Sustainable design married with innovative acoustics

Architect: Lyons

Installer: Multiplex

Categories: Education, Offices, Project

Photographer: John Gollings

Architect: Silver Thomas Hanley

Architect: Officer Woods Architects

Architect: The Fulcrum Agency

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Quietspace® panels with Vertiface® overlay in Sargazo, Simba, and Chilli Red are situated around a unique ceiling design.

Crafting a transformed student experience

The project

Designed by public architecture and urban design specialists Lyons in collaboration with Perth-based firms Silver Thomas Hanley, Officer Woods Architects, and The Fulcrum Agency, Boola Katitjin at Murdoch University in Perth stands as Western Australia’s first large-scale mass-engineered timber structure. Its completion in 2023 marked the debut of this impressive 180-metre-long low-rise edifice, serving as the vibrant heart of a new academic campus.

The hallmark feature of Boola Katitjin is its distinctive timber design, replacing conventional concrete and steel structures with cross-laminated timber floor panels, laminated timber beams, and columns. This choice underscores the remarkable technical aspects of timber construction across the entire building, integrating the structure with the surrounding bush environment.

A detail of custom Frontier™ Raft Beams in Beehive along the ceiling.

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A detail shot of the contrasting Gherkin and Beehive Cube™ design lining the wall of classrooms.

The challenge

Beyond its aesthetic connection with nature, the use of timber significantly enhances Boola Katitjin’s sustainability profile. This innovative construction approach reduced the building’s embodied carbon by an impressive 55%. In addition to sustainability measures, another pivotal aspect of the project’s development criteria was creating a conducive indoor environment. This involved implementing effective acoustic treatments to mitigate excessive noise and reverberation, given the diverse range of activities taking place within the “creative warehouse” model, including teaching, collaborative study, academic workspaces, student services, and social engagement areas.

Horizon™ Circles in Gherkin

An external image of the Boola Katitjin Building at Murdoch University.

External façade of the Boola Katitjin Building

Quietspace® Panels in Nude Grey

Quietspace® Panel with Vertiface® overlay in Chilli Red

Additional info

The solution

A detail shot of Custom Frontier™ Raft Beams in Savoye, Flatiron and Caspian.

To achieve optimal acoustic conditions, Autex Acoustics products, including custom Frontier™ Acoustic Raft Beam, Quietspace® Panel with Vertiface®, and Cube™, were strategically incorporated into the building’s walls and ceilings. These high-performing acoustic solutions are designed to control noise and reverberation effectively and were chosen not only for their durability, versatility, and performance but also for their carbon-neutral status and robust sustainability credentials.

With its reduced carbon footprint and people-centric interior spaces, Boola Katitjin fundamentally transforms the learning and teaching experience while delivering technical excellence and long-term flexibility. The project was also recognised at the 2023 National Architecture Awards, receiving both the Daryl Jackson Award for Educational Architecture and the National Award for Sustainable Architecture.