The Project
In 2019, Corrections Victoria began the construction of the new Chisholm Road Rehabilitation Centre, a 1248-bed maximum security facility that included 41 administration, accommodation, health and prison industry buildings. The site provides amenities to all participants in line with the United Nations' Principles for the Treatment of Prisoners', including paid employment, health facilities, gym and recreational spaces, cultural activities and education.
Technical Solutions
WGA provided Structural, Civil, Ecological Sustainable Development (ESD), Masterplanning and Stormwater services for this $620m project. Masterplan and schematic design works led by WGA included design approvals, due diligence assessments, schematic designs, and review of design documentation in accordance with the project brief, budget, and construction schedule. Structural design elements included wall framing and stability elements, suspended concrete floor slabs, concrete beams and columns, ground floor slabs, lift and stair shafts, strip and pad footings, piles, precast and blockwork walls, and lightweight steel roof framing and facades. Civil design elements included underground stormwater drainage systems, external paving and footpaths, onsite detention systems, retaining walls, steps and ramps, and retention overflow management.
Client Focus
The facility implemented non-institutional elements in its design, based on creating internal communities and fostering ownership of their local space and sense of place. Ecologically sustainable design features were a primary focus for the facility. The site achieved an Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia Silver rating for sustainability, featured an onsite 500V solar farm, and used recycled and environmentally sound building materials in the construction. The greenfield site comprised volcanic clays with significant shrinkage and swelling settlement properties, whereby differences of up to 100mm could occur across a single building footprint. WGA's engineered solution was raft footings with infill suspended slabs over compressible voids to counter any deflections or heaves in the ground slab during inhomogeneous shrinkage or swelling events.
The Chisholm Road Rehab Centre is included in the following sectors & services.
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