sustainable architecture - sunshine coast
WD Architects has a strong commitment to sustainable design backed by years of experience.
We integrate ideas that minimise the impact of the built environment on the natural environment. We approach architecture as an extension of the landscape to explore the opportunities present in the site and its relationship to the wider surroundings. Social and functional interactions, and visual and physical connections are important elements. Considered manipulation of space, light, air and sound is essential.
WD Architects takes a collaborative approach to design commissions to explore ideas, gain insights and flesh out design issues within our practice, with clients and user groups and with other consultants and experts engaged with a project. Our experience covers many industry sectors including ecology, public, healthcare, commercial, transportation, education, arts, residential and industrial projects.
We are based in the Noosa Hinterland and work throughout Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and internationally.
...I have spent some time at the new Australian Wildlife Hospital and really appreciate what WD Architects have done to bring traditional earth-building methods and nature into a mainstream healthcare environment. All the little design features like the use of poignant phrases on the glass windows and doors, use of natural lighting, and the choice of earthy colours and textures add a humane philosophical element to what is predominantly meant to be a clinical environment.
I wrote an entire landscape architecture thesis about the benefits of landscape architecture in healthcare settings, and I would say your attempt at combining nature with clinical healthcare is helping to develop a new breed of leadership on the Sunshine Coast for wildlife preservationists, animal welfare and healthcare providers. I hope this kind of architecture that brings the outside-inside gets more of a following in the years to come.
...as a parent I am regularly able to enjoy the hall and find it to be a truly beautiful, comfortable, natural and inspiring space. In every part of the building I can see the manifestation of the brief and the voices of consultation behind each part of the brief.
Everyone in the audience can clearly see the stage, the stage can comfortably hold a class of children moving around, whether it is a hot day or cold night the straw bale walls provide a consistent, comfortable temperature inside, there is plenty of space down the curved sides of the building for performers or audience to move around, the space is completely flexible and used constantly every week for events, trial HSC exams, indoor/outdoor events. Having the main floor wide rather than deep means that the audience feels close to those on the stage even at the back. The curve of the ceiling is gentle and the acoustics are great. The fans and louvre windows provide very effective natural cooling and ventilation. The natural building materials feel warm and wholesome. A big building doesn't have to be industrial. For all of this I am just so grateful.
You are a great listener, a skill which is rare and the thousands of children and families of Byron Shire who spend time in this space over the years are the beneficiary of this skill that you have.
Thank you!
I want to thank you for the job you did for us. You guys did a great job with the design and coordination. My extremely fussy builder mate who does all our work in Sydney was up and was equally impressed; no mean feat! We are extremely pleased with the result and we found the entire experience painless. This was particularly important given that we were not around regularly.
I'm still amazed by the little things that give me great joy daily that I didn't plan for but Andrew and Chris did - the way the lights fall on the entry stairs at night, the way the moon glows through the recycled wood beams that divide my bedroom from my study, the way the sun doesn't hit the floor in the kids play area at all in summer, but hits the wall on the far side of the room in winter.
They filled my brief 100% and then a bit more. It is an easy house to live in that fits my life - previous places I have had to modify my life to fit the house (if that makes sense!). It is cool in summer - I have no air conditioning and didn't miss it at all through summer this year. It is warm in winter. The electricity consumption is substantially less than my last place because of good design both thermally and in terms of lighting.