Fitting fins - UWS village
The new UWS Village at the University of Western Sydney in Parramatta was built to provide affordable self catered apartments, a village that aims to offer a refreshing, stimulating and comfortable environment for students to live, study and socialise.
The modern design, coloured feature walls and extensive use of environmentally sustainable products and practices appeal to and show understanding of today’s and tomorrow’s students.
UWS Village consists of 13 separate buildings that are typically three-storey and are predominantly made up of five- and six-bedroom apartments, which is recognised as the most successful model for creating good ‘share’ relationships.
The environmental principles and technologies employed by Architectus in the design of the UWS Village include cross ventilation to each individual bedroom and natural daylighting to all spaces, insulated walls and roofs, reverse masonry veneer walls, solar hot water, grey water reuse for the central laundry, orientation and sunshading.
Shadowclad® lightweight plywood cladding ‘fins’ top off the design on the third floors and minimise the impact of glare and radiant heat from the sun. The Shadowclad is stained in a variety of warm hues including Resene Kumera (green brown), Resene Totem Pole (bright red) and Resene Natural (warm timber), in Environmental Choice approved Resene Waterborne Woodsman penetrating wood stain to create diversity and identity.
Shadowclad was selected for the UWS Village not just for its durability and environmental credentials but also for its capability of being enduring as an aesthetic. The UWS Village project demonstrates just how well it can be incorporated into commercial buildings.
And for the students of UWS Village, the new precinct is focused on being welcoming and comfortable so they can truly settle into a home away from home.


Architect: Architectus
Building Contractor: PBS Building NSW
Fin Cladding: Carter Holt Harvey Woodproducts Australia
Painting Contractor: Farcotex Painting Contractors
Resene: Rachael Devine, NSW Architectural Services Manager
Photography: Jiun Der Chung (B.Arch), courtesy Architectus
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