JCU Ideas Lab

Smithfield Campus, Cairns

The JCU Ideas Lab serves North Queensland as an innovative centre to translate research, ideas and ambition into products and processes with real commercial application to drive economic growth and diversity in Australia. 

It is a place where businesspeople, entrepreneurs, community organisations, researchers, educators and students work and learn from each other, offering research and industry engagement opportunities in a technology rich and sustainable environment. 

The building has been designed through an extensive process to meet the highest environmental and sustainability standards, achieving LEED Gold certification.  

Highly adaptable spaces are organised around a grand 3 storey room that has an outlook toward the centre of campus.   A full-height green wall and floating staircase dominate the space, giving focus to the experience for visitors and occupants alike, and providing occupants with a strong connection to their tropical setting.

The folded building form explores the idea that through people and process, the prosaic and simple can be readily transformed into something unique and beautiful.  The result is aplayful dynamic building envelope that gives the Ideas Lab a presence in the landscape, while at the same time moderating heat and glare and maximising natural light to the workplaces within.

At night the building is transformed by projected moving images and colour to become a focal point in the landscape that can be easily be seen from the highway. 

The Ideas Lab is an exemplar case, setting a new benchmark for contemporary and sustainable design.

Completed

2020

Collaborators

Wilson Architects + Clarke and Prince, Architects in Association

Value

$30,000,000

Key Personnel

Michael Herse, Daniel Tsang, John Thong, Hamilton Wilson, Alex Quah-Smith, Sophie Lorenz, Frankie Lau, Georgina Russell, Ilka Salisbury, Luis Sidonio, Jenny Yang, John Harrison, Lia Kim, Mark Yuen, Paul Newman, Shaun Purcell, Charlotte Bryant, Claire Black, Carole Walls, Christina Solomon and Phillip Lukin

Tradition Owners

Yidinjdji Nation

Photographer

Andrew Watson

Awards

2021 AIA (Australian Institute of Architects) QLD The Harry Marks Award for Sustainable Architecture

2021 AIA (Australian Institute of Architects) QLD Award for Educational Architecture

2021 AIA (Australian Institute of Architects) Far North QLD Regional Commendation for Educational Architecture

2021 AIA (Australian Institute of Architects) Far North QLD Regional Commendation for Sustainable Architecture

2021 Master Builders Far North Queensland Housing and Construction Awards, ‘Project of the Year’ (Awarded to BESIX Watpac)

2021 Master Builders Far North Queensland Housing and Construction Awards, Award for Education Facilities over $10M (Awarded to BESIX Watpac)