ImagINK Project: Murduch University Sports Science Hub

Totalling 40 panels and 144 square metres of printed glass, The Murdoch University Sports Science Hub Project is the first foray into large scale full colour printing for Cooling Brothers new ImagInk technology. Comprising of a digital flatbed printer capable of printing panels up to 2400 x 4500mm, it was the specialised ceramic inks that positioned ImagInk as the perfect medium for achieving the eye-popping graphics seen on the Sports Science Hub.

A primary glass requirement for the project was a printed façade that would stand up to the brutal UV rays of a lengthy WA summer. Using ink formulated from inorganic pigments with the same chemical makeup used on automotive windscreens, the ImagInk glass offers unmatched durability against potential UV damage.

By toughening the printed panels, the ceramic inks fuse permanently into the glass. As a result, the ImagInk glass for the Sports Science hub could be structurally glazed without requiring a gap in the design to allow for adhesion to the framing system, satisfying further design criteria. The end result is a stunning multi panel mural measuring 6.5 metres high and 14 metres wide, adorning the north face of the main building.

Impressive as the main façade may be, the ceramic inks truly come into their own when viewed from inside the gymnasium. With the natural light flooding through the printed glass, the inorganic pigments glow with colour, creating a stunning 16 metre lightbox with unrivalled vibrancy and light transmission.

The overall project consisted of the construction of a new teaching and sports science testing facility, new change rooms and a refurbishment of the administration area of the existing gymnasium.

The main building includes a teaching room, performance lab, strength and conditioning centre, exercise and physiology room and a 40 meter long suspended concreterunning track which dissects the building. A specialist recessed ‘force plate’ measuring device was installed into the middle of the track.

The sports science building can be seen at 90 South St, Murdoch.

Architects: Woodhead
Builder:PS Structures
Digital Printing: Cooling Brothers
Fabricator: Pappas Commercial Windows.