Caroma on Collins Showroom by Archier

The Caroma on Collins showroom in Alexandria, Sydney maximises passive design, material reuse and biophilic design to achieve its sustainability goals and helps to create an immersive showroom environment.

Designed by archier_, the need for active heating and cooling is minimised through the creation of an “indoor/outdoor” atmosphere for most spaces. Supported by the landscape, the majority of areas act as semi-conditioned spaces, maintaining the comfort of occupants within a broader thermal comfort band. This allowed a highly efficient indirect evaporative cooling system to be specified, dramatically reducing operational energy use. 

Sustainability specs:
– Adaptive re-use of an existing warehouse
– 40,000 litres of rainwater storage used for irrigation
– The evapotranspiration of the plants provides natural cooling, filters air pollutants
– Biophilic indoor environment created through interior landscaping, maximising daylight and natural ventilation
– Efficient fixtures and fittings

The project viewed sustainability as inherent to an appropriate, resolved design. This included a clear commitment to reduce resource consumption, reduce pollution, and create a comfortable and healthy environment built responsibly. The project focused on evidence-based decision making, undertaking a pre-construction assessment of thermal conditions to inform the design and servicing decisions.