DM Group part of $80 million next-gen building construction
Last month we saw James Cook University’s $80 million next-generation building, The Science Place, claim the Master Builders North Queensland title of Project of the Year.
We were, of course, proud to be part of the construction of this significant project, having delivered design and mechanical drafting services, steel detailing and BIM modeling.
If you’re unfamiliar with JCU’s The Science Place, it’s a ripper as far as buildings go. The five-level, 12,000 sqm state-of-the-art structure is located at the university’s Townsville
Designed by Hassell (Architects) and built by Lendlease, The Science Place is a high-grade build, featuring many architectural elements like curved roof sections. Because of these complex design elements, our team approached the project with great attention to detail – as we always do.
“Curving steel is always a tricky one,” says DM Group of Companies’ Manager Daniel Moore.
“You have to be on the ball of what’s going on; there is very little room for error.
“We needed to give great attention to how the roof structures tie in with each other and we had to be across the steel fabrication process.
“Steel is the backbone of any major construction, so developing a full 3D model of the structure and thousands of drawings is key in delivering a project of this scale.
“To complete this project, we had a ground team focused on the ground level drawings, a roof team focused on the roof structure, and a mid-level team focused on all levels in between.”
Construction of The Science Place commenced in April 2015 and completed late 2016, with JCU staff and students moving into the building earlier this year.
The building embraces energy-efficient design, houses a 175-seat collaborative lecture theatre, two 150-seat super labs and a 40,000-litre circular acrylic saltwater aquarium.
The project also won the Master Builders North Queensland award for best Educational Facility over $10 million.
