Products from ASKIN Performance Panels were specified for the $150 million Sports Park built at the La Trobe University as part of the second phase of their $5 billion University City of the Future plan.
Designed by Warren and Mahoney Architects, the project had ADCO Constructions as the builder of choice to complete the project. The Sports Park consists of world-class sports focused teaching spaces, research laboratories, commercial offices, six multipurpose indoor courts and a plaza.
Warren and Mahoney’s senior architect Brett Diprose described the design as creating a ‘hubbing’ space for community, university and elite sports groups in addition to the education aspects.
“It was about bringing all of these aligned uses and all the various categorisations of sports under one roof.”
The architects had specified a combination roof and wall system, which involved an eight-layered acoustic build-up system to achieve NCC requirements inclusive of the desired acoustics performance.
ASKIN entered the project after architects from Warren and Mahoney saw their acoustic wall featuring the Rosanna Rib at Rosanna Train Station, Melbourne.
Based on their experience and strength in both education and sporting sectors in Victoria and nationwide with projects such as Melbourne Arena and Melbourne Girls College, the ASKIN Panel team conducted detailed consultations with both the architects and the builders. Consequently, ASKIN Roofing and Exteriors was specified for La Trobe’s Sports Park as the panel system met the acoustic and aesthetic objectives sought by the architects.
While the original Roseanne Rib was 35mm, the newly designed architectural feature rib was 65mm, which meant ASKIN’s production process was adjusted to create a perforated panel product that was fit for purpose. The rib was attached to more than 10,000 metres of Volcore ViviD panel.
Diprose explained that the 65mm rib broke down the panels into 300mm modules as opposed to 900mm, enabling them to achieve a high level of finish.
COLORBOND Astro and Cosmic were used on the panel walls and the ASKIN Rosanna Rib in Bronze –depending on the sunlight, the exterior would appear as a dark facade, and lighten with the sun’s progress throughout the day.
“It guides the perception of a different experience of the building every time you look at it from a different angle. We spoke about it as a bit like a jewellery box, in terms of it displaying a manipulation of light bouncing off the façade,” Diprose said.
ASKIN’s panel systems enabled ease and speed of build thanks to the single product installation instead of the originally planned multi-layered approach. The builder was able to save more than 3000 manhours.
ASKIN’s Volcore Panel Roofing and Exterior panel system provided multiple solutions and benefits including acoustic properties, Green Star rating, thermal performance, delivery ahead of time, and speed of build saving more than 3000 manhours.
The completed sporting facility at La Trobe University incorporates a teaching and research building (designed with 5-star Green Star rating), which houses laboratories for biomechanics, strength and conditioning, sports analytics and exercise physiology, as well as modern teaching spaces.
ASKIN products used in the project included ASKIN Exteriors, ASKIN Roofing and ASKIN ViviD with Volcore core and Metric Roofing profile as well as ViviD Seamless Walls with Roseanna Rib #65.
Colours included COLORBOND Surfmist (Roof), COLORBOND Astro and Cosmic (External Walls), COLORBOND Thredbo with Perforation (Internal Walls and Roof), and ASKIN Rosanna Rib in Bronze.
