Multi-disciplinary design house HBO+EMTB has designed the new North Penrith Commuter Car Park which provides 1000 free parking spaces for commuters.
The $13 million three-storey facility is located immediately north of Penrith Station and was officially opened by Penrith Mayor Greg Davies.
HBO+EMTB’s managing director Kevin Fitzgerald said the rectilinear shaped building features a striking façade, which has taken cues from the nearby Blue Mountains.
“When designing the façade, our project designer Igor Molitor took inspiration from the shapes and colours of the eucalyptus tree by referencing the many colours of the leaf throughout its lifecycle,” he said.
The eucalypt inspired facade is made of perforated powder coated aluminium, while the main structure is formed using a pre-stressed concrete system, which facilitates exceptionally large spans.
This approach minimised the number of columns required, making the interior transparent and open.
“The car park is designed to be the antithesis of the standard ‘grey’ city and suburban car parks we are all too familiar with,” said Mr Fitzgerald.
HBO+EMTB was engaged by Penrith City Council for the project, with the final design being a result of a design study carried out in collaboration with Landcom urban planners.
The car park features security lighting, CCTV cameras, 30 accessible parking spaces and a lift and managed to cost $2 million less to build than the original budget.
