Building Bulletin: November December 2011

This issue’s Building Bulletin sees new contracts for Australian engineering and remediation firm OTEK, CK Design, Studio 505, Axis Leisure Management as well as a new office opening for Woods Bagot and the 15-year anniversary for Australian design firm iaction.

Australian architecture firm Woods Bagot has launched its new Beijing office at a lavish party for 300 guests. The 1000 m2 studio comprises a new three-level stand-alone building in the city’s hip Sanlitun North commercial and retail hub to house its 100 staff in Beijing.

The new space builds on the firm’s commitment to world-class design typologies. “The design house integrates a high level of technology to allow our staff to work, live and play anywhere, anytime in the building,” said Vince Pirrello, Asia Executive Chairman, Woods Bagot.

Woods Bagot’s Beijing studio has enjoyed rapid growth with contracts in both urban design and architecture projects across Asia, including the award winning Shijiazhuang International Convention & Exhibition Centre.

Woods Bagot has also recently been the recipient of a 2011 Asian Most Admired Knowledge Enterprises (MAKE) Award in Hong Kong for its Global Studio.

Woods Bagot commits two percent of business revenue to research and knowledge management and has been behind the delivery of numerous internationally acclaimed including the Shijiazhuang International Exhibition and Convention Centre, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, and the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute.

Australian owned design and build company iaction recently celebrated its 15-year anniversary in China. The firm was founded by Stephen White, a former Chairman of AustCham Shanghai, and the first foreign architect to focus on commercial interiors for corporate and government clients in Shanghai.

Mr. White settled permanently in Shanghai in 1994 after several years in Hong Kong where he established the first foreign interior firm in Shanghai and then founded iaction in 1996.

‘’It has been a privilege to play a part in developing Shanghai into a vibrant international commercial city,’’ said Mr White (pictured at the celebration).

Clients include numerous foreign enterprises, embassies and consulates and Australian companies based in China, including ANZ, Westpac and Allens Arthur Robinson. It also did work on the Australian Pavilion at the 2010 Shanghai World Expo.

In Shanghai, iaction designed the landmark Shanghai Centre (Portman) retail street frontage including its recent revamp of the Cvrve Lounge, formerly Shanghai’s 20 year-old Long Bar.

iaction is one of just a handful of international design firms to hold a Chinese interior construction fitting out license. The firm has offices in Shanghai and Beijing.

Australian environmental engineering and remediation specialist company, OTEK, has won a major environmental clean-up and remediation contract in Hunan Province to provide environmental expertise and technology for the remediation of contaminated land as it strives towards cleaning up its environment.

The agreement was witnessed by the Hon Dr Craig Emerson MP, Minister for Trade, during an August trade mission to China.

China is making significant investments in sustainability and the environment, including producing a higher percentage of power through renewable energy.

China has been looking for solutions in the environmental remediation arena from around the world and OTEK was selected in the face of strong competition from a series of international companies.

David Dukes, Trade Commissioner for Austrade in Beijing praised the joint effort between OTEK and Austrade in securing the deal.

“It really shows how much can be achieved when government and industry work together to leverage what each side can do best to help support Chinese initiatives.”

OTEK is hoping the landmark project will help it establish a foothold in China for working on future environmental initiatives.

“We are proud to be one of the first Australian companies to win a major environmental clean-up and remediation contract in a country that is making considerable strides to improve the environment,” said OTEK Director Grant Scott.

The project is considered unique in China as other provinces examine the effectiveness of the implemented technology and expertise.

Australian architect and design firm studio505 is currently completing a series of iconic projects in a new cultural precinct in Victoria’s ‘sister state’ Jiangsu Province in China.

Located in Wujin in the Changzhou precinct, the 3.5 hectare Lotus Park has been designed to be occupied with festivals and functions throughout the day and night.

The design establishes a clear and active programme of functions and includes the W Gallery, a new museum of contemporary art and many new entertainment and restaurant venues. The themes of environmental sustainability, education, recreation and community focused arts programmes are key to the establishment and success of the park programme.

It also includes a renovation of the Wujin Planning and Exhibition Centre and its conference centre. As a result of continuing work in China, studio505 most recently opened a representative office in Wujin.

Melbourne architects CK Designworks have designed a cutting edge 24-storey industrial and commercial building in Nanjing China.

Robert Caulfield, partner in charge of the project, said the building would set new levels of sustainability and environmental conservation for industrial buildings and could set the scene for similar buildings in other parts of the world, particularly where land is at a premium.

The project forms part of a 20sq km master plan in the industrial region of Nanjing and has a number of innovative features, making it one of the most advanced projects of its type anywhere in the world, including high ceilings, reinforced acoustic floors and heat recovery from industrial processes, natural ventilation, solar assisted heating and a cooling system utilising treated waste water fed into a feature lake.

The building is part of CK Designworks master plan for the area, which is scheduled for completion in 2024.

Beijing-based leisure and hospitality specialists Axis Leisure Management have established a strategic alliance with international golf course designer, Gary Player Design for the expansion of Gary Player Design’s presence in the rapidly expanding Chinese market. Axis Leisure Management will assist with design management and support the development and service of the Group’s brand portfolio including Gary Player Apparel, Gary Player Wine, Black Knight Enterprises and The Player Foundation in China. ■

*If your organisation has any news you would like included in Building Bulletin, please e-mail the editor Sophie Loras at: sophiel@chinaconnections.com.au

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