Designed by Hames Sharley, the SunCentral Automated Waste Collection System (AWCS), located in Maroochydore on Queensland’s sunshine coast, is an Australian-first, high tech automated waste collection system.
The first of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, the SunCentral (AWCS) aims to mitigate the need for residents to put out bins week on week, deal with sights and smells of garbage and to eliminate the number of garbage trucks seen on the city’s streets.
Hames Sharley was tasked with designing the industrial equipment the Envac system sits within, providing a design equally functional and catered to its surroundings. The precinct plays host to the entire process of waste management, from collection, to compressing and removing the waste, through underground pneumatic pipes that negates the need for garbage trucks.
The practice set about creating a ‘box’ of industrial proportions that is visually noteworthy, while ensuring it remained fit for purpose. Fenestrations, wide awnings and timber elements soften the building’s character, while breaking down the monolithic feel of the building. The materials draw inspiration from residential architecture and assist to blend the industrial building into its surrounding context.
The building aims to reduce vehicle traffic in the precinct and remove wasted space for garbage and truck turning, furthering the system’s cost effectiveness. Local council hopes the futuristic system becomes a catalyst for other Australian cities to look towards opting for a similar waste collection model. It is rumoured that Sydney’s Barangaroo precinct has been looking to adopt a similar system.
To find out more regarding the SunCentral Automated Waste Collection System, click here.
