A louvred wooden X-shape filled with staircases connects the two laboratory wings of this scientific research centre by architects Lyons at the Australian National University in Canberra.
Located on the university's Acton campus, the building brings together two existing biological research schools into a single facility with hexagonal windows and splashes of bright green on its facade.
"Both of the existing schools had very successful research and teaching programmes and the challenge was to bring those programmes together in the one building, maintaining their separate identities while forming a new entity," said architect Carey Lyons. "The building’s two wings provide the separate identities, while the cross-stair with its meeting rooms binds them together." The wonky cross stretches across the west facade of the U-shaped building, creating two overlapping staircases that screen collaborative working areas and meeting spaces.
Lyons has worked on a number of educational and research buildings, including an institute of technology, a medical school and a college administration building.
