First Building – Bradfield City Centre

The first cutting-edge manufacturing facility completed in Australia’s newest city in 100 years, First Building marks the start of a new industry-led ecosystem, offering shared facilities with advanced technology, expertise, training, and networks to help manufacturing businesses grow. A significant challenge was designing the building prior to master plan approval and to ensure the design response was led by Country. Designing regeneratively was paramount to ensure adaptability to future changes. Our modular approach allows components to be disassembled, reconfigured, or reused as Bradfield evolves. The design also integrates the sloping landscape of the small site, minimising the need for excavation.

An exemplar of circular design principles, the building is designed as a modular kit-of-parts that can be disassembled, expanded, or relocated, ensuring resilience to the evolving needs of the city. Guided by First Nations cultural research and design agency Djinjama, the design is deeply embedded in Dharug Country, honouring and respecting the building’s location on the Cumberland Plain and the ephemeral waterways of Wianamatta. The project challenges supply chain and advocates for the use of natural low-embodied carbon materials such as rammed earth, bamboo, and timber to minimise environmental impact.

First Building is setting a benchmark for sustainable city-building and exemplifies Bradfield’s aspirations for sustainability and design excellence in line with 6 Star Green Star targets. Innovations in timber construction systems, modular design and use of low embodied carbon materials with minimal impact to Country all formed part of the regenerative design concept. The AMRF will provide local manufacturing businesses access to advanced machinery and expertise.. Positive social impact on local suppliers and businesses: •Over $12 million spent with local businesses, including more than $3.5 million with First Nations businesses •200 jobs created •Building open for community events and activities

The building is designed as a modular ‘kit of parts’ allowing for disassembly, expansion, or relocation, responding to the evolving needs of the new city. In the local Dharug language, the area hosting Aerotropolis is known as Wianamatta, which means ‘Mother Place’. It’s a site of significance for First Nations women, reflected in the building’s open and welcoming architectural expression, a design language centred on ideas of water and fluidity, and the use of warm, soft, natural materials including timber, bamboo and rammed earth. Country is integrated inside and outside the building, reflected in the choice of native planting on the roof, in the atrium and landscaping. First Building has a unique natural ventilation system to assist in the reduction of energy consumption. Natural ventilation is designed to be used 60% of the year, cooling the building by opening the atrium and façade panels to the breeze. The green roof is both protective and functional — 14,000 100% native plants enhance biodiversity, harvesting water and solar energy, while shading the building from the sun and cooling the building’s roof by up to 20°C. It’s also symbolic of the surrounding tree canopies.