This ambitious project for Victoria’s Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) represents a sophisticated fusion of environmental policy and architectural storytelling. Funded through the Victorian Forest Industry Structural Adjustment Package (Vic FISAP) and overseen by the joint Forest Industry Development and Adjustment Committee (FIDAC), the initiative sought to showcase sustainable forestry through high-end design.
The core objective was to create an interpretive space that balanced the organic aesthetics of the forest with a scientific representation of hardwood. The design firm, DesignLife, translated this vision through several key elements:
- Material Selection: The project centered on Eucalyptus grandis, utilizing its grain to create a narrative of growth and sustainability.
- Sequencing & Layering: Designers sequenced the grandis charts and layered them onto horizontal slats. By using hardwood veneers with varying textures, stains, and tones, they mirrored the diversity of Victorian timber species.
- Educational Integration: A large-scale wall painting was integrated into the space to illustrate sustainable ranger services and ecological management practices.
Beyond aesthetics, the interior fit-out was engineered for efficiency and restoration. The layout was designed to recover energy and optimize time, proving that a “natural setup” can be both high-performing and environmentally responsible.
Service
Architecture
Sector
Office & Retail
Budget
AUD 11M
Land Area
1,200 sq. m
Built Area
700 sq. m
