UWS Lithgow
When plans were formed to establish a University of Western Sydney (UWS) Outreach Campus in an old, run down building in Lithgow’s civic precinct, it’s no surprise the project team were so commited to maintaining its old-world charm while ensuring sensitivity to the local environment. The ThermalHEART® commercial thermally broken window and door systems were selected for their innovative, thermally broken aluminium which delivers excellent thermal performance and is ideal for applications where minimising heat or cold transfer is a priority.
Nestled in the foothills of the magnificent Blue Mountains, on the western side of the Great Dividing Range, Lithgow is an historic NSW town with a strong industrial heritage dating back to the 1800s. Just 150 kilometers west of Sydney, it is surrounded by stunning national parks, and neighbors a world-renowned World Heritage Area. So when plans were formed to establish a University of Western Sydney (UWS) Outreach Campus in an old, run down building in Lithgow’s civic precinct, it’s no surprise the project team were so committed to maintaining its old-world charm while ensuring sensitivity to the local environment.
The brief was to transform the former Charles H Hoskins Memorial Institute, built in 1927, into a contemporary learning facility, while retaining the building’s original architectural character and ensuring sustainability and energy efficiency. TKD Architects was engaged to take on the project and breathe new life into the building.
While the exterior of the building retains its original façade, and the neglected brickwork has been restored to its former glory, the most significant design changes include the addition of a new lift lobby and entry on the building’s northern side. An ancillary wing was also demolished and replaced with an expansive glass lobby which connects to the main entry by a stunning new steel and glass gallery, flooding the interiors with an abundance of natural light. Given the town’s extremes of temperature, however, it took 15 months of careful consulting on U-Values and SHGC before the team found the perfect products and materials to ensure the building maintained a comfortable temperature in both winter and summer while delivering the requisite energy savings and cost efficiencies. And because the site is located on a busy main road, noise reduction was also a major consideration.
Enter the expert team at Evolution Windows. Evolution offered architecturally inspired solutions for the contemporary space. The team recommended a blend of modern aluminium and timber acoustic windows RW47, and high-quality, ThermalHEART® IGU windows and doors, with a U-Value of 2.5 and SHGC of 0.50. To contend with such large expanses of glass in a dramatic curtain-wall application, a thermal break with double-glazing was also a must.
The ThermalHEART® commercial thermally broken window and door systems were selected for their innovative, thermally broken aluminium which delivers excellent thermal performance and is ideal for commercial and high-end residential applications where minimising heat or cold transfer is a priority.
As a result of the combined efforts of a dedicated group of architects, builders and suppliers, the UWS Outreach Campus is now a shining example of old-meets-new, displaying all the beauty of its industrial heritage combined with new, light-filled corridors, sensitivity to the local precinct and climate conditions, and cutting-edge architectural design and product solutions.