The Sanctuary, Melbourne Chapel Building, Australian Architecture, Images

The Sanctuary at Bunurong Memorial Park, Melbourne

Contemporary Curtain-Walled Building, VIC, Australia chapel design by BVN Architecture

28 Jul 2016

The Sanctuary

Design: BVN Architecture

Location: Bunurong Memorial Park, Melbourne, Australia

The Sanctuary at Bunurong Memorial Park, Melbourne

TILT designs sliding façade for BVN chapel

Australian industrial design firm, TILT, has delivered a one-of-a-kind sliding glass façade for the new BVN-designed chapel, The Sanctuary, at Bunurong Memorial Park, south east of Melbourne.

Designed, manufactured and installed by TILT, the operable façade consists of three curved glass panes, forming a floor-to-ceiling window, which can be lowered to waist-height to allow open-air access to the environment and raised to offer protection from the elements.

Each window, weighing approximately 2.5 tonnes, is raised and lowered by synchronised electric actuators – a unique system designed to seamlessly integrate with the building and quietly and effortlessly operate, so as not to disrupt event proceedings.

According to TILT Managing Director, Tim Phillips, the integration of a technical series of windows in the building required considerable cooperation between the architect, builder, and industrial design team.

“It was great to collaborate with BVN who were adventurous in their approach to the conceptual design,” Tim said.
“We needed to work very closely and establish clear expectations for building tolerances early in the design phase – this was critical to the successful integration of the architecture and industrial design.

“What we have collectively achieved is a flexible design that enables the client to offer a unique facility that makes the most of all weather conditions and its cantilevered positioning over the lake,” he added.

Architect and BVN Associate Nick Flutter said working with an industrial designer during the process ensured a functional and considered solution to the unusual design brief.

“The original concept that we put forward to Tim and his team was ambitious, and we valued their expertise in working through the early design,” Nick said.

“We found we could speak the same language and bounce ideas and we made a lot of progress in a short time.
“TILT were then able to take those concepts forward and deliver an elegant system that met our client’s original objectives.”