WMK’s highly innovative Northern Beaches Christian School (NBCS) project continues to receive a whole range of attention – and for good reason.

After taking home the top architectural gong for sustainability at the recent NSW Australian Institute of Architects Awards, the project has been shortlisted in the 2016 Sustainability Awards.

Established in 2007, the Sustainability Awards recognise excellence in sustainable design and building. Now in its tenth year, the awards attract the highest calibre of entries.

“WMK’s NBCS project is a unique indoor/outdoor environment with sustainability at its core,” said Design Architect, John Andreas.

“Sustainability has been intertwined in the DNA of the structure – not simply tacked on to tick boxes or meet targets,” he added.

At NBCS, students learn in flexible indoor/outdoor environments beneath a spectacular living canopy which generates energy, harvests rainwater, and uses misting technology to cool the spaces below, while windows and louvres are automated to provide ventilation in direct response to climate conditions using a sophisticated building management system.

“This is more exciting news for WMK and NBCS,” said WMK Managing Director, Greg Barnett.

“Not only has this project taken home a NSW AIA Award and a Good Design Award, it is also in the running for an IDEA Award, and was a finalist in the Urban taskforce Awards. This was certainly a ground-breaking project for a forward-thinking client,” he added.

The winners of Sustainability Awards will be announced in October in Sydney.