Pixel Building / Studio505 / Australia

Pixel Building

• Architects:  Studio 505
• Location:  Carlton, Melbourne Victoria, Australia
• Client/Developer:  Grocon Pty. Ltd.
• Structural Engineer:  VDM Pty. Ltd.
• Project Completed:  2010
• Estimated Cost:  AUD $6 Million
• Project Type:  Office Building
• Gross Internal Area:  11360.4 m2
• Contractor:  Grocon Constructors Pty. Ltd.
• Building Surveyor:  PLP Building Surveyor & Consultants
• Landscape Design:  Studio 505 and University of Melbourne
• Acoustic Engineer:  Marshall Day Acoustics
• Carbon Analysis (Pixelcrete):  RMIT University Centre for Design
• Fire Consultant:  Aurecon
• Town Planning Consultant:  Meredith Withers & Associates Pty. Ltd
• Grey Water and Carbon Embodied Analysis:  CSIRO

Located on a key site at the former CUB Brewery, Pixel Building is one of Melbourne's most significant and ambitious developments. It sits perfectly between the popular inner-city suburb of Carlton and the bustling, yet easily accessible CBD. Located at a key urban site, the project has been the subject of long discussion and speculation, culminating in the multi-faceted and multi-authored scheme now underway.

Scoring a perfect 105 Green Star points and 105 LEED points, Pixel is Australia's first carbon neutral office building, generating all its own power and water on site. Pixel is a "Future Office" - a prototype of the commercial buildings that will emerge when a prototype, it enables an analysis of the ongoing implications of new technologies in the commercial building sector.

Studio 505 were approached by Grocon to design the Development Office (Pixel), the last building to be conceived on the site, and yet the first to be built. Pixel also claims the other two extremes, namely being the smallest building with the biggest expectations.

The most publicly visible element is Pixel's colorful facade. A simple but intricate assembly of zero waste, recycled color panels providing maximized daylight, shade, views and glare control. The panels are supported by the Living Edge spandrels which create shading and grey water treatment as well as providing immediate personal greenery to every office floor. The facade wraps continuously around Pixel creating a vibrant and unique identity.

Being Australia's Greenest Commercial Office Building, Pixel presents unique opportunity to own a future-proofed and environmentally sustainable building regarded as an icon of green design, innovative construction and workplace productivity.

In addition to providing quality office and retail accommodation, Pixel has been specifically designed and built as a 'Future Office' that will thrive the increasing demands for energy and workplace efficiencies. Enjoying a prominent corner location with a unique facade design, this landmark holding is being offered to the market for the first time and can be summarized by the following key attributes:

• Bicycle storage and shower facilities 
• Significant ceiling heights and optimum levels of natural light
• Ground breaking sustainability features delivering a significant reduction in daily running costs
• Four level building with rooftop garden fully serviced by a dedicated elevator
• 1,136 square meters of column-free office and retail accommodation
• Optional secure car-parking available

The Pixel Building was created as a dynamic work environment that will support changing business practice and improve the working environment for the staff. Global sentiment also suggests that green buildings provide staff with a more comfortable, productive and engaging work environment. With a range of ESD (Environmentally Sustainable Design) features and intelligent design practices. Pixel is a sustainable, innovative and contemporary office space.

The range of benefits for businesses operating in Green Star Buildings will extend a smaller carbon footprint and include:

• A healthier place to work
• Productivity benefits
• A platform for Corporate Social Responsibility
• Lower operating costs
• Future proofing, an investment in the future of your business

Future proofing is about anticipating and adapting to change, rather than simply reacting to change. By occupying a green building, businesses can future proof against escalating energy and water prices. A green building can also protect a business from future changes to the business and regulatory environment. With governments increasingly mandating green principles and energy efficiency requirements, going green early make good business sense.

Ecologically Sustainability Design Initiatives taken for Pixel Building:

1. Carbon Efficient:  Pixel was designed to be carbon neutral. Water Balance given that Melbourne returns to the 10 year rainfall average 1999-2009. Pixel could be disconnected from the mains supply and would be self sufficient for water supply.
2. Pixelcrete Environmental Concrete:  Grocon has developed a new structural concrete design which halved the embodied carbon within the concrete mix. This product has a very significant potential worldwide impact. 
3. Free Night Cooling:  The Pixel facade includes smart technology that automatically opens the windows of the facade on cool nights to enable the night air to flood into the building and cool the structure.
4. 100% Fresh Air:  All of the air being distributed and used in the Pixel building is 100% fresh air.
5. Gas Fired Absorption Chiller:  The gas fired absorption chiller is the first of its kind in a commercial building in Australia. As a consequence of this technology the carbon emissions from the energy are dramatically lowered.
6. Tracking and Fixed Photovoltaic Panels:  Pixel has implemented an extensive photovoltaic array on the roof of the building, which orient the panels towards the sun at all times of the year.
7. Daylight Glare Control:  Pixel is designed to provide 100% daylight penetration into the office space whilst allowing screen based technologies to be deployed without the need for blinds.
8. Water Sensitive Design; Irrigation, Building Use, Reed Bed Irrigation:  Water falling on the Pixel Building as rainwater will be collected after it has been used to irrigate the living roof.
9. Vacuum Toilet Technology:  Pixel is the first project in Australia to implement small scale vacuum toilet technology. Vacuum toilet systems reduce the water consumption to an absolute minimum.
10. Anaerobic Digester:  A tank system on the ground level of the Pixel Building holds all of the black waste from toilets and kitchen facilities. Methane is extracted from the waste and used for the hot water heaters on the roof of the Pixel Building.

Pixel is aiming to achieve the highest environmental rating ever for buildings using the US 

LEED, UK BREEAM and Australian Greenstar environmental rating schemes.

Drawings of Pixel Building: