Apartment Hotel D

This project is another example of new regional Quest developments that utilise a modern and rational aesthetic. The building - located on a large vacant site in the centre of Dubbo - fills the void in the existing urban fabric and establishes a street alignment consistent with the density of an urban street

The program is arranged as an elementary white form. It consists of 40+ apartments distributed around a central circulation core and a concealed garage on the ground floor. Three public spaces - entry, courtyard and gym terrace - are then subtracted from this simple volume creating visual accents. The result is a composition that consolidates, instead of disturbing the urban fabric

The fenestration, while maintaining a consistent language, is different for each of the four elevations. It responds to the varying solar orientation - large sliding doors on the North elevation with balcony overhangs to provide summer shading, horizontal windows and protected balconies on the South and East elevation, and minimal openings on the West elevation. Balconies incorporate timber finishes to reinforce the sense of interior space

In addition to the orientation and treatment of openings, the project incorporates other ESD strategies. These include: high thermal mass, natural light in all public areas (meeting rooms, staff rooms and offices), naturally ventilated garage, a standard/non-specific structural grid which will allow for future adaptation and reuse of the building...