Building 311 SuperLab PC2 Pilot Project

Client: Curtin University
Location: Bentley, WA
Architect: With Architects
Builder: SHAPE
Project Value: $8.16m
Completed: 2020
Awards: 2020 Master Builder’s Association/Bankwest Excellence in Construction Awards Best Education Project ($5 – $10 Million)

Curtin University’s SuperLab concept was developed to improve the educational experience for the University’s Health Sciences and Science & Engineering students and enabling teaching across these faculties in one facility.

The Applied Science building, built in 1978, extended the northern side of the ground floor area by 450m2, adding new laboratory teaching facilities with:

Wet benches, sinks and biosafety cabinet workstations for many of the Lab tasks to common subject areas.
Overall space for 96 students that can be apportioned into halves or quadrants for separate teaching spaces.
Dry Lab accommodating 12 students.
Student Hub for student collaboration.
Preparation Area, Cool Room and a BSC II Zone.
Upgrades to existing amenities, toilets, meeting room, infrastructure and compliance works.
New external façade existing façade.
28T of new plant equipment

The project was encountering issues during early development. Anthony was transitioned as the new Project Director to investigate key issues reportedly impacting the project, with the aim to modify the projects governance and formulate a new strategy to recover the project. It involved restructuring the project team to quickly implement a new strategy which involved a multi-faceted procurement model involving Early Works packages, Early Contractor Involvement, a Guaranteed Maximum Price delivered under a Design & Construct head contract. It required substantial effort and leadership to navigate stakeholders and consultant teams to recognise the benefits to the University which mitigated delivery and cost risks while recovering time.