Botanicca 3

Project Context

Located in the Botanicca Corporate Park precinct of Richmond, Building 3 completes the western edge of the commercial campus. Gray Puksand designed the twin-tower composition to create an architectural “bookend” to Swan Street. The suburban context is highly visible, with strong solar exposure, landscaped surroundings, and an emphasis on workplace wellbeing.

‍

Why VMZINC Was Selected

The design team required a façade material that could achieve a textured, sculptural surface without relying on heavy secondary structure. VMZINC provided the ideal balance of flexibility and refinement. Its ability to be pressed and folded into small-format shingles enabled the creation of a dynamic, multi-directional skin that enhances the building’s geometry.

Architecturally, Zinc offered a tactile material connection to the parkland surroundings, while its natural evolution over time aligned with the project’s broader narrative of environmental integration.

‍

Performance Advantages

VMZINC is a non-ferrous premium metal providing supreme durability in harsh climates and holds up exceptionally well in dense urban environment such as inner-city Melbourne. VMZINC PIGMENTO offers the supreme durability of zinc, with a unique colour palette which includes PIGMENTO RED. The natural grain and texture of zinc is still visible through the durable red coating layer, providing a stable finish over time.

The lightweight nature of the system reduced load demands on the structural envelope, while the material’s fire-safe characteristics provide compliance confidence for commercial office use.

‍

Colour/Finish & Architectural Outcome

Pigmento Red was chosen to reflect the tones of river red gums and native plantings along the Yarra corridor. The finish produces a soft, earthy warmth that sits comfortably within the landscape.

More than 3,000 diamond-shaped zinc shingles were crafted to form the external façade. Their faceted surfaces capture light differently throughout the day, giving the building a living quality and reinforcing its identity as a key architectural element within the broader Botanicca precinct.

‍

Summary

The use of VMZINC Pigmento Red on Botanica Building 3 elevates the architectural expression of the development. Its material honesty, refined texture and long-termperformance complement Gray Puksand’s spatial and environmental ambitions, creating a façade that is both enduring and deeply connected to its context.