50 First Avenue is a 15-storey commercial office tower in the heart of the Maroochydore City Centre. As one of the first major developments within the emerging CBD, the building has set a new benchmark for commercial architecture on the Sunshine Coast. That same level of consideration had to extend to the building's ventilation, with high-performance louvres that could integrate neatly into the premium façade.

Designed by Cox Architecture, the tower combines bronze glazing, anodised metal and pale stone accents to respond to its coastal surroundings. With that much attention paid to the exterior, the ventilation louvres had an important job to do without drawing too much attention to themselves.

Simply meeting the airflow requirements was only half the job. With the louvres incorporated into a carefully detailed façade, the system also needed to work within a limited façade depth while maintaining the clean lines of the building. On a project like this, a sleek yet effective system was needed.

Ventuer supplied VL-55S Slimline Ventilation and Screening Louvres, working with façade contractor Micos Group to provide a compact ventilation solution that could be neatly integrated into the building. At just 45mm deep, the VL-55S was well suited to the job. The shallow profile provided the required airflow while keeping the ventilation system discreet within the façade.

The result is a simple but crucial part of the building envelope, providing the ventilation required without taking anything away from the architecture. On a façade designed to make an impression, the louvres are probably doing their job best when nobody notices them.