DesignInc: Gippsland Water Factory & Vortex Centre

The Vortex Centre is an important educational resource dedicated to that consummate natural resource: water. This project was designed by Australian architects, DesignInc, well-known for their sustainable endeavours.



The Gippsland Water Factory is a major water recycling plant located in Maryvale, Victoria, Australia. Both urban waste water and the water from the paper mill in the area are treated by sustainable engineering means to produce recycled water which can be reused in industry.



The Vortex Centre, by the firm DesignInc, was designed as a visitor centre. This iconic architecture includes a striking shell–shaped construction made up of seven barrels, each one fitting inside the other resembling the dynamic movement of water flowing through a pipe.



Besides the educational centre, the facility also houses offices and laboratories as expressed in the client’s brief.





Many sustainable solutions are adopted in the structure – from the positioning of the building to achieve thermal convection, optimized lighting and natural ventilation to cooling methods using water from the lake underneath, along with recycled materials for the construction, sun management and water saving techniques. The Vortex Centre was built over an artificial lake that cools the insulated building with a thermal stack effect as the hot air rises.



Every year this centre attracts many visitors, eager to learn about our most precious resource. It has also won prestigious awards like the 2011 Banksia award, the highest environment award in Australia.

Project: DesignInc, http://www.designinc.com.au/
Location: Maryvale, Victoria, Australia
Year: 2010
Gallery: Courtesy of DesignInc
Awards 2011: Shortlisted World Architecture Festival Awards (Display & Visitor Centres), API Excellence in Property Awards (Environmental Development Award), UNAA World Environment Day Awards (Green Building Award), Banksia Awards (Origin Gold Award and the Water – Our Most Precious Resource Award)
Links: Innova21, http://www.floornature.com/blog/designinc-6-green-star-education-design-for-innova-21-adelaide-university-(aus)-8037/