Within this comprehensive project’s 65,000m2 studio 505 have embedded technologies, thinking and design processes developed and tested in the much smaller Pixel building, in Melbourne. This comprises green roof technology, built-in photovoltaic (BIPV) and solar thermal arrays, natural ventilation, LED lighting and sophisticated water management systems including thermal heat exchangers with the canal waters flowing through and beneath the project. The project has achieved certification of the maximum 3 stars available under China Three Star rating, which is the equivalent of Greenstar 5/6 star, or Leed Gold.
The Youth Palace space is a remarkable interior – a hollowed out 7 storey volume interspersed with a pirenasian collection of escalator and stair loops, that create a cross pollination of the traditionally rigid and separated programme, forcing dance students to mingle with robotics labs, and ancient musical instrument classes to mix with computer programming students. The entire volume is designed to form a venturi chimney, with classrooms able to operate ventilation to the outer wall, and have fresh air drawn through the natural thermal stack of the atrium to vent through the operable skylight roof.
Further, the entire skylight is shaded with an outer layer of BIPV solar panels that have a capacity of 832 kW and generate 104 MWh per annum, offsetting around 114 tonnes of CO2 per annum. The entire roof of the project is ‘green’ planted to follow the patterns of the facade, with plants that create an active and integrated seasonal flowering variety that flows down the green walls. This roof provides significant benefits to the project in terms of insulation, water collection and filtration and reduction of a heat island effect. Additionally it looks incredibly calming when looked down upon from the surrounding residential towers and blends in with the surrounding parklands.
