Jury Comments
2007 RIBA International Award

‘The seemingly triple height façade of the L5 Building belies the seven floors of accommodation.  Although appearing to address a piazza or square, L5 is in fact located at back of pavement line on a busy and fast moving street. At ground level, the vertical blades which, together with the horizontal sills comprise the powerful concrete framework, part to allow entry into an open and wide ceremonial staircase. Alternative secondary stairs are provided at either end of the block providing easy and direct access and egress, but it is the grand entry sequence that makes sense of the building as a whole. As the steps lead up to a central courtyard, the three components of the ensemble are revealed, comprising the two storey podium beneath and the two stacks of accommodation, each of varying height, one to either side. This inner world lies at the heart of the teaching and administration facilities for New South Global’s Institute of Languages and Foundation Studies. The trees, timber decking and associated informal café within this communal space contrast sharply with the rigidity and ordered rhythm of the accommodation alongside. This is however a democratic place: the academic staff offices and research laboratories within the upper levels are set back from the façade in order to allow overlooking, movement and activity to be provided by circulation zones, meeting areas and varied shared spaces which line the edges. Teaching rooms, meanwhile, are located deep within the podium, where flexibility is achieved by moveable walls and clever provision of natural light and external views, though at a premium here, have been a guiding factor in the layout.

The deep blade and sill sections of the richly layered facade, so effectively modelled by the strong sunlight, also serve to shade and moderate the internal environment, while simultaneously housing recessed and inclined floor-to-floor height panels of glass within their oversized openings, together with a ventilated cavity and internal metal fabric blinds. The result is a constantly changing, facetted and dynamic inner surface, subtly responsive to the changing conditions by day and curiously dominant and all powerful by night.’

The L5 building at the University of New South Wales represents world's best practice for teaching and research environments. The 11,000m2 building provides the teaching and administration facilities for New South Global (NSG) and post-graduate and doctorial research for National Information and Communication Technology, Australia (NICTA).

The building is organised in three parts and is defined by a central landscaped courtyard which establishes a communal heart for this "off campus" location. The teaching spaces are located in a two level podium below the courtyard. The standard classroom module has operable walls enabling re-configuration to suit the flexible requirements of teaching, examination, conference and orientation. The academic staff offices and research facilities are located in the east and west wings with dual sided access to views and ventilation, with both street and courtyard address.

Extensive research was undertaken for both education environments and “state of the art" sustainable design. Individual and automated controls for the mechanical and electrical systems, air quality, daylighting, low energy consumption and the creation of internal landscaped environments characterise the advances in this educational facility.

The most significant innovation is Australia’s first ventilated cavity façade that relies on only one skin of glazing. Using this system, the building allows full height glazing to both its east and west facades, maximises daylighting, controls glare and reduces operating costs; all within a capital cost equal to a typical office building with conventional mechanical services.

However the façade was not just conceived for its environmental and technological performance; its primary articulation is a structural concrete frame developed in response to both its urban expression and its environmental performance. This structural "brise soleil" supports the full height vertically inflected glazing panels creating a varying and dynamic façade changing in appearance over the course of day in its degree of reflection, transparency and shadowing.