12 August 09: V8 Supercar HQ races to victory at the Master Builders Awards
Habitat
are proud to announce that the V8 Supercar headquarters at Nerang has taken the
chequered flag at the recent Qld Master
Builders Gold Coast region awards.
The
building won the Commercial Buildings (Office Accommodation) $4 Million -
$15 Million category and is home to the Australian headquarters for the highly
successful V8 Supercar series. The design was undertaken by
prestigious international architectural firm DBI Design (www.dbidesign.com.au) and built by
respected local construction company Condev (www.condevconstruction.com.au)
This project is an excellent example of Habitat's
multi-disciplinary capabilities. Our involvement commenced in late 2005 when we
were commissioned to prepare a Vegetation Management Plan and Open Space
Management Plan. The site was part of the original Nerang township and had a
history of European activity stretching back to the mid 1860's. At the time of
Habitat's commissioning, the site hosted a run-down block walled take away
shop and an adjacent landscape supply business. Notwithstanding, a number of
large Queensland Blue Gums Eucalyptus tereticornis continued
to grow on-site (estimated age 80+ years) and a 50 year old Red Cedar Toona
ciliata (complete with a large Elkhorn in the canopy!) was also a
significant feature of the site. The cedar can be seen in the above
photo.
The
site also fronts the Nerang River. After a century of neglect, the steep
riverbank was crumbling and required stabilisation. Due to the existence
of scattered remnant native trees, a 'hard engineering' (ie re-profiling
of the bank and stabilisation by shot rock' was unsuitable. This presented
an unusual challenge - how to stabilise a sandy, crumbling bank with an 80
degree angle without damaging the root systems of the few trees remaining
on the riverbank? The solution was to look at how nature was successfully
holding the bank together on other parts of the Nerang River. Our team
noted species that were observed holding banks together and also made more
intimate observations pertaining to leaf litter coverage and the like. We
then set about preparing a management plan which provided instruction on how to
ensure the bank was stabilised successfully.
These
reports were submitted as part of a Development Application by
leading Town Planner, Andrew Hall. Andrew is a Director of Humphreys
Reynolds Perkins (HRP) www.hrppc.com.au. HRP are one of Queensland's most respected planning firms and Andrew has enjoyed a distinguished professional career including serving as Manager of Urban Design and Development and Environment with the Gold Coast City Council prior to joining HRP in 1997.
The
project was approved by Gold Coast City Council in 2007 and Habitat were
appointed by Condev to undertake the Riverside Ecological Restoration and
also the Commercial Landscape Construction elements of the project.
Riverside Ecological Restoration works included innovative use of suitable
plants and organic materials to stabilise the banks. The result 12 months after
completion is a thriving native plant community that will become
self-sufficient within another 12 months. Some of the trees planted are
expected to grow for more than two centuries.
The
Commercial Landscape Construction elements included large hardwood timber
decking works, riverside pathway and rail works, entry statement
paving, natural channel swale installations, parkland furniture installation
and extensive native landscaping.
The
end result provides a suite of natural and landscaping treatments which
allow the building to very successfully blend with its
environment.
Habitat
is proud to be associated with the V8 Supercar Headquarters project and
congratulates Condev and their client, Morris International for their success
with the Master Builders Regional Award. The V8
Supercar Headquarters building can be viewed at 34 Nerang St, Nerang Qld.Photos of the project are available HERE
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