At the Baiada processing plant in Tamworth, NSW, fjcstudio designed the new staff amenities and support building, which sits in front of the plant, as well as the plant’s facade. Specialist architects Taylor Ellis designed the processing facility itself. Together, the buildings bring architecture, technology and landscape into a single curved form, extending our workplace design thinking into an industrial setting.
The brief called for a progressive and ambitious vision: the highest standard of staff amenities, in a building that reflects the advanced technology and sustainability of the facility. It was an inspiring brief, and unlike anything we had designed before.
We responded with a low, curvilinear form that stretches out to embrace the landscape through contoured gardens. Formed and profiled from advanced lightweight materials, the building sits gently in its setting and frames the Moonbi Range beyond.
Inside the curved metal form, layered timber surfaces shape the interior. They draw in natural light, bring warmth to the staff experience and open onto a sheltered, landscaped courtyard.
The sculptural form hovering over the landscape is striking, but what matters most is that the design carries through into the light-filled timber interior and the staff facilities. If the building enriches the working lives of staff and makes them feel valued, respected and proud, then we have done our job and fulfilled the client’s vision.
Richard Francis-Jones, Design Director, fjcstudio
