Koichi Takada Architects chose Covet’s Ever Art Wood timber look aluminium battens to realise their nature-inspired vision for the exterior of Aria Property Group’s new headquarters in Brisbane.

When Aria Property Group – recognised as Australia’s Best High-Density Developer for the past three consecutive years – identified the need for a new three-storey, Brisbane-based headquarters, it enlisted the help of a fellow multiple award-winner, Koichi Takada Architects.

The brief: to create a design that marries the practical needs of an office building with the cutting-edge visual impact synonymous with Aria developments.

The Challenge

One of Koichi Takada Architects’ main philosophies is to draw inspiration from nature. The chosen design for Aria’s HQ featured a statement ‘crown’ – a decorative structure consisting of ‘floating’ timber battens, in a continuous flow around the entire top level and roof. While the timber crown would succeed in achieving the high impact Aria signature, one of the main challenges was ensuring that the sharp finish stayed sharp over time.

The use of real timber on external areas can be fraught with challenges; not only are many hardwoods – necessary to withstand weathering – too costly, but they pose fire testing complications and require ongoing maintenance, often becoming badly faded over time. In order to overcome these challenges, Koichi Takada Architects looked to trusted cladding experts, Covet, to provide the best possible timber alternative.

The Solution

After in-depth consultation with Covet specialists, Koichi Takada Architects selected Covet’s Ever Art Wood timber-look batten aluminium cladding in Kuri Masame – one of the most popular colours in the Ever Art Wood range.

“Kuri Masame is a very matte, textured, mid-range colour and incredibly realistic, even when viewed at close contact – making it an excellent choice for a high-quality build such as this,” Covet’s director Anthony Scott explained.

In fact, the lightweight aluminium Kabebari battens offer the ultimate cladding alternative to real timber. Not only are Ever Art Wood battens fire rated with a photo-realistic timber finish – the result of a unique pressure-printing process – but they boast unmatched durability, capable of maintaining a non-fading appearance, as proved in recent Xenon Arc lab testing, where the battens displayed minimal fade after withstanding conditions equivalent to 12 years of outdoor exposure. Unlike real timber, they are also impervious to moisture ingress, warping or insect damage, and require virtually zero maintenance.

The final finish for the new office headquarters is a stunning swathe of timber look battens, creating the natural curves and clean design associated with both the client and architect’s portfolios.

Project Details

Location: Level 2/ 56 Boundary Street, South Brisbane QLD

Cladding profile: Ever Art Wood Aluminium 50x100 Kabebari Batten Extrusions

Ever Art Wood: Kuri Masame

Fire rating: Performs well when tested to AS/NZ 1530.3 (spread of flame / index 0) and AS/NZ 3837-1998 (result / Group 1)

Designed by: Koichi Takada Architects

Builder: Tonic Projects

Developer: Aria Developments

Photography: Studio Blackardt