Architectural firm Architectus was awarded the 2007 Property Council of Australia’s award for innovation and excellence in public buildings, with the Australian ‘Synchrotron’.

The Victorian Government contributed over $150 million towards the $206.3 million building, the largest investment in science infrastructure ever made by an Australian state.

With its opening in May 2007, as Australia’s only synchrotron, Australian scientists no longer have to travel overseas to pursue their groundbreaking research.

The circular building, 116 metres in diameter, required innovative design, isolating external vibrations, including those from busy nearby roads, and providing a vast, column free space.

The building was designed to act as a protective shell for the highly advanced and extremely sensitive equipment.

The commitment by Architectus to designing an esthetically striking, yet highly efficient facility has resulted in a world-class resource. Architectus has succeeded in designing a building with a signature form, which relates to the internal requirements.

So far 2008 will see Architectus busy working on the $47 million Queensland Emergency Operations Centre in Kedron Park for the Department of Emergency Services, among other projects.

architectus.com.au