Penguin Parade Visitor Centre

U-MAX systems featured at Penguin Parade Visitor Centre

With the new Penguin Parade Visitor Centre opening last week, it’s a good time to look back on this spectacular project. Celebrated as an “environmental star on the horizon” by Phillip Island Nature Parks, the structure is full of sharp angles and dances with light. The centre features retail and dining spaces, a theatre, and a dedicated science and education wing.

In February, a member of our team headed down to Phillip Island for pictures of the centre as installation of the window and door systems was wrapping up.

The Phillip Island Important Bird Area supports up to 32,000 penguins and the Visitor Centre, located inside the IBA, welcomes about 700,000 human guests a year, all of whom are eager to view the fairy penguins.

Architects from TERROIR began talking with members of the EDGE Architectural team in early 2017. They needed window and door systems that could meet specific performance requirements and accommodate the unique design of the building, particularly, “large triangulated openings with increased complexity”.

U-MAX™ SG150 and U-MAX™ Door thermally broken suites were chosen due to their U-values and SHGC, and the design freedom the EDGE suites offer.

Kane Constructions was appointed to coordinate construction of the project and ensure strict controls in the environmentally sensitive area. IND Window Fabrications handled the glazing and install of the EDGE systems.

The Penguin Parade Visitor Centre project has been highly anticipated by our team, and we plan to head south to Phillip Island soon to enjoy the splendor and capture new photographs to share with you.

Visit the Phillip Island Nature Parks website for more on the new centre.


Excerpted from Terroir Architects; please visit their website for the full article.

Penguin Parade

The Penguin Parade on Phillip Island is the most visited tourism destination in Victoria, with up to 3800 people every evening coming to see the penguins come ashore in a spectacular but sensitive landscape. At the same time, Phillip Island Nature Parks has become a pre-eminent authority on care for penguins and development of penguin habitat. The new Visitor Centre for the Penguin Parade has to carry the ambitions of this tourism and conservation program across iconographic, experiential and functional contexts.