Design Principles

The design of ASIO’s New Central Office is in keeping with the National Capital Plan and has been developed carefully to ensure that the new building takes its place amongst Government partners within the Parliamentary triangle.

The building is sited adjacent to the Department of Defence at Russell with views to Parliament House. The building will offer 40,000m2 of net lettable area, and will accommodate up to 1,800 people and operate 24 hours per day. The office environment is designed to the current standard of Commonwealth agencies in Canberra.

The project is one of the largest construction projects in Canberra and will create significant employment opportunities in the Canberra region during construction.

Figure 3: Location of ASIO’s New Central Office as viewed from Mt. Ainslie.

The building design was driven by ASIO’s functional requirements and will deliver a high-security facility to protect staff, operations, and national information. Critical functions can continue to operate irrespective of any failures in connectivity to external services. A secure perimeter will be achieved using landscaping elements that are unobtrusive and complement the local surroundings.

The base building, plant and equipment, fitout and formal areas are designed with durable materials and equipment. The building and fitout will enable ASIO to adapt to future change and growth. Modular design has been incorporated where possible to enhance ASIO’s flexibility throughout the life of the building.

The building’s design and fitout will provide natural light throughout the workspace, air quality will be clean and consistent, and furniture will be ergonomic.