The Victorian Arts Centre (architects: Roy Grounds & Associates, 1968-1983) has arguably been Melbourne's greatest building enterprise this century, with many technological challenges. The Art Gallery was the first section of this elongated tripartite site to be completed, its rectangular bluestone-faced form contrasting with the more curvaceous central block and the circular shape of the Concert Hall overlooking the Yarra River. The unprecedented foundation hazard due to geological conditions and highly aggressive flowing groundwaters, presented unusual technical problems. These problems were overcome by protecting the basement concrete with a durable butyl rubber membrane, with support for the structure on coated structural steel section piles, driven into the rock and anchored against partial buoyancy uplift by tension piles of structural steel. The steel components were protected by concrete encasement and impressed current cathodic protection.

The Queensland Cultural Centre in Brisbane (Fig. 53) also is a most comprehensive complex of structural integrated modern architecture, with Art Gallery, Performing Arts Complex, Museum and State Library. The palette of architectural expression is deliberately restrained with cubic shapes, terrace forms and an overall use of carefully colour-coordinated concrete, glass and steel. The design integration not only expressed the conceptual unity of the complex, but also ensures efficiency of services, and ease of accessibility and circulation. (1976: architect: Robin Gibson & Partners).

53 Model of Queensland Cultural Centre, Brisbane. (By courtesy of Queensland Cultural Centre Trust)

In the Australian Antarctic Territory, three permanent stations -Casey, Davis & Mawson were established on rocky outcrops in 1936. The building programme, under unique and challenging circumstances, is now under way and due for completion by 1990. The Territory is almost half the size of the 13 million square km Antarctic Continent, which is the highest, coldest, stormiest and driest land mass in the world. The ambient temperature at each station ranges from -40°C to +5°C, and winds of hurricane force often exceed 120 km/hr for several days at a time with gusts up to 280 km/hr. Access to the area by ship, for communication and constructional purposes, is restricted to three months of the year when the sea ice temporarily breaks up in summer.

Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering