| The
Bluebridge ferry terminal building was completed for port
operator CentrePort in 2003, as the Wellington gateway for
passengers on this Cook Strait ferry service. The exposed
site meant that environmental extremes are experienced,
allowing a sustainable design opportunity to turn the wind
and rain into an asset.
The reliable winds blowing northerly or southerly across
the wharf and harbour throughout the year are harnessed
to provide code complying natural ventilation in the transit
lounge and offices via an automatically controlled window
system.
A curving front canopy shelters arriving pedestrians as
well as funneling the prevailing northerly wind into the
building ceiling plenum. Window vents have frosted glass
to conceal this plenum from external view. The plenum carries
fresh air into the transit lounge beyond the offices via
8 sq.m of static bulkhead grilles.
The canopy contributes to another low energy, low maintenance
feature of the terminal. With no gutter northerly wind driven
rain is swept backward and down over the north glazed façade
washing it clean of salt and dirt on a regular basis. On
days of southerly rain the canopy discharges its water down
onto bed of river rolled greywacke rocks which disguise
a drainage sump. The rocky strip also keeps pedestrians
at arms length from opening windows and away from confidential
material in the offices immediately behind.
For more information, see article 'Waterfront building
designed to be lashed by wind and rain" from Build,
February/March 2004, page
1 (PDF 1.04MB) and page
2 (PDF 1.33MB).
See
Bluebridge Ferry Terminal for more pictures. |
