Marion Park Masterplan Mixed Use Buildings by Rafael Contreras and Monica Earl

Bronze Architecture · 2024

Marion Park Masterplan Mixed Use Buildings

by Rafael Contreras and Monica Earl

Bronze A' Design Award 2024 in Architecture
CLIENT: Contreras Earl Architecture
Estimated Number of Design Views: 15,830
Verification code 04F82952A9 · Verify this award

View at A' Design Award Press Release

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About Marion Park Masterplan Mixed Use Buildings

Marion Park aims to be an iconic architectural landmark in Canberra, embodying environmental, social, and governance standards. Inspired by indigenous landscapes, its organic buildings mirror local terrain. The park-like setting, enhanced through First Nations’ design contributions, offers diverse spaces. Housing options prioritize sustainability and affordability, aiming for Net Zero energy usage. Compliant with city plans, it preserves Parliament House's prominence while enhancing the urban fabric.

About the Bronze A' Design Award

Marion Park Masterplan Mixed Use Buildings is a Bronze A' Design Award winner, a highly prestigious recognition granted to outstanding designs distinguished by creativity, ingenuity, and astuteness. Bronze winners are amply skillful and strikingly creative artifacts that authenticate the vast experience, imagination, and resourcefulness of their designers. Marion Park Masterplan Mixed Use Buildings is expected to be a highly regarded, admired, and cherished object that is notably professional and innovative. This Bronze A' Design Award-winning design incorporates best practices in art, science, design, and technology, and is excellent for its attention to detail. Marion Park Masterplan Mixed Use Buildings splendidly satisfies needs, touches desires, charms feelings, and appeals to curiosity.

Press Kit

Unique Properties: The Marion Park master plan envisions an iconic architectural landmark in the heart of the Nation’s Capital, embodying top-tier environmental, social, and governance standards. It will offer diverse housing options, including affordable units, designed with sustainability and liveability in mind. Innovative Passiv Haus principles and onsite renewable energy generation will pave the way for economically viable pathways to Net Zero operation via Greenpower, ensuring a sustainable future.
Dimensions & Packaging: Combined the five buildings have a total of approximately 456 residential units, providing a variety of housing typologies designed to functionally meet the intergenerational requirements of individuals, partners and families.
The design consists of 2 corner elliptical buildings, each 17 stories and 3 mid-rise structures, each with seven levels. The project includes food and beverage outlets, commercial and retail offices and a community center allowing users to live and play within the district.
Tags: Masterplan, Mixed-Use, Residential, Commercial, Retail, Park
Production Technology: Our goal is to integrate sustainability into design, construction, and operation, aligning with City Renewal Authority's initiatives. We aim for Net Zero operation through onsite renewables and "Greenpower," using passive design and occupant sensing controls to minimize energy demand. These measures meet environmental, health, and economic objectives while supporting climate resilience and Authority's sustainability goals.
Design Challenge: The challenge was to develop a master plan that would meet sustainable targets with a unique organic design inspired by the surrounding nature on a prime located site.
Research: The research laying the fundamentals of the project are based around delivering sustainability initiatives. Key initiatives are passive solar design, optimizing natural ventilation, responsible water management, developing for a green city, growing for long term, maximizing green spaces and moving away from non-renewable energy sources.
Inspiration: Drawing on the same geographic elements which Walter Burley and Marion Mahoney Griffin used in their prize-winning design proposal for Canberra, we have strived to express in built form the indigenous landscape of Ngunnawal country. Each of the buildings has evolved with an organic topographical form reminiscent of the local hill side landscapes. Knowles Place has been considered as urban park emulating Lake Burley Griffin & the Molonglo River as they flow through the Parliamentary Triangle.
Project Duration: The project was master planned between June and August 2023.
Operation Flow: Passive design principles reduce cooling and heating demand, following Passiv Haus standards. Intelligent occupant sensing controls decrease energy usage by adjusting light and air-conditioning in unoccupied areas. Responsible water management is integrated with sustainability goals, aiming for net-zero carbon operation, Nathers 7-star rating, and adherence to Passiv Haus principles.