WA’s largest mass engineered timber (MET) building, Murdoch University’s Boola Katitjin, was named ‘Project of the Year’ at the 2023 WA Engineers Australia Excellence Awards.
Engineers Australia WA General Manager Susan Kreemer Pickford stated that the event held at Optus Stadium recognised recent engineering accomplishments, highlighted the pivotal role that engineers have in the world and served as a platform to promote the profession — nurturing and motivating the next generation of engineering talent.
Aurecon Perth Principal Engineer Pratik Shrestha said that the recognition from Engineers Australia was a testament to the unique collaboration.
“This award is so special in many ways. Boola Katitjin is such an extraordinary building, not only because of what it is, but because of what it stands for – with respect to leadership in sustainability, with respect to innovation, and with respect to engineering and architectural excellence,” said Shrestha.
Constructed from glulam and cross laminated timber sourced from sustainable suppliers in Australia and Europe, Boola Katitjin was a first-of-its-kind project for the engineering company Aurecon.
For this project, Aurecon also led a world-first trial using an autonomous robot to install 100 timber screw fixings.
Boola Katitjin, translated from the Noongar language to “lots of learning”, features a modern and sustainable design that encourages students and teachers to challenge traditional learning methods.
The university building features the first Tech-Enabled Learning (TEL) desks in the country, allowing students to connect, collaborate and present their work with the class from anywhere in the world.
The innovative design of Boola Katitjin, also known as Building 360, prioritises wellbeing as its infrastructure follows biophillic design principles and connects occupants to nature through open views of the Beeliar wetlands and tall breezeways which allow for natural ventilation.
The WA Engineers Australia Excellence Awards judging panel was impressed by how this project utilised ingenuity to deliver a sustainable end triumph — WA’s first mass-engineered timber building.
Said to have the potential to be an ‘engineering influencer’, Boola Katitjin is already attracting global attention for its contribution to advancing the sustainable, renewable, and circular approaches required by the construction industry to assist economies to reach their net zero carbon goals.
Murdoch University Pro Vice Chancellor Sustainability Dr Martin Brueckner said Boola Katitjin was symbol of an effort to meet the world’s biggest collective challenge — developing sustainable ways of living without destroying the fragile ecosystems and cultures of the planet.
“Boola Katitjin provides a case study of that progress. A case study of cultural engagement, of sustainable design and of the exploration of materials that are central to improving our built environments,” said Dr Brueckner.
Aurecon and all other local winners announced at the event will go on to represent their division at the national awards in Melbourne on November 29.
