Design is hatched from natural world

By Kath Gannaway
ARCHITECT Cassandra Fahey of Cassandra Complex was thinking outside the square, both literally and figuratively, when she came up with the futuristic design for the BHP Billiton Platypusary at Healesville Sanctuary.
The egg shaped structure, which Ms Fahey said was inspired “by the magnificence of its little inhabitants – platypuses, Barak and Binnari,” was one of two new buildings at the sanctuary win the awards in the Victorian Architecture Awards last week.
Both the Platypusary and the Australian Wildlife Health Centre (AWHC), which was designed by architects Minifie Nixon, won awards for institutional architecture.
The AWHC is an interactive working hospital that provides visitors with a unique opportunity to connect with veterinary staff as they treat sick, injured and orphaned native animals.
Sanctuary director Matt Vincent described the design as “inspired”.
Architect Paul Minifie says it’s hard to give a simple answer to where that inspiration came except to say it is drawn from connection of the natural world and the constructed world.
It was also inspired by the sanctuary’s vision and passion for the project.
Mr Minifie said: “We worked incredibly closely with staff and what was really inspirational for us was the vision they had for the building and being able to translate that into something which stands up, looks like something and does all the right things.
“It was very rewarding for us to work on and a lot of that was because of the clarity and joy and ambition the sanctuary had for the project,” he said.
“Ultimately, it’s absolutely about the people who use it and we hope we give them some joy.
“The work of the vets and the exhibitions are the reason the building is there.
“We hope it forms a nice context for that and gives people something to think about and to be pleased about in looking at it and being there,” Mr Minifie said.
A spokesman for Cassandra Complex, architect Scott Woodward, said the team had had a lot of fun designing the building which reflects the company’s bold approach to architecture.
“It’s quite a small building and it was a really short process, only about seven months, from concept to design to finish it, so I suppose we were a little surprised, as well as being absolutely rapt, to win the award,” he said.
The BHP Billiton Platypusary and Australian Wildlife Health Centre join Tarrawarra Museum of Art and Yering Station Winery as landmark buildings in the Yarra Valley.