It’s a new era for ANU Physics, with the recent upgrade to the Canberra facility delivering a world-class venue housing exquisitely stabilized quantum and laser labs, pristine clean rooms and multiple spaces for talks and conferences.

Across multiple areas of the new building, solid and acoustic timber linings were chosen to enhance the overall learning experience, introducing warm tones and quality finishes.

For the auditorium ceiling and bulkhead, and the seminar and conference hall, a Natural Timber Veneer Spotted Gum finish was used with a V-slotted acoustic pattern – chosen to maximise not only the aesthetics, but acoustic performance of the spaces.

The NTV finish was carried throughout the project, in a number of solid and acoustic panel formats, lending itself to the rich timber tones of the project, ultimately improving the quality experience of the students.

To overcome the tendency of Spotted Gum to vary considerably in shade, the veneer was mismatched so that each panel represented the range of typical colours seen in Spotted Gum veneer.

Shop drawings were provided to coordinate custom hinged access panels with concealed latches to discreet services integration. Ten different types of services have been integrated in a different way.

This included concealing mechanical ventilation grills behind slotted panels which had no acoustic fabric behind them.

Additional project Information:

Auditorium Ceiling and Bulkhead including service trough:

SUPACOUSTIC SV51/130, no backing, Black MDF batten in Spotted Gum NTV

Seminar and Conference Hall:

SUPACOUSTIC SV51/130 in Spotted Gum NTV

Small meeting and informal lounge, and Office feature wall panels:

Mixed SUPACOUSTIC SP2/100 and SUPALINE in Spotted Gum NTV

Feature walls outside auditorium:

SUPACOUSTIC SV51/130 and SP2/100 and SUPALINE in Spotted Gum NTV

Photos: Courtesy of Hindmarsh