Government office project in Gungahlin awarded ACT Development of the Year

A government office project in the Gungahlin town centre has been awarded the Property Council of Australia’s Rider Levett Bucknell (RLB) ACT Development of the Year.

Building owner and developer KDN Group was awarded the accolade for Winyu House on Wednesday evening.

Property Council ACT director Adina Cirson said the development “stacks up against office accommodation found in other markets like Sydney and Melbourne”.

“The result of a unique collaboration between the ACT government, owner KDN Group and project manager Lendlease, Winyu House presents a new procurement and delivery process for office accommodation in the ACT,” she said. 

Winyu House spans across four levels and has more than 10,000 square metres of commercial office space, 200 car spaces, ground floor retail, conference facilities and an integrated child care centre.

The office is fully leased by the ACT government and accommodates 700 staff. There is also an Access Canberra office located in the building.

It features a central atrium space with a glass skylight linking all levels.

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RLB managing director Mark Chappe praised the development’s sustainability.

“The sustainability features at Winyu House are impressive, and include intelligent lighting, a 74kW solar array that feeds energy back into the building and a sophisticated stormwater treatment system,” he said.

“The modern, open-plan design of Winyu House sets new standards for ACT government accommodation and is the benchmark for new office buildings under way in Civic and Dickson.”

RLB provided cost management and quantity surveying services on the project.

Winyu House was one of two finalists on the evening, with an 83 multi-unit development at Coombs also in the running.

Horizon was developed by the Village Building Co and features 59 townhouses and 24 apartments, with all apartments selling under the ACT government affordable housing threshold.

Both Winyu House and Horizon are nominated for national Property Council of Australia/ RLB Innovation and Excellence awards to be held in Sydney on Friday, May 11.