Sungmin (Ryan) Choi

BTC aims to re-flourish the once goldtown of Bendigo, and function as a beating heart of trade, a hub that connects all industries within and beyond Bendigo. It will create new work opportunities, and a way of life which integrates both white and blue collar jobs. Bendigo has a wide range of industries: dairy, steel, fabric, and weapon manufacturers. They require large cargo to be stored and transported efficiently. The site sits on a converging point of mobility, surrounded by the McIvor Highway, the railroad, and tramline. In BTC, cargos are automatically loaded on and off 24/7, opening up a new paradigm for trade. New communities will be formed and new ways of work will be in demand under the “new normal” that we face in the post COVID era.

BTC suggests “New ways of work” under a “New Normal.” Through the experience of working from home during COVID, we have seen that we do not necessarily need a central headquarter office to work from. Worldwide, we have learned that we can build our own atmosphere and space to work in. I believe that the reason for some people preferring to work in CBD offices would be because of the utilities, mobility, and most importantly, a sense of belonging. The psychological detachment from nature and crowds of people during quarantine is believed to be the reason why. BTC intentionally provides spaces that encourage natural encounters between users, in order to create an atmosphere of “Flexibility and Looseness.”

The mega warehouse is incorporated with a non-stop automated crane that quickly loads and unloads cargo on and off of trains and trucks. The southern half of the warehouse is connected to the main slope on the Western side landscape, and programmed as a hardware shop, as the original site used to be a Mitre 10 store.

BTC brings all types of workers (office workers, salesmen, hardware workers, truck drivers, factory workers, etc.) together. Under this proposal, white and blue-collar workers co-exist and mingle, creating a new community that balances work with life and rest. This enables the lives of the users to be positioned in a work to life spectrum, therefore, a new office should seek ways to provide various spaces for users to initiate their own Hybrid work. A variety of working spaces ranging from private to public are provided, suitable for different working styles that encourage communication and an exchange of ideas between people. The spaces include conference rooms, private cubes, and a seminar hall.

The mega warehouse has an automated cargo loading/unloading system. Cranes are installed inside the warehouse, and extend all the way over the railroad to the West (left). The truck loading bay is positioned below the cranes, acting as a pit stop to transport cargo. The white ground floor is an un-programmed space that could host multile kinds of events, such as a flea market or gallery exhibition, that are open to public.
The facade of the warehouse is polycarbonate, inspired by 'MEETT Toulouse Exhibition and Convention Centre,' designed by OMA.