GMB ARCHITECTS AS FEATURED IN AUSTRALIAN CONSTRUCTION FOCUS

GMB ARCHITECTS AS FEATURED IN AUSTRALIAN CONSTRUCTION FOCUS

FOCUS ON: GMB ARCHITECTS GMB ARCHITECTS GMB Architects evolved from Mitchell/Giurgola & Thorp Architects, (MGT), a US firm responsible for the design and documentation of the Parliament of Australia from 1980-1989. As an architectural, interior design, and urban design firm, GMB Architects operates throughout Australia and internationally Written By Anne Lindert-Wentzell It was Frank Lloyd Wright, the American 1900 s architect, who said, Architecture is the triumph of human imagination a magic framework of reality that we touch upon when we use the word order. For him architecture was a unified organism, a symbiotic relationship between humanity and nature. Harold Guida, LFRAIA AIA, can subjectively add that architecture, Is an intellectual and emotional framework; an attitude about craft. He would know. As a partner in Guida Moseley Brown (GMB) architects for thirty years, Harold s firm has been involved in numerous projects all of varying size and value. Every new project, he adds, is a new challenge. GMB Architects evolved from Mitchell/Giurgola & Thorp Architects, (MGT), a US firm responsible for the design and documentation of the Parliament of Australia from 1980-1989. As an architectural, interior design, and urban design firm, GMB Architects operates throughout Australia and internationally through collaboration with local architects, and do so from Canberra, Australia s national capital. GMB Architects has extensive experience in major public buildings, educational/research facilities, large scale residential developments and commercial/corporate projects. The firm comprehends and appreciates the importance of place. Each project responds to those variables that define its expression whether culturally, environmentally, socially or historically. A comprehensive understanding of place enables intelligent design solutions that prove successful both aesthetically and functionally. GMB Architects always engages its projects in the spirit of art. We re hoping that our buildings are viewed by others in much the same way as art is viewed interesting, timeless and of compel- 2 GMB ARCHITECTS

ling interest. A fine work of art that will be seen repeatedly, says Harold. Internationally, GMB Architects has recently seen the completion of the interior architecture of the Plenary Hall for the Legislative Council, a key component of the new Hong Kong Government Centre. For this prestigious Hong Kong project, GMB Architects collaborated with Rocco Design for the winning international competition submission. The Legislative Assembly had its first official function in the Plenary Hall in October 2011. The Helios Residences in Singapore was another GMB project in association with P & T Architects, Singapore that provided a 140 unit apartment complex in Singapore s most densely developed residential areas. For this project GMB Architects won the MIPIM Asia awards and a Skyrise Greenery Award in 2011. The best projects come about when you have an excellent client Guida Moseley Brown emphasises conservation. It is paramount to the firm. The team has won numerous national awards for Ecological Sustainable Design (ESD). Such was the case for its Mawson Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes. During the building s construction, recycled, renewable and low volatile organic compounds (VOC) materials were utilised wherever possible. Occupancy sensors, skylights and energy efficient materials enabled the Mawson Institute to claim the Sustainable Architecture Award in 2010 by the South Australian Chapter of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects. Business partners and developers acknowledge the conservation issue. Some projects are designated to have a certain rating by the client, particularly for university education, says Harold. Developer clients see that there s a benefit in having a building that has a high rating. It s more rentable in the market. It s an added value. GMB Architects Botswana High Commission project in Canberra has also won awards such as the Romaldo Giurgola Award for Public Architecture, ACT Chapter RAIA, and the Art and Architecture Award, ACT Chapter RAIA, both in 2010. The Commission is an architectural design that incorporates specially designed and fabricated elements such as brick patterns and colours, custom rugs and timber panels. All is showcased to highlight the cultural, social and historical landscape of Botswana. With four partners and a staff of 28, it is GMB Architects attitude toward its craft that enables the firm to win competitions and awards. Projects strive to incorporate a mesmerising presence; a timeless design. It takes staff cooperation and enthusiasm to make such projects succeed. We have an attitude throughout the office, says Harold. Everybody is thinking about how to make what we do, all those things. It is a thoughtfulness that has an emotional presence that is well crafted at every scale. Harold sees GMB Architects as not only business managers it s a collective of highly skilled minds, all interconnected with each other. Large projects can have a team of five to 10 people. It s a very open collaborative place, says Harold, where almost everyone on the staff is working on more than one project at a time everything from early stages of design to construction. It keeps you alive, says Harold. You have to keep thinking, at different rates of decision making. It makes for an interesting workplace. AS FEATURED IN AUSTRALIAN CONSTRUCTION FOCUS 3

FOCUS ON: GMB ARCHITECTS It was in January of 2005 that GMB Architects won the design competition for Canberra Airport s new facilities. The Airport was purchased from the Federal Government 11 years ago and although privately owned, it s one of the major public buildings. The project is unique in that the airport is being built around an existing functional airport and the focus is on passengers. Grown out of the formal landscape of Canberra, the airport presents a visual destination upon its approach from a vehicle. It s integrated with the geometry of the landscape. Elaborates Harold, One of the unique aspects of the airport and its ultimate architectural definition, is that it s related to the landscape in the manner of many public buildings in Canberra. The landscape is important whether it s a natural one, wetland for instance, or if it s a man made formal landscape such as the planned city of Canberra. As for passenger consideration, Canberra, being the national capital, sees many business travelers who utilise the airport daily. They often proceed straight to the gates and don t acquire tickets or check bags. The route to the gates is a wonderful open space with vista to the airplanes and the hills beyond. The movement [within the airport] is an easy and wonderful one, full of daylight, says Harold. A new feature in the airport will be Australia s first fully enclosed taxi rank, a welcoming design feature for travellers. Paul Mutton, RAIA, partner at GMB Architects elaborates, Canberra is one of the coldest capital cities in Australia. Queuing outside can be quite uncomfortable in the winter Travellers from Sydney or Brisbane are more accustomed to the more temperate climates, so they ll appreciate the enclosed waiting spaces. The airport s design is environmentally friendly there are water tanks for rain collection from the roof, which is filtered and reused for toilet flushing and air conditioning systems. Phase 1 was opened for use in November 2010. At a cost of $420 million the airport is scheduled for completion in 2013. GMB Architects success as a mid size firm can be attributed to having the right combination of clients who strive for a common goal. The best projects come about when you have an excellent client, who is well funded and has that common goal in mind a meeting of the minds really. We ve been fortunate to have such clients that allowed us to finish excellent projects, says Paul. One of the things GMB aims to communicate is that at least one third of its projects are out of the country involving both public and private work. For the past 20 years many of those projects have Images: John Gollings 4 GMB ARCHITECTS

been in Asia involving master planning and design of cities such places as China, Malaysia, and Singapore. Many are repeat clients from Asia. Presently, two projects in Asia involve interior design. Says Harold, Very few people in Canberra and probably most in Australia are very rarely aware of the work that we do in Asia. Our work there is often published in architectural magazines in those countries, and some are published in magazines in Australia. Many are very large and significant projects. Being a practice that operates in many places means that people aren t aware of the breadth of work we do. In terms of prospects for the future, in light of a struggling world economy, GMB Architects has been fortunate that the financial crisis has not affected the firm s work as greatly as in North America or Europe. From that perspective, we don t see things as being as difficult as architects do in other places, says Harold. Concludes Paul, The breadth of scale that we work at is fascinating, from the smallest detail up to the largest urban plan. It is Surface Design Our team has worked with and supported GMB on many projects over the years our most recent include The Canberra Airport, Austaid and Department of Tourism along with international project such as The Hong Kong New Government offices TAMAR and Helicon in Singapore. We are a team of professional designers from varied background and professions who all share a commitment to Sustainable Design. Our business focus is solely for the disciplines of Environmental Sustainable Design, Material Science and Facade Engineering which complement one another and together provide a whollistic understand of building design and their performance. MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN DELIVERY Our business has been formulated through consultation with our clients and staff to deliver what they need and want. We have achieved this through: Providing the best and senior people focused and available to work on your project, and to teach and develop others Employing the best sustainable and facade design staff to work and deliver projects together The efficiency and flexibility of a nimble business, to make decisions and respond as a company to the requests that help our clients business and their projects Ensuring a cost structure that is not penalised by large corporate overheads but allows work to be delivered with the best and most current technology Using the knowledge and experience of large and international projects and business operations derived from our peoples experiences, associations and cooperation with other specialist consultants and universities Maintaining reliable, accurate and innovative technical results through collaboration and peer review through associations with other specialist consultants and universities AS FEATURED IN AUSTRALIAN CONSTRUCTION FOCUS 5

GMB ARCHITECTS www.gmbarchitects.com 675 Victoria Street Abbotsford VIC 3067 Phone: 02 8412 8119 ABN 93 143 238 126