Description

The Braggs houses the Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing (IPAS) and an undergraduate teaching facility at the University of Adelaide. It incorporates both research, and undergraduate laboratories, and a 420 seat lecture theatre. The central philosophy of the building is to enable researchers from different scientific disciplines to come together to enable a transdisciplinary approach to research.

The building supports both formal and informal collaboration within the tight security and safety requirements of a leading laboratory environment. It is centrally positioned on campus and its major entrance is in a new five-storey atrium that connects to the existing research building. The path through the atrium is a major circulation zone for pedestrians on campus.

Along the southern edge is a full height atrium or ‘verandah’ which not only connects the building internally but also externally through the view out to the campus Maths Lawn.

The building’s façade uses light – a fundamental element of photonics research – as an inspiration. An elaborate faceted glass envelope wraps the building to create a crystalline form that shimmers through its reflection and refraction of light throughout the day.

Key client concerns addressed during the project included managing the development approval process, meeting target dates and anchor tenant requirements for EIF funding and ensuring flexibility of design to enable tenant development, and maximizing opportunities for collaboration between various scientific disciplines.