Wetland Centre

At the masterplan level, the proposal is driven by strategies for sustainable, healthy and smart building design. It uses the existing highway, supported by public transport, a green barrier, a pedestrian walkway and a cycle lane. The concept for Buildings 1 and 2 (Manager Centre and Bird Rescue Centre respectively) is similar: both are simple, elongated, one-storey (7 metres high) rectangular structures built on stilts to avoid seasonal flooding (3 metres above sea level) and connected to a boardwalk trail. Both buildings are intentionally elevated above ground level and parking areas.

The sloped roof, besides its aesthetic qualities, collects rainwater connected to a smart water management system. Our design also incorporates a green roof, where soil and plants provide natural insulation and camouflage, potentially attracting birds and insects to create an integrated ecosystem.

Two skylights, placed on opposite sides of the perimeter wall, allow diffused natural sunlight to penetrate the full depth of the building. This minimises energy consumption and serves an educational purpose by disseminating these eco-design strategies to the younger generation. Fenestration is minimal, reserved for viewing, since the skylight illuminates the interior.

Outdoor breakout spaces were created between programmes to provide amenities for physical and mental health, such as relaxation areas, providing access to the boardwalk trail. Some internal façades use a curtain wall to enhance longitudinal communication, whether visual or physical, across the horizontal distribution of programmes. Each volume incorporates interconnected corridors: one for visitors and one for staff, allowing separate usage and easy access.

Materials: Natural, Recycled and Glulam Beams

The design incorporates recycled materials for the cladding, such as repurposed wooden planks from old railway sleepers. These hard-wearing timbers can be transformed into slats that give the exterior of the building a distinctive character, as well as making a meaningful contribution to collective memory.

Glulam beams have been used in this design due to their natural and structural properties. This eliminates the need for columns with transverse spans of 20 metres for Building 1 and 15 metres for Building 2, thereby freeing up interior space and enabling multifunctional spaces to be used for different purposes depending on the user's needs.