The Hames Sharley-designed NEXTDC P2, Perth’s first Tier IV data centre, has been named Best Commercial Property in the WA Property Council Awards. Delivered in partnership with Urbis and the City of Perth, the building is the state’s largest data centre, comprising over 10,000 sqm of technical space and ten high density data halls.
Located within the Stirling Street Precinct, the building stands above the Graham Farmer Freeway. The property’s contribution to the WA economy effectively saw it take out the award, with the world-class digital infrastructure imperative to the growth of the state.
Hames Sharley’s Project Lead, Dean Symington, says the award underlines the importance of the building towards WA’s economy.
“This award recognises the importance of NEXTDC P2 as an important digital interconnectivity hub, commending both its functionality and design. I am incredibly proud of everyone who worked tirelessly in helping bring this project to life, balancing the security requirements of the data centre with the City’s desire for an open and transparent public interface.
“One of the biggest challenges of this project was the need to deliver a non-public building with a public interface that also connected the street level.
Strong, bold architectural accents of red were chosen to emphasise 3D spatial geometries in NEXTDC, while the inclusion of fins to the street works to create a dynamic façade when moving past the building at speed. Hames Sharley added further value by investigating and implementing the inclusion of breakout spaces to the street for additional façade activation and improved user experience.”
NEXTDC P2’s design is flexible in the sense that it possesses the ability to be either a standalone development or integrate with future stages of the Stirling Street Precinct. Its data centre quality is unprecedented in WA, showcasing the best in design, construction and operational standards.
The building’s fault-tolerant infrastructure means that any individual equipment failures or distribution path interruptions will not impact the facility's overall operations. It ultimately means the infrastructure will easily support the Western Australian community and will remain reliable and durable.
“Environmental considerations are always at the forefront of new developments, however the challenge is that standard 'green initiatives' such as solar panels aren't appropriate for such projects. Hames Sharley worked to include as many sustainable initiatives as possible, such as efficient MEP systems, low-flow fixtures and fittings and the inclusion of end-of-trip facilities to encourage alternate modes of transport to work.
P2 aligns with NEXTDC's commitment to sourcing renewable energy where possible and, through an innovative operation process, achieve the lowest possible power usage,” says Symington.
P2 is one of the few Tier IV data centres in the Asia Pacific region. Tier IV is the highest certification a data centre can be given. The building also holds a Gold certification for Operational Sustainability.
For more information on NEXTDC P2, click here.
