Macquarie University Incubator: innovative working space combines sustainability and flexibility

20 May 2022 Sustainable construction

The Macquarie University Incubator is one of the latest additions to the Macquarie University campus in New South Wales, Australia, providing a vibrant and accessible space for students to research and develop ideas.

Sustainability, flexibility, and a short construction time were key priorities in the development of the project. 105 m³ of PEFC-certified glulam, supplied by Binderholz, and 2,500 m² solid wood panels, were processed during a construction period of only a few months.

Innovative and sustainable

Sustainability was a priority in the construction process and the selection of materials. While a cantilevered roof, double-glazing, and operable wall panels help to maintain a pleasant room temperature all year round, photovoltaic cells on the roof generate renewable energy.

Wood was selected as the main building material because it is excellent for processing, and can be produced, dismantled, and moved quickly. The certified engineered timber used in the building includes Victorian Iron Ash, Spruce Glulam, and Accoya, and demonstrates high levels of carbon capture.

Modern and flexible

The building comprises two large pavilions, providing a large, open function room, whose size and function can be adapted to various requirements, fully glazed, acoustically separated meeting rooms, lockers, service rooms, and a large, open community office.

The Incubator was created to meet the diverse and changing needs of its present and future users. Designed to be fully reusable, the building consists of a prefabricated, modular timber structure, which allows fast construction and assembly, and the potential for future disassembly and relocation.

Accuracy was essential to ensure that the building components were fully coordinated before transport and installation. This way, it was possible to implement the project within the desired timeframe and within the given budget.

The innovative building delighted the jury of the Australian Timber Design Awards, where it won several prizes in different categories, and the juries of architecture awards around the world. The project was one of the finalists of the 2018 Best Use of Certified Timber Prize, supported by PEFC.

The Best Use of Certified Timber Prize is back! Enter your project now, the deadline is 27 May.

Photo credits: Architectus, Gallery: Murray Fredericks