Woods Bagot wraps Macquarie University engineering building in triangular aluminum and glass facade

Woods Bagot has completed the Engineering Innovation Building and Building Forum at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. The facade features six types of triangular panels—three powder-coated aluminum and three high-performance glazing—arranged in groups of four to form larger squares. The design responds to the building's location on Wally's Walk, a tree-lined pedestrian thoroughfare, by studying light refraction through trees to create a dappled effect. Alissandra Johnston, associate principal at Woods Bagot, noted the fragmentation into triangulations allowed intentional decisions about light and vision. The Forum, a multifunctional amphitheater, uses four additional glazing panel types, including a steel mesh interlayer to reduce thermal gain while maintaining transparency. The project involved extensive collaboration with facade consultant Arup & Surface Design to meet shading coefficient requirements. The existing red-brick building received two new wings that balance transparency with restricted daylight in sensitive areas.