Affric
AFFRIC
Ghdwoodhead
ARCHITECTS
Ghdwoodhead
STATUS
Built
AREA
25,000 Sqft - 100,000 Sqft
YEAR
2013
LOCATION
Waurn Ponds, Australia
TYPE
Educational › University Industrial › Laboratory Research Facility
GHD Woodhead designed the Australian Future Fibres Research and Innovation Centre (AFFRIC) at Deakin University’s Waurn Ponds Campus as part of the Geelong Technology Precinct.
The new research centre is an exciting collaborative project between Deakin University, CSIRO and the Victorian Centre for Advanced Materials Manufacturing (VCAMM).
The project involved the design and development of the new research facilities, the co-location of the materials and fibres research group from CSIRO, the expansion of the existing research activities of Deakin’s Centre for Materials and Fibre Innovation, and the construction of a carbon fibre research pilot plant in partnership with the VCAMM.
AFFRIC includes the first carbon fibre production facility of any type in Australia and AFFRIC will also be the world’s first research facility for the production of carbon fibre located on a University campus and operated by a government-backed research organisation.
GHD Woodhead have created an integrated facility that showcases fibre technology, and is designed as an innovative, modern, professional & futuristic environment.
This ethos have been demonstrated in the entry experience, breakout, meeting room & central circulation spaces with direct views into laboratories to provide a collaborative and learnt experience.
The Centre will further increase the capacity of the partner organisations to service the fibre, textile, composite, automotive and aerospace industries and assist in the transition between research and commercial application.
With over 300 researchers and students based at the centre will be the largest carbon fibre research centre in the nation and will be one of the premier research facilities in the world.
It will develop new advanced materials which will ensure the industry can produce world-class knowledge-based products based on nanofibres, carbon fibres and smart functional materials.
