Rickard Engineering was appointed by Taylor Construction as the design engineer for the façade at the Taronga Institute of Science and Learning. It is a global centre of excellence for conservation science and learning and it is considered the first of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere.
The original design concept was done by NBRS Architecture and further developed by BKA Architecture. Rickard Engineering worked closely with Taylor Construction, BKA Architecture and Locker Group to bring the architectural ideas to life. Rickard Engineering was responsible for the design of the perforated hexagonal panels, glass balustrades, perforated horizontal and vertical sunshades.
The biggest challenge was designing the hexagonal panels to achieve a 3D effect due to them not being on the same plane. The facility achieved a 6 Star Green Star rating.