Brain and Mind Research Institute Sydney, Architect, Australia, Australian Interior

Brain and Mind Research Institute, NSW : Youth Mental Health Building

Youth Mental Health Building Sydney design by BVN Architecture

9 Aug 2010

Brain And Mind Research Institute

The University of Sydney – Youth Mental Health Building

Design: BVN Architecture

Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia

Youth Mental Health Building in Sydney

The Youth Mental Health Building (YMHB), Clinical and Translational Research Building and Ken Parker Labs (KPL) are part of the Brain and Mind Research Institute (BMRI) of the Faculty of Medicine at The University of Sydney. The BMRI is focused on research into mental health and clinical issues relating to the brain. The YMHB consists of two floors of patient interaction and consultation and two floors of research laboratories.

photo : John Gollings

The building is part of a satellite campus of the university located in a light industrial area formerly known for clothing trades. This gritty urban area is respected for its heritage streetscapes and the specific site of the YMHB has a heritage listed façade which required retention. The organisation of the building places the two research floors above and the clinical floors below allowing an upper level bridge connection to further research laboratories in two adjoining buildings.

photo : John Gollings

This configuration fitted neatly with the requirement to retain the two storey heritage façade allowing the street composition to be expressed by the placement of the laboratories in a clearly articulated ‘new’ glass box effectively on top of the old façade, with the more tactile people spaces accommodated within the realm of the older component. At the street edge the materials reflect the light industrial context – steel, recycled timber and face concrete block.

Internally the floors are linked by an open stair and small atrium containing the social space of the centre. Meeting rooms and all facilities are accessible from this central space, with materials relating to the exterior – timber, steel and concrete – but here used at a more tactile scale reflecting the need to participate in the daily theatre of human activity.

The ‘sliding box’ is clad with translucent glass planks ensuring diffuse daylight to the laboratories throughout the day, resulting in very low energy consumption.

6 Jul 2011
NSW Architecture Awards Public Architecture : Sulman Award
Brain and Mind Research Institute – Youth Mental Health Building
Design: BVN Architecture

Nov 2010
World Architecture Festival Awards 2010
World’s Best Health Building award at World Architecture Festival Awards (WAF Awards) 2010

Brain and Mind Research Institute images / information received 050511

BVN Architecture

Location: Brain and Mind Research Institute, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

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