Aluminium panels from Universal Anodisers were specified for the facade of Geelong Grammar’s School for Performing Arts & Creative Education S.P.A.C.E.

Designed by Peter Elliott Architecture, S.P.A.C.E. is the new home for the performing arts, music, drama, assemblies and events celebrating the cultural life of the school.

Spread over 3,200 square metres and located in the heart of the campus, the building features a very innovative facade designed by the architects using embossed and perforated aluminium panels on the external walls. The perforated panels have been used to allow filtered light into the stairwells.

Peter Elliott Architecture specified ‘Gum Tip’ and ‘Silver Grey’ from Universal Anodisers’ ‘Interference Colour’ range. Created by the pore modification process wherein the colour becomes both reflective and refractive, interference colour provides the illusion of colour variation, which is accentuated and enhanced by the angular placement of facade panels.

While Gum Tip offers an optical illusion of a greenish hue from one viewing angle and bluish from the other, Silver Grey appears darker and lighter from varying angles. Together, the two panel types deliver a strikingly elegant facade appearance with continuous play of colour; the beauty is dramatically enhanced at night with LED lights reflecting off the anodised surface.

The anodised finish of the aluminium facade panels will ensure longevity, minimise downstream maintenance and will not peel, allowing the building to maintain its beauty, elegance and metallic lustre unlike any other surface finish.