The extension houses the largest and finest collection of mycology specimens in the world.

The new building provides an additional 2,200m² of accommodation arranged as two storeys over a single basement. As the building is passively ventilated, floor and roof slabs were left exposed to view to allow the structure to exchange heat as air flows across its surface. The floors are composites of pre-cast and cast in-situ concrete, and are supported by a steel frame which is also exposed to view.

The elevational treatments have been designed in line with the overriding sustainable agenda, and the desire to make the building sit within the landscape. The south, west and north elevations have horizontal cedarboard cladding to both ground and first floors, which will mellow with age to a similar colour to the trunks of the eucalyptus tress outside. The south and west façades are shaded by inclined timber brise soleil louvres, creating a light timber filigree.

Further sustainability measures extend from the energy efficiency of the building right through to the basic concept for the extension, which – through the infilling of a colonnade - makes the best possible use of the current built footprint to limit impact. Natural ventilation and light have been used in all possible areas of the building, excepting the highly specialist laboratory environments where fume extraction and local cooling of equipment was required. The thermal mass of the building is used for night-time cooling, with low u-values and a super insulated building fabric also assisting in the passive control of temperatures within the building. An important aspect of the project was the construction process, which was managed to ensure that the embodied energy of the build was kept to a minimum, and that materials – particularly timber – from sustainable sources were specified throughout.

This project was the winner of a RIBA Award in 2007.

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