Barwon Water building brings national prize to Geelong

02 Nov 2018

Barwon Water’s head office in Geelong has been named the best piece of commercial architecture in Australia at the 2018 National Architecture Awards.

The project won the Harry Seildler Award for Commercial Architecture, beating 68 shortlisted projects drawn from 975 entries across the country.

The 5-star green star rated building also took out the National Award for Sustainable Architecture.

The building was praised for its sustainable credentials and innovative design, which retained the original bones of the existing 1970s office buildings and repurposed it into a modern and light-filled workplace.

The jury commented that Barwon Water’s decision to adapt the existing buildings made a positive contribution to the Geelong city centre and set an excellent example for reusing older buildings.

Designed by architects GHDWoodhead, the refurbished building embodies Barwon Water’s sustainable values, featuring solar panels, rainwater flushing toilet systems, and efficient heating cooling systems, including a façade designed for shading.

Consolidating Barwon Water’s Geelong-based employees under one roof improves efficiency and reduces electricity consumption by 70% and gas consumption by 90%.