Week 4 Internship Blog - Peddle Thorp and SBE
During the fourth week of my internship at Peddle Thorp and SBE, I had the opportunity to attend a site visit to the Hawthorn Football Club’s new training and administration facilities. The project comprises two architecturally designed pavilions and two full-sized ovals, including an MCG-sized oval and a second indoor training oval, both tailored to accommodate the requirements of the club’s male and female athletes.
It was particularly insightful to observe how the architectural material palette had been carefully considered to respond to both functional and aesthetic imperatives. Some of these material selections were unexpected in the context of a high-performance sports facility. This illustrated the importance of balancing structural integrity, durability, environmental responsiveness and aesthetics in the selection of materials.
Another key architectural feature that impressed me was the deliberate spatial planning and orientation to maximize visual connectivity to the ovals. The architects have clearly prioritized visual connections from a variety of internal spaces such as the recreational spaces, and upper-level circulation corridors towards the indoor oval. This design strategy not only enhances user experience but also reinforces a constant visual relationship between the built environment and the club’s central activity.
Back at the office, I have continued working on the design analysis for a proposed residential apartment development located in Boronia near the Blind Creek Urban Renewal Project initiated by Melbourne Water. This development prioritises context-sensitive design, incorporating key urban design and architectural principles such as placemaking, public realm enhancement, landscape integration, sustainability, and aesthetic coherence.
For this analysis, I used the Green Factor Tool, an evaluative framework that assesses the quantity, functional quality and area of green infrastructure integrated into the project. The tool generates a Green Scorecard, reflecting the overall ecological performance based on variables such as vegetative cover, water-sensitive urban design elements, biodiversity support, and permeability. A Green Factor Score of 0.55 is the benchmark and the tool rewards sustainable urban development that embeds ecological functionality and green space within its design..
I am looking forward to contributing further to upcoming projects and gaining more experience through future site visits, as I continue to deepen my understanding of architectural practice during the remainder of my internship.