The Goodfellow Aquatic Centre is part of the Kardinia International College campus in Geelong, Victoria, Australia. The center is the realized dream of the college’s founding Principal, John Goodfellow, and was completed in August 2016. The facility, designed by James Deans Architects, is available to students and facility and houses an over 80 feet, 6-lane interior swimming pool.
The chromatic ocean hued building was designed with the college’s mission in mind, to showcase innovation and modernity throughout the building process. Near the entrance, a tiled waterfall with three silver divers and a color-changing LED backlit system greets visitors.
The colors, Spectra Ocean, Amazon and Sparking Black Metallic, envelope the interior and exterior of the façade that creates a fluid color composition throughout. Additionally, the exterior’s angular geometric design is equally represented on the interior where the indoor swim arena resides.
Upper Level Building Services fabricated and installed nearly 8,100 square feet of Alucobond PLUS material in three finishes. The iridescent nature of the spectra finishes creates an ever-changing exterior design that adjusts color based upon naturally fluctuating daylight.
With high visibility from the local highway, the building serves as a branding facilitator, welcoming visitors to the school. With the use of an artificial lighting system, the building is equally impressive at night.
College campus architecture does not often take this level of emergence in design. Often buildings on campuses replicate each other, creating consistency. Yet, for the Kardinia International College, the choice of a bold, color-changing façade was in fact consistent with other buildings on campus. James Deans Architects were also the firm responsible for the Katsumata Centre at the college as well. Equally impressive in design, the Katsumata building is enveloped in Spectra Cupral, another prismatic Alucobond finish.
information and photography courtesy of James Deans & Associates Architects and Upper Level Building Services
