EJE were engaged by DPI as Principal Design Consultant to design and document new research facilities at their Port Stephens institute. The services involved stakeholder engagement through all phases of the design and with all design disciplines to ensure the functional requirements of the project brief were satisfied. Early & thorough consultation with the research groups allowed the design team to understand the intricacies of research projects and the need for flexibility in the new facilities to allow for adaptation of different research types and arrangements.
New purpose-built facilities for Broodstock & Nutrition research were required, together with major upgrades to the existing Mollusc Hatchery, Fish Hatchery and Tank Farm.
The level of servicing required to suit & adapt to the changing research environment was key to the project, as was the need to construct facilities to withstand the highly corrosive environment both internal and external to the buildings.
Predicted sea level rise was another key consideration that the design team had to solve during the documentation, enabling the new facilities to withstand future king tide sea water inundation at the coastal site. The project was documented to enable a staged delivery necessary to maintain site operations and to suit research projects programming.
