Lavarack Army Barracks Redevelopment
Townsville, Queensland, Australia
Bligh Voller Nield

Three "neighborhoods" aligned with nature

© David Sandison

For more photos click on 'photos & drawings' above. To see the people and products behind this project click on 'people & products.'

The Lavarack Barracks, situated in a spectacular natural landscape five kilometers south of Townsville, North Queensland, are home to the 3rd Brigade of the Australian Army. Built in 1965, the base was renovated in the late 1999s; the project's second phase included building 1,112 new studio-style housing units as well as three mess buildings and other amenities.

One of the redevelopment's chief goals of the was to create three distinct residential precincts. The architects also wanted to accentuate views of the surrounding landscape, including nearby Mt. Stuart, through the scale and massing of buildings. The orientation of buildings, to north/northeast, maximizes solar control and ventilation. The three residential precincts create a sense of neighborhood and community ownership for residents; they also create hierarchies of open and private space. The mess buildings, which contain a total of nine bars, cafes, restaurants and recreation areas--act as a focus for each of these three precincts.

In order to meet the army's compressed construction schedule, most of the buildings were built from prefabricated components. Everything from the walls and joinery, to entire bathroom modules, were erected on site with a crane. The materials are low maintenance and "soldier proof," to stand up under heavy wear and tear. The mess halls are largely open to the outdoors in order to provide natural ventilation.

Formal name of Project:
Lavarack Army Barracks Redevelopment

Location:
Townsville, Queensland, Australia

Total construction cost:
$127 million

Owner:
Department of Defence Australia

Architect:
Bligh Voller Nield
365 St Pauls Terrace
Fortitude Valley QLD 4006
Australia
www.bvn.com.au