Davis Langdon and Material LAB have collaborated to design and deliver contract documentation for the new Car Park at Fisher Street in Cabramatta. The building, on completion in September 2010, will have a capacity of 178 vehicles over 3 levels with integrated bicycle parking, cafe concession and operator’s office. The project is funded by the Commonwealth Nation Building programme.

Fairfield City Council’s project brief and scoping document called for the careful integration of numerous features to meet their community, operational, maintenance and aesthetic requirements. These included:

• a vehicle capacity of approximately 178 cars, with the options to provide separate parking areas for short duration shopping users and longer duration commuter users
• a small retail space capable of housing a cafe or similar amenity
• operator office and Car Park pay station
• integrated lift and public stair access
• design to CPTED (Crime Prevention through Environmental Design) principles, including full CCTV surveillance system
• public artwork integrated with the building facade fabric
• the installation of active environmentally sustainable design features including a photovoltaic array, water tanks and a green wall planter system
• a lightweight shade structure for the exposed top desk of the Car Park
• a landscaped public park, integrated with the Cabramatta Town Centre public path network for ease of pedestrian access
• secure public toilets
• noise and light attenuation measures to reduce the impact upon local residents
• the inclusion of recycled, sustainable and renewable materials wherever possible

Designed to a tight budget, this efficient 6,600m2 building maximises operational usage of the site whilst minimising both the use of materials during construction and ongoing energy consumption.

Closely linking the needs of the community with sustainable environmental initiatives, this Fairfield City Council owned Car Park features several unique and innovative design concepts. In particular, 196 solar panels adorn the top level of the Car Park providing a dual purpose in shading cars parked on the top level from the sun while producing a majority of the energy requirements needed for operation of the facility.

The project team made every effort to source local products for the project in order to minimise the carbon footprint created by materials imported from distant locations. Timber, concrete and glazing for the project have all been sourced from local manufacturers in order to minimise embodied energy and the carbon footprint created as a result of the development.