The Australian Museum has officially opened its new ‘front door’ to the world – the Neeson Murcutt and Joseph Grech-designed ‘Crystal Hall’, a glass pleated, carbon neutral pavilion featuring leading environmental technology.
September 30th, 2015
Designed to float transparently off the Museum’s sandstone northern façade, the Crystal Hall Pavilion provides a new main entrance servicing the building’s repositioned address, 1 William Street, Sydney.
Key architectural features of the crystalline hall include a defining glass-pleated north-facing façade, a slim-line ‘crystalline and skeletal’ form helps to reflect the Museum’s natural history focus and an Australian-first environmental management system addressing solar glare and heat.
Architect Rachel Neeson says Crystal Hall responds directly to the Museum’s brief for an elevated, highly transparent, elegant glass entry pavilion on a north-facing elevation overlooking William Street. As importantly, she said, it needed to respond appropriately to the exposed north-facing site and climatic conditions, with Neeson Murcutt and Joseph Grech Architects (Architects in Association) working closely with consulting engineers Arup to develop innovative solutions to optimise the building’s structural and environmental performance.
“It was important to come up with a solution that kept the architectural intervention as light and transparent as possible, and played off the ideas of geology, skeletons and natural forms. We did a lot of work, analysis, research and testing to develop for the first time the glass diamonds in the crystal hall,” says Arup Principal (Building Physics) Haico Schepers.
The bespoke glass-pleated, zig-zagged crystalline screen of the north-facing façade balances transparency through to the existing heritage building with leading environmental management. The state-of-the-art, triple-low-E, double-glazed façade selectively allows daylight in while reflecting short wave and infrared heat. Extended vertically and horizontally beyond the floorplate, the screen features 24 stainless steel-framed, 8.5 metre high panels formed into 12 dramatic vertical ‘pleats’.
Designed as a simple, open plan elongated space, 20 metres by eight metres, with a 5.5 metre high ceiling and ‘feathered’ northern edge, a slim-line ‘crystalline and skeletal’ form helps to reflect the Museum’s natural history focus. Operable glass walls frame the southern elevation and heritage façade while providing ventilation. Zinc cladding wraps the eastern elevation externally, with a wall of A/V screens internally for functions and showcasing exhibitions, while providing a sense of shelter. Operable glass walls and doors frame the entry and west.
The Crystal Hall features an Australian-first environmental management system addressing solar glare and heat. Developed for the first time by Neeson Murcutt Architects, Joseph Grech Architects and engineers Arup collaboratively to manage solar glare and heat in a uniquely innovative way. Forty-eight unique crystalline diamond-shaped, coloured glass ‘blades’ are positioned internally along the northern façade, angled and pivot-hung in each pleat (four per pleat) to refract and diffuse light, manage solar glare and capture heat, allowing it to be vented up and out through the ceiling. Six different ‘soft colours’ – shades of mauve, blue, pink and yellow – are used across the façade, with the system expected to allow natural ventilation of the north-facing glass hall for most of the year.
“This is a stunning, highly visible new space for the Australian Museum and City of Sydney, one that allows us to realise and complete the critical first stage of our ongoing transformation,” Kim McKay AO, Executive Director and CEO of the Australian Museum, says. “Crystal Hall helps achieve the AM’s plans in a sophisticated way. It allows us to visibly extend a welcoming hand to visitors while enlivening and connecting us to William Street. As importantly, it represents not just a new reception area for the AM, but an exhibition space, an out-of-hours venue, and a new gathering point for the public, while liberating exhibition space internally.”
The Crystal Hall is now open to the public.
Australian Museum
australianmuseum.net.au
A searchable and comprehensive guide for specifying leading products and their suppliers
Keep up to date with the latest and greatest from our industry BFF's!
An exciting new collaboration involving Autex Acoustics, Willie Weston and Lisa Waup colourfully brings First Nations design to high-performance acoustics.
As well as considering the materials and processes used to manufacture furniture solutions, companies like Workspace are shifting their focus to the entire lifespan of products.
Journey alongside Australian designer Ross Didier as he introduces a new chapter in the magical folklore of his iconic FABLE Collection.
Sub-Zero and Wolf’s prestigious Kitchen Design Contest (KDC) has celebrated the very best in kitchen innovation and aesthetics for three decades now. Recognising premier kitchen design professionals from around the globe, the KDC facilitates innovation, style and functionality that pushes boundaries.
Hua Bee coffee shop by day, Bincho by night – Loh Lik Peng’s recent project takes on two identities.
A specialist in senior living, Dr YE Ng of Architectus Conrad Gargett draws on research into the ‘Blue Zones’ – regions worldwide where people have the longest lifespans – to offer insights into the key ingredients to create places for ageing well.
Following his recent keynote speech at the 2023 Australian Architecture Conference, we spoke to architect Kevin Carmody about his inspirations and experience.
An attractive architectural solution of awesome simplicity. Can be wall or bench mounted. Dimensions: As shown 750mm(W) x 480mm(D) x 170mm(H). A wide range of alternate sizes and configurations available. Applications: Commercial and residential Variations: Colours available on indent Finish: Glazed fine fireclay Designer: Nilo Gioacchini for StudioBagno
The internet never sleeps! Here's the stuff you might have missed
With over 300 events planned, the eighth edition promises another marathon week of design and its theme is at once a proposition of hope and an urgent call-to-arms.
Lacquered in warm timber tones and complemented by high-quality furniture and fixtures, the new HQ for Salta Properties is a home away from home.