TAFE Meadowbank

Dri-Design adds a sleek and modern aesthetic to a new technology focused training facility in NSW

A landmark project delivering a new, purpose-built education facility to serve Meadowbank’s growing community

Sector: Education, Government
Location: Meadowbank, NSW
Completion Date: November 2022
Architect: Gray Puksand
Products: Dri-Design

TAFE NSW Meadowbank is a technology-focused campus within the NSW Government’s Meadowbank Education and Employment Precinct. The aim of the project was to deliver a new, purpose-built education facility that would serve Meadowbank’s growing community. Offering modern learning spaces and facilities, the TAFE campus was designed to provide students at all stages of their lives with a space that fosters innovation and collaboration with digital technology and supports a variety of trades.

A major focus of the development was for the TAFE campus to be modern, flexible, and to be seen as a ‘future proofed’, cutting-edge learning hub that would appeal to employable, educated professionals and leaders of tomorrow.

Architecture practice Gray Puksand was tasked with creating a design that would encapsulate these ideals with a unique, stylish and visually impressive aesthetic.

The most suitable solution for the job

Dri-Design panels were selected as the main façade element of the TAFE’s primary education hub. The architects were seeking a product that would add architectural expression across the building’s external envelope and chose Dri-Design for its ability to add a unique level of depth and dimension to the façade’s aesthetic.

Available in flat, tapered or shadow profiles, Dri-Design’s patented solid aluminium rainscreen façade system comes in a wide range of colours and finishes, offering architects a level of design freedom rarely available with other panel solutions. For the Meadowbank TAFE project, the architects selected a two-colour option to bring their vision to life, with the panels powder coated to exact colour specifications.

The ability to meet compliance and certification requirements was also a key consideration, with Dri-Design’s non-combustible and watertight properties another important factor when considering the panels for specification. Dri-Design is Deemed to Satisfy non-combustible in accordance with the National Construction Code NCC 2019 C1.9 and complies with Australian Standards AS 1530.3 and AS 1530.1. This allows TAFE Meadowbank to maintain the highest levels of safety for the site’s high volume of occupants.

The architects were also impressed with how quick and easy the Dri-Design panels are to install. Dri-Design features a unique patented joint system that allows each cassette to interlock seamlessly with no sealant or gaskets. The connected panels form self-draining gutter joints, preventing building facades from delaminating, streaking or staining.

Dri-Design’s tapered and shadow profiles allowed the architects to conceptualise a façade with a unique 3D effect across the surface, creating an outcome with differential architectural depth rather than flat and symmetrical. This depth, along with a range of colours available, allowed the architects to suitably achieve the brief of a modern and forward-thinking education facility. Dri-Design’s interlocking system also created a tight, seamless façade that would deliver high thermal performance, air and weather tightness, and condensation control.

The ease of the interlocking system and the assurance of quality also increased the overall speed of the installation process. This allowed for more time to ensure the design was perfect without the added pressure of a lengthy installation process that would affect the project deadline.

TAFE Meadowbank was a collaborative project among all parties, with technical product details required for the architectural drawings supplied, alongside consultation with the installation and engineering teams on best practices when working with Dri-Design. At the end of the build, a quality assurance check was conducted to ensure everything had been installed correctly and safely.