious initiatives for a development of this size, the BE Collective team looked to push ourselves and the project beyond the typical ‘carbon neutral’ or ‘carbon neutral’ standards that are the core of most current energy efficiency rating schemes.

We identified the specific environmental needs of the Suan Lum district to be pollution mitigation relating to air quality, water quality, stormwater management and energy generation.

We envisaged a group of buildings that drew-in air pollution and breathed out fresh air for the neighbourhood. We pictured structures that harvested clean energy from the head of the sun and of the earth to mitigate its own energy needs. A development that took in the polluted water of Bangkok’s struggling waterways and returned it clean and fresh.

To facilitate cleaner air, we suggested high-volume, low-pressure scrubbing and UV treatment systems. While the majority of current external air pollution control systems are designed only to disperse polluted air in a space deemed less harmful (those used in underground traffic tunnels for example) we nominated a system that would actively contribute to improving air quality.

To achieve higher stormwater management capabilities in the area and increase flood proofing, we suggested a network of storm traps, porous concrete pavements and bio retention including green roofs.

In order to mitigate our developments vast energy needs, we worked to incorporate a multi-pronged and multi-discipline strategy including photovoltaic glass, wind turbines, a tri-generation plant and an underground thermal labyrinth.

Through these initiatives we were proud to target a Platinum “World Excellence” rating through the LEED Neighbourhood Developments rating tool. This equates to the highest possible 6-Star “World Leadership” ranking in the GBCA’s Green Star Communities tool, which is the Australian equivalent rating system. (more…)

Bamboo Structures

April 14, 2016

Project No. 6482

Design students from the Queensland University of Technology were recently given the opportunity to work with Sydney based grass-roots design collaborative Cave Urban on the design and build of some unique bamboo art forms for the 2015 Brisbane Festival.

BE Collective has undertaken structural design and certification for a multitude of artistic and sculptural installations including:

– The Hybrid by Cezary Stulgis,

– Digital Origami by the Laboratory for Visionary Architecture (LAVA),

– Everyone, Every Day at the Vivid Festival by Kuuki,

– Circle Garden Shelter Installation by Sou Fujimoto Architects, and,

– Emergency shelter installations by Donovan Hill and Conrad Gargett architects

The bamboo structures called “Gardens Install” and “Sunder the Sun” were exhibited at the 2014 and 2015 Brisbane Festivals.

The Brisbane Festival exhibition aims to explore and improve the use of locally sourced bamboo as a fully renewable and extremely reusable construction material. The resulting works have been featured at the Woodford Folk Festival as well as installed and displayed around the QUT campus and the Brisbane Botanic Gardens.

BE Collective is proud to have contributed to such an interesting and educational initiative, especially one with a focus on environmental sustainability. (more…)

Clifftop House

October 15, 2015

Project No. 6465

Winner: 2017 CIA Excellence in Concrete – QLD – Residential

Winner: 2018 Architectural Design of the Year – Australian Construction Awards

This architectural alteration and addition is one of the most extensive and specialist residential projects we have undertaken. The site presents as a triangular parcel of land apologetically wedged between grand, sweeping residences. A poorly constructed ‘character house’ sat awkwardly on site, accessed from the smallest frontage. Beyond the house is a dramatic, sheer cliff with elevated expansive views over the Brisbane River to the north-east.

An unorthodox, reinforced concrete solution enabled a home for seven to be realised by utilising the sliver of land between the existing house and cliff top. The project has dramatically transformed the low-set brick home into a spectacular 5-bedroom triumph, over three floors with a pool, gym, green roof and breath-taking river views.

Joe Adsett Architects chose John Tuxworth and the team at BE Collective to provide coordinated Structural and Hydraulic consulting engineering services for the 450m² GFA project. Off-form concrete was employed to produce brutalist, robust finishes to vertical elements as well as slab soffits. The sharp, tectonic elements when viewed externally respond to, and jut out above, the sheer cliff face. Internally these hard finishes are countered by sumptuous, warm materials to create a safe, comfortable and nurturing residential environment – almost as if hewn out of the cliff face itself. BE Collective utilised finite-element analysis to achieve slenderness and the sailing cantilevers up to 3m in length. Multi-discipline design methods and processes, including Revit modelling, facilitated hiding hydraulic services via encapsulation within off-form slabs and columns.

(more…)

Architect’s Own Home

March 15, 2015

Project No. 6284

Winner: 2015 AIA Regional Commendation

The Wooloowin House project consisted of a contemporary extension to an architect’s own home in Wooloowin. The original house was a simple cottage with a dated low-quality 60’s extension that had low ceilings, limited windows – and a dysfunctional layout.

BE Collective were commissioned by architect Terry McQuillan (Bureau Proberts) to provide structural and hydraulic design. We were involved with designing and documenting the demolition of the1960’s extension, and the construction of a new two-storey wing at the rear. Incorporated in the extension is a new kitchen, master bedroom and outdoor living space at the upper level. A gymnasium and garage at the lower level was connected via an internal staircase.

The structural design featured a steel portal frame that was crafted on site and craned into place, requiring some interesting details to ensure that it was aesthetically pleasing and could be easily constructed.

The hydraulic commission facilitated the seamless coordination of structure and plumbing, enabling maximum head heights.
The character of the original house was retained and enhanced through the use of sympathetic materials. The end result is an unassuming weatherboard clad extension that connects seamlessly with the original.

The project has been featured in multiple publications including Architecture & Design as well as Freshome, Bmag, the Contemporist and Archello, and received an AIA 2015 Award Commendation. (more…)