Qantas Flight Training Centre
Client:
Qantas Airways Limited
Location:
Essendon, VIC
Status:
Completed, 2013
Project value:
$16m
Contact Person:
Ruth Wilson
Qantas approached Architectus in 1999 to create a master plan which would develop their existing site in Airport West into a national facility for flight training.
The first stage of the Qantas Flight Training Centre, the extension of the Simulator Centre to house four new flight simulators, was completed in October 2002.
The building sits on Matthews Avenue and is highly visible from the freeway going to and from the airport. The siting was seen as an opportunity to display to the outside world the high-tech training undertaken by the pilots. The transparency of the building advertises Qantas’ commitment to flight safety.
The Qantas Flight Training Centre houses four flight simulators in one large hall, surrounded on three sides by a first floor balcony.
A curved metallic blanket wraps the southern façade and contains the eastern section of the building. This simple device unifies the disparate volumes within the building.
The simplicity of the building’s form and the restrained colour palette works to underscore the importance of its purpose in comparison to its neighbours.
Client:
Qantas Airways Limited
Location:
Essendon, VIC
Status:
Completed, 2013
Project value:
$16m
Contact Person:
Ruth Wilson
Key People
Ruth Wilson
Principal
CCO
Sector Leader Public
Melbourne