Boeing Facade Upgrade, Port Melbourne

This project, currently at design stage is a façade, security entry, and landscaping upgrade to Boeing’s existing manufacturing facility at Fisherman’s Bend in Port Melbourne. The existing complex is an awkward conglomeration of buildings and infrastructure that has grown and altered over time. A collage of façade gestures were employed to bring coherence to the complex as a whole.

The red brickwork of the older buildings on the site is revealed by stripping the existing paintwork from the retained brickwork components. As part of this exercise the red brick air raid bunkers are reconfigured as much needed bicycle storage. To create an outlook to the Yarra environs to the north, the existing white corrugated metal façade is punctuated with a string of windows along its full length. Drawing on the window patterning of the commercial airliner fuselage, windows are removed as required to accommodate pre existing building structure and other obstructions as they occur.

Selected sections of the white corrugated metal façade are also peeled away to reveal a patterned Vitrepanel cladding system. This draws on the distinctive patterning of woven carbon fibre, as the primary material of contemporary aircraft construction. At a supersized scale, in black and grey metallic painted finish, it emphasizes the visual quality of the raw material.

As a final layer, giant backlit signage representing Boeing and Phantom Works Australia are mounted so as to be viewed from as far away as the north bank of the Yarra River and from the Westgate Bridge. The existing fencing is also to be removed from the property boundary with drought resistant vegetation to be extended the full length of the building. Drawing on the graphic and lighting aesthetics of the commercial runway, a repeated pattern of light panels are installed along the length of the Lorimer Street facade.