Melbourne: Pixel Building (Australia)

The Pixel Building was designed by Studio 505 to accommodate the Grocon Development team, sales office, and a display suite on one corner of the development for the former CUB Brewery site. Studio 505 were asked to create the most environmentally sensitive building possible on the tiny city site.

Studio 505 states that, ‘Pixel is a ‘Future Office’ – a prototype of the commercial buildings that will emerge when a carbon constrained environment demands a greater focus on energy efficiency. As a prototype, it enables an analysis of the ongoing implications of new technologies in the commercial building sector. Scoring a perfect 105 Green Star points and 105 LEED points, Pixel is Australia’s first carbon neutral office building, generating all its own power and water on site.’

The idea was to test what was technically possible and create a ‘showcase’ of Grocon’s abilities and aspirations, so apart from radically pushing the environmental limits (including green roof), the architects devised a clever artistic approach for the sun and privacy screens on the façade. An elaborate composition of zero-waste recycled coloured panels were assembled on swivelling steel tubes, creating a beautifully engaging veil for the building.

Grocon has since moved on, and Studio 505 ceased operations in 2016, with the two directors starting new practices, decibel(Architecture))) and himmelzimmer, with decibel(Architecture))) now located on Level 3 of the Pixel Building.