Sustainable Furnishing for a Future-Focused Campus

Living Edge supplied 150 sustainably designed Herman Miller chairs for the University of Tasmania – The Forest, aligning with its circular design vision.

Living Edge

In a project defined by deep environmental responsibility and future-focused design, Living Edge played a pivotal role in equipping the University of Tasmania – The Forest with furniture that reflected the same ethos driving its architecture.

As a premium supplier of design-led, sustainably manufactured furnishings, Living Edge provided 150 Herman Miller Setu chairs, which combined performance, aesthetic integrity, and circular design thinking.

“We worked closely with Woods Bagot throughout the furniture selection process,” explained Tim Batchelor, Senior Education Consultant at Living Edge. “Beyond fit-for-purpose and ergonomics, the university was particularly interested in design for disassembly, warranties, and products with recycled and recyclable content. Given the high level of sustainability objectives for the project, Living Edge and Herman Miller were ideal partners.”

The 150 Herman Miller Setu chairs selected for The Forest exemplify this alignment. Combining ergonomic comfort with a lightweight, highly recyclable frame, the Setu embodies circular design principles, supporting long-term asset lifecycle strategies and end-of-life material recovery, key priorities within the university’s sustainability framework.

Throughout the procurement phase, Living Edge was required to provide detailed documentation confirming sustainability credentials, lifecycle transparency, and compliance with circular design frameworks. “As part of Living Edge’s LivingOn sustainability programme, this was readily available information which we were able to support Woods Bagot and the client with,” said Tim.

The Forest has been recognised as an architectural and environmental benchmark, integrating renewable materials, biophilic design, and thoughtful future-use planning. For Living Edge, contributing to a project of this calibre reflects their enduring commitment to sustainable innovation in commercial interiors.

“The Forest is an ambitious project with sustainability considered in every design element—from its new life to its end-of-life,” Tim reflects. “This aligns perfectly with Living Edge’s ‘Furniture for Life’ sustainability philosophy, which underpins every brand we bring to the Australian market.”

For more information contact Living Edge, phone 1300 132 154, email info@livingedge.com.au, website www.livingedge.com.au

Visit Living Edge in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and Brisbane

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Crafting Functional Beauty: Timber Joinery in Complex Adaptive Reuse

UCI Joinery delivered bespoke, timber-rich interiors at the University of Tasmania – The Forest, combining craftsmanship, sustainability, and commercial expertise.

UCI Joinery

UCI Joinery translated complex design intent into a cohesive, timber-rich interior for The Forest, delivering bespoke joinery solutions that combined heritage sensitivity, sustainability, and high-traffic durability. With more than 35 years in the industry and a growing footprint in the commercial sector, the project marked a defining step forward for the Tasmanian-based joinery specialist.

“Our scope covered a wide range of joinery elements,” said Karina Allan, Manager at UCI Joinery. “That included kitchen and print-point joinery, along with a substantial amount of planter and integrated seating joinery throughout the building, including the Corporate Services and TCoE (Kobe) zones.”

Timber was the defining material across the entire package, aligning with both the heritage nature of the former forestry warehouse and the sustainability ambitions of the project. “Everything was based around timber—lots of veneer and solid timber finishes,” Karina said. “That material choice really supported the story of the building and helped retain a strong connection to its original purpose as a forestry facility.”

Sustainability was a major driver in the project’s material direction. “That’s one of the reasons timber features so heavily,” Karina explained. “The finishes link back to the building’s history, but they also support the project’s environmental objectives, which were a big focus throughout.”

For UCI Joinery, the project presented a departure from standard commercial work and demanded a highly customised approach. “It was very different to what we’d done before. It’s very bespoke,” Karina said. “Every element felt special because it required so much tailoring to the space.”

Despite the complexities of the project, the UCI team embraced the opportunity to explore a wider application of joinery in commercial and high traffic spaces, stretching their expertise to deliver a thematic, high-quality commercial solution.

The result is a refined, timber-rich interior that enhances both the beauty and usability of The Forest, reflecting UCI Joinery’s growing reputation for craftsmanship in complex, design-led environments.

For more information contact UCI Joinery, 14-16 Tasma Street, Hobart TAS 7000, phone 03 6425 1399, email hobart@ucitas.com.au, website www.uci.com.au

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What Goes Behind Crafting Some of the World’s Most Challenging Curved Brickwork

Custom Clad, VIC and QLD–based cladding specialist, supplied and installed the complex curved brick façade at 17 Bennetts Lane.

Custom Clad

Rising 20 storeys above the narrow rhythm of Melbourne’s CBD, 17 Bennetts Lane demonstrates what is possible when technical façade engineering and vision align. At street level, this ambition is expressed through a highly intricate curved brick façade, where horizontal and vertical curves intersect to form a seamless, sculptural surface.

Curving brickwork in a single direction is already complex. At 17 Bennetts Lane, the challenge was amplified by the need to curve across both horizontal and vertical planes simultaneously. Every deviation, no matter how small, had the potential to compound across the façade. This combination of geometry and material behaviour is rarely attempted, not because it cannot be imagined, but because controlling it in practice demands an exceptional level of planning and expertise.

It was within these constraints that Custom Clad’s end-to-end cladding approach became critical. by bringing design, manufacture, supply and installation together as a single, coordinated process.

As part of this integrated scope, Custom Clad supplied a complete lightweight wall cavity system combining steel framing, non-combustible insulation, breathable sarking, and metal battens. The brick slip cladding extended across both the internal and external faces of the front entry, reinforcing the continuity of the curved form. Custom Clad also installed vertical feature cladding made from recycled Oregon timber salvaged from the demolition of the original structure on the site.

“This project began long before fabrication, with a fully modelled 3D steel framework developed by the team at Hacer Group”, said Michael Slowey, Director of Custom Clad. “The 3D model allowed our team to visualise every curve and detail of the building well in advance. Both the primary steel frame and the brick façade sub-frame were fabricated directly from this model, ensuring every line aligned with the intended architectural vision.”

From the 3D model, Custom Clad manufactured precise jigs for accurate setout on site for the specialised curved light gauge steel framing. These jigs ensured consistency across all curved sections, allowing the framing to form perfectly around the intricate window and wall shapes.

Every steel frame was manufactured in Custom Clad’s Hallam facility and delivered to site ready for installation, sorted and labelled for efficient assembly. Managing the logistics of delivery and coordination was crucial given the site tight access in the CBD.

Custom Clad’s ability to manufacture in-house and supply complete system helped reduce downtime on site and maintained consistent quality across every stage of the project. Working closely with Nubrik, Custom Clad ensured that the variations in natural clay pressed materials were managed carefully so that the finished façade achieved both structural and visual harmony.

During installation, multiple cladding installers worked simultaneously to erect the steel framing and lay the brick slips precisely according to detailed shop drawings.

Brickwork was installed progressively before mortar was applied, allowing the curvature to be refined and checked throughout the process. Particular care was taken to ensure brick and mortar colours aligned with adjacent façades and neighbouring buildings, reinforcing visual continuity at street level.

“It has been incredibly fulfilling to push the limits of cladding innovation again with Hacer Group, setting a new standard for what can be achieved with modern construction tools, exact setout and a collaborative approach”, said Slowey.
The finished result appears calm and effortless, a seamless curved brick façade that conceals months of planning, coordination and technical discipline.

At 17 Bennetts Lane, complexity has not been eliminated, but resolved, demonstrating how careful modelling, material understanding and craftsmanship can bring ambitious architectural forms to life with precision and elegance.

Custom Clad logo

For more information contact Custom Clad, phone 03 9791 2904, email info@customclad.com.au, website www.customclad.com.au

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Webber Design Structural Engineering

Paul Webber and the Webber Design Team Structural Engineers for Bennetts Lane would like to congratulate Perri Group on their landmark project.

Victoria

Level 5, 31 Queen Street
Melbourne VIC 3000
t. 03 9614 7155

New South Wales

Suite 301, Level 3
19A Boundary Street
Rushcutters Bay NSW 2011
t. 02 9690 2488

South Australia

Level 7
115 King William Street
Adelaide SA 5000

e. paul@webberdesign.com
www.webberdesign.com

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High-Rise Fire Systems Designed for Performance and Compliance

Profire delivered reliable, compliant fire protection systems at Bennetts Lane, combining expertise, precision, and seamless integration.

Profire (Aust) Pty Ltd

With over 30 years of fire protection expertise, Profire (Aust) Pty Ltd ensures critical fire alarm and essential safety systems are delivered reliably, compliantly, and with seamless integration, even on tightly constrained inner-city sites like Bennetts Lane.

Operating since 2011 under the Profire banner (formerly Firelec), the company specialises in the full lifecycle of fire and electrical services, from design and installation through to long-term servicing and emergency response.

The Bennetts Lane project demanded precision, compliance and reliability at every stage. “Fire systems are not an area where you can take shortcuts. Everything must integrate seamlessly with the building and perform exactly as intended when it matters most,” explained Dean Borg, Director of Profire. “Our focus is always on delivering systems that are robust, compliant and easy to maintain long after handover.”

For Bennetts Lane, Profire delivered the installation of dry fire alarm systems, emergency warning and intercommunication systems (EWIS), and associated detection infrastructure, all co-ordinated alongside the broader construction programme. The company’s qualifications span electrical contracting, cabling, building practitioner licensing and Fire Protection Association (FPA) membership, underpinned by extensive insurance coverage and 24/7 emergency service capability .

Dean believes performance on site is measured not only by technical delivery, but by reliability. “Meeting programme and compliance without disruption to the builder is just as important as the systems themselves,” he says. “At Bennetts Lane, the team delivered on time, without delays, and with no negative feedback from the client, that’s something we’re proud of.”

With an extensive project history across residential towers, commercial precincts, education facilities and retail environments, Profire continues to build its reputation as a trusted fire protection specialist. At Bennetts Lane, the company’s disciplined delivery and deep technical capability ensured the development’s life-safety systems were installed to the highest standard.

For more information contact Profire (Aust) Pty Ltd, 8/62 Fallon Street, Brunswick VIC 3056, phone 0423 844 580, email profire1@hotmail.com

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