Case Studies
Charles Perkins Centre

Design Feature

Type of project
Infrastructure
State
New South Wales
Location
Urban
The Charles Perkins Centre in Sydney is a purpose-built research and education hub that aims to foster collaboration with fully-equipped research facilities, flexible teaching and learning spaces, and an in-hospital clinical research facility. Opened in 2014, the multidisciplinary research centre is a part of the University of Sydney’s commitment to excellence in research, improving global health outcomes. The Centre was designed using Active Design guidelines to support occupants and visitors to be more physically active through features such as a central atrium and staircase, active frontages, end of trip facilities and excellent people circulation. 
An education sensation
The Charles Perkins Centre is named after the University of Sydney’s first-recorded Aboriginal alumnus, Charles Perkins, a visionary Australian who challenged societal norms, leading collaborations to deliver projects beyond the capability of a single person or agency. The building honours his legacy by supporting a research network that extends beyond metropolitan Sydney, to sites across regional and rural Australia to improve the health of individuals, communities and the nation.

The Charles Perkins Centre (CPC) is located on the north-west boundary of the University of Sydney’s Camperdown Campus, bordering St John's College and in close proximity to the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPA). Despite the building size and complexity, the project was realised in just 24 months through a design and construct ‘fast track’ procurement, after receiving $95 million in funding from the Federal Government through its Education Investment Fund.  
The 47,000-square metre hub provides state-of-the-art facilities and technology for more than 1,500 undergraduate students, 950 researchers, and higher degree by research students across a variety of disciplines. With six stories and four basement levels, the CPC caters to multidisciplinary research across biomedical sciences, bioinformatic and computational biology, clinical research and behavioural science. This research, and the broader biology of the human body (particularly DNA sequencing patterns and blood flow) inspired the exterior and interior design of the centre.

The internal atrium, which features curved balconies and an interconnecting sweeping spiral staircase is the focal point of the building.
The bold design of the atrium features horizontal continuous ‘ribbons’, fluidly diverging from floor to floor, linking the balustrade, atrium stairs and screen wall to reflect the collaborative nature of research. The atrium stairs are a central focus, encouraging users to use the stairs instead of lifts. Views across the floors are optimised in circulation spaces and interaction zones around the atrium, to enhance a sense of openness, connection, informal interaction and place, without compromising security or disturbing laboratory activities.

Environmental graphics were designed using the guiding principles of motion, ribbons and flow and are present throughout the building. The graphics integrate motifs from Indigenous culture and modern medicine. Gradual shifts in the colour palette and graphics, such as the transition from organic to clinical imagery, serve not only as a visual display, but also as a subtle wayfinding cue. The imagery differentiates between the different parts of the building and contributes to a strong sense of place.
The northern facade of the building is sandstone clad, reflecting the Gothic architecture of the nearby St John's College. The southern exterior, looking out onto the Centenary Institute features a glass curtain wall and aluminium. The site specific design response, form and materials pallete has resulted in a visually appealing and highly functional building.

Features of the Building include: 
  • Research facilities; including open plan desk spaces, seven open plan laboratories with independent write-up spaces, hot desks for visiting collaborators, access to sit-stand desks, co-located support rooms with specialist equipment and core facilities.
  • Large high-tech teaching ‘X-Lab’, capable of hosting eight practical classes concurrently, multipurpose teaching spaces and microscopy teaching labs.
  • Teaching and learning spaces including a microscopy laboratory, a large dry teaching and computing laboratory and pod-style breakout spaces for flexible learning scenarios.
  • Clinical research facility, which includes physical testing facilities, bedrooms for overnight clinical studies.
  • Event and function spaces including a 360-seat auditorium and café.
  • A variety of meeting rooms and study/work pods on each level, complete with smart technology.
  • Excellent end of trip facilities, including secure bike storage, lockers and showers.
  • Kitchen facilities located on each level, with a larger central kitchen located on the sixth floor, which has extensive café style seating and a balcony.

Project team
  • The University of Sydney
  • Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp + Building Studio, architects in association Brookfield Multiplex, Managing contractor
  • Minale Tattersfield, Wayfinding design and branding

Project Cost
$385 Million
Health value
  • The design encourages incidental physical activity by providing generous building circulation paths, social hubs, meeting rooms, over-sized stairs and interconnecting labs. A ‘Move to New Building’ study conducted by researchers from the University of Sydney found that compared with the previous workplace, participants working in the CPC tended to sit 6% less during their work time and stand 4% more.
  • Staff utilise the central atrium stairs to host a group lunchtime stair walking loop. Additionally, a ‘Move More, Sit less Stair’ Challenge was run in September encouraging staff to use the central atrium staircase, instead of the lifts, and realise the health and wellbeing benefits of physical activity and stair climbing.
  • End of trip facilities support staff to utilise active and mixed mode transport. Purposeful landscape design connects the building, end of trip facilities and adjacent public open spaces with existing and new pedestrian and bicycle pathways.
  • The building has a strict no vending machine policy and encourages healthy eating through regular research presentations on nutrition. The adjacent café’s offerings are healthy and preclude any fried foods.
  • The Prevention Research Collaboration, located in the CPC, is a World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre.
  • Weekly yoga and mindfulness sessions are hosted in the meeting rooms.

Economic value
  • The functional teaching and research facilities boost productivity, leading to improved research outputs, education and innovation.
  • The hub hosts more than 900 researchers and academics, employing a significant number of early and mid-career researchers.
  • The state-of-the-art infrastructure, which offers students the opportunity to experience a research environment while learning independently, using research-quality equipment, attracts student enrollment to the University of Sydney.
  • Generates employment opportunities through the maintenance, management and operation of the CPC and associated Café.

Environmental Value
  • The CPC reduces net energy use through a combination of efficient design, intelligent building management systems and site-specific space planning. It promotes water efficiency and reduces green waste through on-site recycling and systems.
  • Internal space planning has been carefully coordinated with the facade to optimise natural daylight, without compromising the building’s energy efficiency. Laboratories and other spaces, which require less direct visual connection, are located on the north-west side of the building, to absorb solar load. Glazed partitions separate the labs and write-up spaces to keep the internal space open and allow natural light to be used internally to maximum effect. Offices, meeting areas and dry research spaces are located on the south-east of the building, which has expansive windows that overlook a courtyard at ground level.
  • The building also has a 100 year design life, compared to the typical 50 years. Sustainable features include a 162,000 litre rainwater harvesting and treatment system, use of low Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) and formaldehyde content, AAA rated sanitary fixtures, automatic landscape irrigation system supplied by site stored water, solar hot water system, displacement air conditioning systems and a rooftop photovoltaic (solar) array.

Social value
  • The CPC has created a vibrant atmosphere within the building as well as in the broader western campus of the University of Sydney. Previously, many of the faculties were spread out across the campus, and in satellite buildings located on the adjacent Parramatta Road. The co-location of related facilities has allowed fostered interdisciplinary collaboration and brought a renewed vibrancy to the Schools of Medicine and Public Health.
  • The CPC hub has established numerous formal research working groups, called ‘nodes’ on a range of subjects. Many of these nodes host professional and public networking opportunities. These research groups have formed a formal working relationship with the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, connecting University and health employees.
  • The open plan workplace design, which features a mix of permanent and hot desks, features ‘research neighbourhoods’ to facilitate casual interactions between staff, while allowing for changes in casual and part time staff. Dynamic meeting areas allow staff to informally use the areas for ‘drop in’ meetings.
  • The large central atrium is a place for people to gather, interact, share and have impromptu meetings whilst the circulation spaces, research spaces and interaction zones integrated throughout the space enhance a sense of connection and openness without compromising security or disturbing lab activities.

Use value
  • The CPC hub is a vibrant research and education precinct that has links to nearby affiliated medical research institutes and hospitals.
  • Provides facilities that can host clinical trade shows, research presentations, workshops and symposiums.
  • The CPC has created a vibrant community, with early career researchers, students, academics, practitioners and members of the public. It is from such interactions that ideas for multi-disciplinary research projects are generated. These research spaces are flexible and capable of accommodating evolving models of education.
  • The facility is regularly used for private and public seminars and presentations, relating to health and wellbeing, and a wide range of social studies.

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