Vortex wins at Banksia Awards

The Gippsland Water Factory & Vortex Centre projects have taken out three accolades at this year’s Banksia awards, the most prestigious awards in the environmental industry in Australia.
 
The Gippsland Water Factory Vortex Centre project, designed by DesignInc, took out the Education – Raising the Bar award.
 
“The Judges were impressed that this project combined the "outer" (environmentally friendly building) with the "inner" (the behaviour change through education) in a highly engaging and innovative program that strategically targeted and provided the respective level of education from primary school to tertiary level. Judges commented on the degree of detail considered in engaging the local public and see this as a real example of a living educational model.”
 
The Centre is an exciting and innovative community educational facility based at the Gippsland Water’s Water Factory - a world first wastewater treatment and recycling system located at Maryvale in south-east Victoria. Featuring interactive displays, touch-screens and powerful videos, the Vortex focuses on water conservation and sustainable water management; highlighting water as a precious resource at a local, state, national and global level.
 
The Vortex Centre project has garnered an impressive list of awards in 2011, including being shortlisted at the World Architecture Festival Awards (Display & Visitor Centres), and wins at both the API Excellence in Property Awards (Environmental Development Award) and the UNAA World Environment Day Awards (Green Building Award).
 
The Gippsland Water Factory project took out both the Origin Gold Award and the Water – Our Most Precious Resource Award.
 
In announcing the Origin Gold Award, the Banksia judges said “Gippsland Water Factory turned conventional wastewater treatment on its head. The innovative wastewater treatment system addresses a serious environmental issue and incorporates water recycling to provide a sustainable solution for central Gippsland in Victoria. For outstanding innovation in resolving a significant intransigent regional environmental problem and turning it into a net environmental positive, with substantive engagement of stakeholders across all communities…”.
 
DesignInc is proud to be associated with this world class, award winning environmentally sustainable project.

Author: DesignInc Melbourne
Categories: Project News