Architecture & Design April_June 2021

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geometries, while also providing spatial layering throughout controls lighting and sight-lines. Think refined industrial, exposed services and metallic finishes, which make up the overall design aesthetic.

Photography by Douglas Mark Black.

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ADAM KANE STUDIO

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while design-wise, it offers strong, bold architectural accents of red connect to emphasise 3D spatial

APR-JUN 2021

Clinton Baird Dick Clarke Nathalie Craig Adam Kane Carissa Karamarko Hamish McDonald Matthew McDonald Stephanie Stefanovic Amy Tena Sala Tone Wheeler

interconnectivity hub, offering appropriate supporting infrastructure to deliver critical connectivity,

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follow function. Based in the Perth CBD, the NEXTDC P2 data centre forms an important digital

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Branko Miletic editor@architectureanddesign.com.au

they compose a particular kind of infrastructure within contemporary society, one where form must

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EDITOR

ON THE COVER Data centres represent a very utilitarian aspect of the built environment, and yet

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

In a recent article on climate change, Scott Carver’s Sustainability Transformation Group Leader and Senior Associate Tina Fox wrote in an online edition of Architecture & Design: “…we cannot afford to live in ignorance and that the unthinkable can and does happen. Secondly, and on a more positive side, it became clear that massive change is possible, and we need to listen to the science.”

And there is that phrase: “… we need to listen to the science.” But does anyone really listen to the science?

Whether we talk about climate change or the pandemic or even the multitude of other issues that society is currently struggling with, science seems to be like the instructions for an Ikea wall unit – we only refer to it when we can’t figure out how to put it together.

If we listened to the science, would we in 2021 be dealing with the issue of buildings covered in flammable cladding?

If we listened to the science, would we have been able to prevent the growing number of residential tower structural faults? And yes, then there is the question of climate change and many other issues that humans seemingly have ‘forgotten’ how to tackle with the appropriate level of frontal cortex fortitude.

David Hall, a Senior Researcher in Politics at the Auckland University of Technology wrote in The Conversation: “At its heart, climate change denial is a conflict between facts and values. People deny the climate crisis because, to them, it just feels wrong.”

So, could this be about ‘feelings’ rather than ‘facts’ or is it more complex than that?

“Contemporary social psychologists,” writes Hall, “tend to talk about this in terms of “motivated reasoning”. Because the facts of climate science are in conflict with people’s existing beliefs and values, they reason around the facts.”

So, it’s all about “motivated reasoning” – or to put it bluntly, prejudice and denial. But getting back to the science, perhaps part of the problem also lies in the fact that western society for years moved away from scientific rationale in favour of more ‘practical’ focuses like economics, law and finance, all fine and noble pursuits, but far more prone to put ‘feelings’ on equal footing with ‘facts’.

Maybe pain will be a good teacher and will force humans to face the reality – or as I like to call it, the science.

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EDITED BY BRANKO MILETIC

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Can architecture exist in a world of reduced growth?

With population movement and tourism affected by the global pandemic, growth in the architecture and building sectors has slowed to match. Is now the time for architects to steer towards a more sustainable approach to the built environment?

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It’s not much of an exaggeration to say COVID-19 has changed everything, from the way we interact with each other socially to the way business can be conducted locally and internationally. Australia – with its small number of community transmitted cases – may have avoided the cataclysm experienced by many other countries, but there have still been consequences to the economy and, by extension, the architecture profession.

In its recent release, Measuring the Impact of the Pandemic, the Australian Institute of Architects highlighted “a substantial slowdown in projects and measurable shifts in employment”, based on data supplied by 430 members of the Institute. In fact, 64.87% of respondents to the AIA’s survey said they have had projects stalled as a result of the coronavirus, and about the same number reported a loss of earnings.

The concern, writes Institute CEO Julia Gambage, is that “the pandemic will continue to have a significant negative impact on jobs beyond the short-term pain currently being felt.”

In the document, the Institute proposes a number of different ways to stimulate activity in the sector and rebuild confidence, including provision of incentives to encourage people to make their homes more energy efficient, and stimulus packages from the government to build more social housing. But could it be that

the issues facing the architecture community require more than just sourcing new projects?

“This energy is fantastic, this process is exciting but we’re putting it in the wrong direction,” says Caillin Howard, the Managing Director of Hames Sharley. “The fundamental idea is the building industry is going to be busy, so architects are going to be busy.

Fixing existing residences up to be more environmentally neutral is terrific, but that requires minimal architecture. And it’s really valid to talk about a higher percentage of affordable housing and dealing with those crises, but again it’s not going to drive an economy or a development.

“Working in the public sector – education, defence – that’s going to be the easy way to keep alive if you’re an architect, because you’re pivoting to where the activity will come from,” he explains. “It’s not going to be from the private sector, it’s going to be from the federal and state governments, or areas of the private sector that are stimulated by government.

There’s a massive chunk of residential subsidies, which means the residential market is currently amplified – especially Perth, where it’s doubled due to the state matching the government stimulus. So, there’s this momentary expansion that at some point, will need to return to a non-stimulus market.

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As a profession, we should be talking at a higher level and contributing to the government in regard to white papers and policies about how you manage without population movement or growth.

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Although the subsidies and support are appreciated and much needed, Caillin believes it is a great time to consider the bigger picture without stimulus or being in a negative market.

“As a profession, we should be talking at a higher level and contributing to the government in regard to white papers and policies about how you manage without population movement or growth.

Our development and economy rely on growth and we may not have that to the same level which we’ve become accustom to. The pandemic has affected international and interstate migration and tourism – if you don’t have moving people, you don’t have moving needs.

Every 50,000 people we get, we need another couple of schools, we need another shopping centre, we need another hospital. The Sydney market has relied on north of 100,000 people population growth per annum, year on year.

The boom in Perth, ten or fifteen years ago, was based on 40,000 to 50,000 people a year.

“That’s what actually drives us. And that’s frightening, because we’re talking about overpopulation – at some point the planet has to have too many people on it. We are working on an economy which is all about growth predicated by more people, and that will eventually not be as sustainable.

“Right now, we need to climb out of this little nightmare. But the minute we’ve climbed out of it, we need to start questioning an economy that actually values something different.”

For architects to stay busy and relevant without growth, therefore, would require a

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reappraisal of the purpose of architecture and those who create it.

“Our role is we study human behaviour,” Caillin says. “It’s what we actually do. So, let’s get together and think about the drivers of change; find opportunity out of the new set of behaviours that increased technology and the pandemic have forced on us. What does working remotely for eight months do to the Melbourne workplace market? What does it do to the largest food and beverage foundation in the country on the other side of it? What are we prepared to lose? What are we prepared to fight for? What role does architecture have in that? Let’s get our heads around what we need to do from a built-form perspective to build confidence back in retail and public spaces.”

Key to this process, he says, will be proving the naysayers and the economists wrong. “They say we’ll never mix together again, we’ll never go back into an office again. And that’s nonsense.

We all get a little bit of rest in the cave by ourselves, but most of us, after a short space of time, start to go crazy. We’re tribal people, we get value from bouncing in and working with one other. Fundamentally, the human condition relies on a degree of social interaction.

“At the moment, no one can define the needs of a future building or a future place off the back of this pandemic. So that’s what we should be talking about and that’s what we should be investing time in. From that, we can give clearer instruction and clearer vision to governments, to banks, and to all the things that are going to hold back investment or

confidence to make the change.”

For this to succeed, would require a change of perspective and the development of a new approach, Caillin believes – a skill set for creating opportunity in a recessive economy.

“Look at places like Detroit that have had negative population growth and have had to reinvent and rebuild themselves. Adelaide, too, has been working off negative or very small population growth for quite some time, and yet it’s still got an economy, it’s still got a healthy building market, it’s still got healthy design and architecture. It’s about repurposing, reusing, rethinking, as opposed to expanding and growing.

“In a negative market, the skills to reinterpret and create new value out of something that’s existing are as honourable and as beautiful as creating something afresh. And much harder.

Economies that have gone backwards need design leadership. It’s not just about the beauty of repurpose, it’s about the use on the inside and the activation, and I think, in the future, architecture needs to be far more encompassing in not just creating the space, but also the mechanism of activating it. That starts to cross over into events, into who to work with to actually create the activity to test that space and how it works.

“When you’re building in a negative market, it really is the re-creation of value where value has been lost. Things that have become representative of neglect or negativity need to be refaced or repositioned to create hope and prosperity. And I think that is up to us.”

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Book review: Killing Sydney – The Fight For a City’s Soul WORDS DICK CLARKE

NEWS / APR-JUN 2021

will continue to so until genuine reform happens.

An example is an almost identical argument in James Weirick’s excellent opinion piece in the Sydney Morning Herald on 22 March, 2021.2 But more than just great writing, Farrelly analytically sifts through how things came to be in Sydney, uncovering the various protagonists, visionaries, and forces that acted to create the city, and that are currently acting to change it, and in ways that diminish it severely, in her view. It’s a view I generally share, though we differ in the detail here and there. My own view aligns with hers in probably 95% of instances, and where I explain my disagreement here, it is not intended to take anything away from the importance of this work: it blows the cover on what’s happening in Sydney, a story we all know intuitively, but sometimes struggle to articulate fully. Articulation is surely one of her greatest skills.

I hope she will forgive me using her nickname here – it’s just that I and my comrades in pursuit of a sustainable future have so often hailed, shared and reposted her columns in the Herald, we feel a certain fond attachment to her, as Liz, one of our own. Our disagreements she acknowledges as healthy in a city’s journey to democratic self-determination.

The overall thrust of the book (oh dear – is that too ‘male’ a word?) pierces right to the heart of the problem (maintaining the violent metaphor – in for a penny, in for a pound).

Chapter 4 Nature and Culture is the perhaps zenith of her pitch against the dark forces of destruction, both of nature in the city, and of the culture that gives the city its humanity.

Indeed the two cannot be separated: sometimes a dichotomy, sometimes a harmonious union, never a severance. And in this she pulls no punches, bravely naming names, dates, and who said what. This alone should make some people in positions of political and market power quiver; hard questions should be asked.

They should have been asked before today, and often were, but we Sydneysiders let them get away with it, returning them to power (perhaps because of a very weak and unattractive alternative) and continuing to buy their products (perhaps also for lack of an alternative).

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Not much love is lost between Liz Farrelly and the forces of redevelopment in Sydney.

This includes the NSW Governments past and present, Prime Ministers, Well known developer-barons, and even some architects.

In Killing Sydney Farrelly fiercely lays into the unseemly and arguably corrupt relationship between governments and developers with the passion of one rightly stung by the blatant injustices done to her beloved city of Sydney.

At the heart of the problem, she posits that we are “disguising moral and aesthetic values in numbers, dollars and …traffic flow, density, population. …We pursue excellence in swimming and football but not in anything that actually shapes our future.” The actuality behind this is that the tension between “primate and angel” – self-centredness vs civic-mindedness – has swung too far to the primate, the masculine, the convex, the city as a competition between shouty ego-driven towers of externality, leaving behind the angel, the feminine, the concave, the labyrinth of quiet inviting spaces between and within.

Her argument is far from all esotericism and poetry. She gets down to tin tacks. Of the controversial and as yet unjustified split up and relocation of the Powerhouse Museum, she says “…neoliberal ideology undermines our urban habitat. Everything public is sold, commodified, compromised, commercialised, diminished or demolished for the sake of economic efficiency, but then we end up paying again, anyway. And again, and again.” This summary follows an in-depth analysis of the issues and ‘process’ to date – though this actually diminishes the word ‘process’ – reading that chapter will explain why.

Criticism of her authority in such matters is sometimes based on her limited career in architectural practice, calling on old idioms like “Those cannot do, teach, and those who cannot teach, write about it”, but such attacks are rooted more in opposed ideology than logic.

She sure can write – as any regular reader of her columns in the Sydney Morning Herald will attest. Her erudite description of how she came to fall in love with Sydney should make the hardest heart melt.

And of course she is not the Lone Ranger in her criticism. Many have done so before her, and

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Elizabeth Farrelly’s controversial new book Killing Sydney has made a splash in development, planning and design circles. We asked Dick Clarke to review it for A&D, but he said the book is too important for a notional review of a few hundred words, instead producing this short essay.

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LEFT Photography: Unsplash @roadtripwithraj

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Yes Sydney is a shallow city in many ways, all too aware of its beauty in parts that make so many other global cities wilt by comparison (sorry, London). Tim Freedman captured it beautifully: You gotta love this city, love this city, love this city, You gotta love this city - for its body, and not its brain.

David Williamson also said as much back in the 70’s in his wonderful play The Emerald City. There are too many scars of brutal ugliness to pretend it’s an urban nirvana. And Farrelly’s argument rests on the observation that these scars are increasing, and that the forces behind the ugliness have got out of hand. The last time the pendulum swung so violently toward rampant bad development we saw Jack Mundy and the BLF champion the cause of heritage preservation – and so we saved The Rocks, and so many other well-loved inner Sydney icons.

Jack is dead – is there anyone to carry his mantle? Killing Sydney is a clarion call to the city’s people, challenging them to step up again to moderate and corral the forces of redevelopment to produce better outcomes than our friend the Granville estate agent sees popping up. She says Killing Sydney is “…part love song, and part jeremiad” (beaut word – look it up). “If in fact, if we do not wish to kill Sydney, we need seriously to plan how to save it.” And in a novel yet logical structure, Liz sets out her method for doing so.

The kernel of her role as inquisitor to the new wave of redevelopment appears in each of the thematically discreet chapters, expressed perfectly in this example: “Will the new developments eventually deliver a green, lean, lovely city centre? Will the destruction be worth it for what we gained? Or will we be left …with a ghetto?” Mr Eltakchi already has the answer in Granville. An important discussion in the

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book is the distinction between height, density, and urbanism. This should be front and centre of every interaction between governments and communities. What community groups often object to as ‘over-development’ is just height.

The actual density may be a very different concept, poorly understood. Along with this is government’s increasingly reduced provision of social infrastructure, or weak requirements for developers to provide it on the community’s behalf.

She opens with an analysis of the long running debate on whether Sydney is “full”.

Setting aside looney ideas rooted in xenophobia, her take on this discussion brings clarity in many ways, making the book worth its paper alone. But she does not really address the issue of how big is too big. London’s 20 million people do not all fit into its centre, which she clearly loves, admitting that its middle and outer rings are no better than Sydney. Would 20 million in Sydney be too many? Can a mega-city have more than one centre? While we certainly have to do ‘city’ better – much better! – at some point numbers do come into play. It would be good to see her add to this discourse, because in a free-market economy without a population policy, it’s impossible to control.

Liz’s argument that there is no culture without city is, however, flawed. Tell that to the people of tiny country towns, whose inhabitants and those from the surrounding district come together to create, to sing, to dance, to commune – this is culture at its core – sticking like glue in communities where there is no density, no city at all. Having built her escape house somewhere in the wilds of the Southern Highlands she may yet discover there is community and culture without city, assuming she chooses to engage with that community. But that flaw does nothing to undermine her critique of the forces at work in Sydney in the 21st century.

Perhaps the distinction is that a city without city-lovers easily becomes a soulless place, whose only purpose is to profit those in power at the expense of the general public – characterised as “James ripping off Bruce” in Murray and Frijters’ cutting analysis Game of Mates (self-published, 2017).

The evils of uncontrolled urban sprawl are well understood by everybody except its commercial targets, who fall for the old ideal of the not-quite-a-quarter-acre-any-more-but close-enough-to-be-sold-as-such. And so the fecund farmland of the outer west of the city is being covered in motorways and black tiled roofs, the heat island spreads, climate heating accelerates, the food bowl diminishes, while the developer friends on the inside of the game reap the profits. The suckers who bought there are consigned to a life of commuting to work, driving to the shops and schools, and are so much the poorer for it; our emissions go up, our collective quality of life goes down.

One of the problems cities do not inherently solve is ‘nature deficit disorder’, the removal of its citizens from daily interaction with plants, insects and animals so essential for a healthy mindset and value-set. This alienation is not compulsory in the creation of city, but it is common. Some cities have begun to address it, such as the greening of Singapore’s CBD, but none have yet to re-establish anything approaching original biodiversity, and perhaps can never do so – which is why we need deep green spaces within close reach of our cities. The little that Sydney had has been chopped up or chopped down with stupid abandon in recent years, and Liz’s fury on that score, such as the removal of 100-year old figs along Anzac Parade, is plain to see. As it should be in all of us.

But village-based suburbia can do rather well at having a full integration of deep nature and

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“…most international planners I know who are familiar with Sydney are shocked by what we consider normal practice. ‘That’s not flexibility,’ they say, ‘It’s not even neoliberalism. It’s cronyism, pure and simple.”

ELIZABETH FARRELLY, KILLING SYDNEY, P.318.

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cheaply, leaving us feeling like we’ve been done in the back seat of a car at the drive-in.

Her final chapter, Primate and Angel, examines the opportunity posed in deliberative democracy. I first ventured into this exciting space back in the early 2000s in my Masters thesis and remain convinced of its potential to change the way we plan our built environment.

Back then I used Pittwater 21 as a case study, where the then Pittwater Council (since amalgamated perforce by the NSW Government) undertook something that started to look scarily like a deliberative democratic process when formulating its new local environment plan. It looks like the worthy remnants of that process are about to be swept away by the new amalgamated LEP, and the Pittwater community will be the poorer for it.

Farrelly finishes with a firey ‘Citizen’s Manifesto’, a clarion call that brings the activist boots out of your wardrobe and none too subtly suggests it would be good for everybody if you stepped into them and started walking the talk.

“Make noise. Get engaged, get elected, get your local hero elected. Make the issues matter. Plant things, mainly trees…”

Go on, I bloody dare you.

PS– keep your dictionary handy. While some have criticised Farrelly for exercising an indulgent and arcane use of obscure words, no one can ever ever accuse her of having a bland 300 word vocabulary!

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planned suburbs of Sydney’s western suburbs (with the exceptions of the old towns of Blacktown, Liverpool, and Windsor etc).

Liz contends that “A city is not nature”, it is a “made thing”, and should never attempt to fake a recreation of nature. Fair call, but it can - and should – invite nature in, give it nooks and crannies in which to establish itself safely.

To do this, she makes an argument against the work of most of her peers over the last 40 years: cities cannot be all smooth and linear and hard, they must be perforated, articulated, bendy and soft. Acres of glass doesn’t cut it with nature, nor barriers like motorways, nor harsh paved narrow canyons between towers.

And so she introduces a wonderful new word into the lexicon, ‘pokability’: the ability to ‘poke about’ in nooks and crannies finding interest at every turn. Wonderful concept, and exactly what nature sees as an open invitation to move in with us.

She is, correctly, extremely cynical of ‘State Significant Development’, where proposals are ‘lifted’ beyond the reach of the council’s planning controls and assessed by an entirely different and very opaque process. This is extremely frustrating for the average building designer, whose work is subject to a tighter set of rules – which, having been created in the crucible of localness, are generally quite appropriate. But if a project is classified as SSD, the sky is no longer the limit, the locality no longer the contextual driver of height and scale.

Another of Liz’s amusing but terrifyingly powerful metaphors concerns privatisation, likening selling public assets to losing one’s virginity: “…you can only do it once, so pick your moment really really well.” Indeed! Yet Killing Sydney is filled almost from cover to cover with what can only be described as governments selling assets – our assets – rather

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human occupation. As cities grow, they often envelope smaller surrounding villages, and these can retain their local flavour, to varying extents.

Those who choose to live and work locally in village-centres like Freshwater or Lane Cove can operate their lives in exactly the same way as her ideal city-dwellers in Newtown, Redfern, or Marrickville. My own village-suburb operates this way – I walk to work and for my daily needs and catch a bus to the city when required (thankfully not often; I treasure serenity in the same way as Liz gets a buzz from intensity). We walk to the shops and chat with neighbours there and on the way, we have bandicoots and snakes in our gardens, oodles of birdlife in our trees, and we walk to a pristine escarpment waterfall that looks like Kakadu, with close to 100% of pre1788 biodiversity. In suburban Sydney, not the city centre. No nature deficit disorder here.

Not that it’s perfect. Some years ago when our local council was ‘rejuvenating’ the village centres, we proposed reducing the speed limit in the high street to 10kmh as a shared traffic zone complete with bus route, setting the space between shopfronts free from the tyranny of the motor car’s domination. This was a bridge too far, in spite of showing many wonderful examples around the world. “We act out consultation, but no-one is under any illusion that it works” Liz says in her dissection of Primates and Angels. Maybe next time – cities evolve, and we will keep pushing.

However Liz mostly dismisses modern suburbia without hesitation and little opportunity for redemption, though with a nod to her perception of community-minded suburbia of old. They still exist here and there, even if they are the exception to the everincreasing rule of McMansion domination.

The organically created examples such as those noted above are different to the artificially

Domain (SMH), 11 Mach 2021, https://www. domain.com.au/news/why-ugly-developments-are still-being-built-in-western-sydney-1029049/?utm_ campaign=strap-masthead&utm_source=smh&utm_ medium=link&utm_content=pos4

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The design brilliance of Victoria’s Brutalist asylum

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WORDS HAMISH MCDONALD

Unused for a quarter-century and built in 1977 in the unloved Brutalist style to a design by unknown Victorian government architects, Melbourne’s former Footscray Psychiatric Centre is suddenly world-famous, one of only 20 Australian buildings featured in the Phaidon Atlas of Brutalist Architecture, and the National Trust is campaigning for its preservation.

Felicity Watson, a heritage expert who leads advocacy for the trust’s Victorian branch, talks to Hamish McDonald about this and other campaigns.

HAMISH MCDONALD: Brutalist architecture attracts awe rather than love. Why did the National Trust choose to go into battle for this example?

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FELICITY WATSON: The Footscray psychiatric centre is one of the biggest campaigns the National Trust has mounted the last couple of years. Many do have strong feelings about Brutalism. Some people are put off by its monumentality, and some also see negative associations with political movements in the 20th century. But there are as many people, if not more, who are drawn to its strong aesthetic. For us as an advocacy organisation it’s really important to recognise the significant buildings of all periods and all architectural styles. Post-war architecture has become increasingly our focus because more and more buildings of that period are coming under threat. Brutalism is one of the styles of architecture that has really been

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influential the 20th and 21st centuries. The Footscray centre is one of the most striking examples of that style in Victoria. It also tells an important part of the story of psychiatric care in Victoria, in particular the process of de-institutionalisation, moving patients out of large institutions into community care. There is a growing appreciation of the Brutalist aesthetic.

The strength of the campaign for the Sirius building in Sydney is another example. It’s become really Instagramable, and a popular subject for photographers. It’s even a tourism product as well: In eastern Europe, Scandinavia and the UK people go on architectural tours of Brutalist buildings. In Sydney and Melbourne, you can buy maps of all the significant Brutalist buildings.

HM: You mentioned political associations, what were those?

FW: Brutalism has a range of associations globally. It emerged in the 1950s, with a focus on monumentality and truth to materials, and was particularly important in post-war reconstruction following WWII. In the UK for example, it is associated with the provision of

social housing and institutional buildings, while in the countries of the former Soviet Union, there are still associations with totalitarianism.

HM: Going back to the Footscray centre, some might think that with modern psychiatric care you’d want a gentler style of building than Brutalism, but that was the experience that you know of with that building? Was it a muchloved institution?

FW: It’s been quite difficult to gauge that. It closed in 1996, so it hasn’t been in operation for quite some time. We certainly heard of really horrific experiences at that place, of patients, of staff. We know there have been negatives, terrible experiences that people have had in the building.

Others had more positive experiences, of being able to access care that helped them to become well. It was definitely a mixed experience. But like anything it was a building of its time, designed to service the community in the way that then seemed appropriate. What we do see in that building is a great potential for adaptability. It doesn’t need to keep operating in the same way to retain its significance.

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FW: It’s on the site of the Footscray hospital which in the long term is probably going to be decommissioned because they’re building a new hospital. The future use of that site is unclear, but looking at that building, it could be an incredible canvas for social facilities, for an art gallery or art precinct. There are lots of interesting communities it could potentially house. Another would be accommodation, student or hotel. There are some great examples of Brutalist buildings being adapted, new layers being introduced that make them a little bit more friendly.

HM: Do you find that when you are getting into more modern types of architecture that you want to conserve, that some of your members say: ‘Hang on, we like older buildings and things?’ So is it internal advocacy as well, within the Trust membership, as well as in the community outside?

FW: Absolutely. That has been the case throughout the National Trust’s history.

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The National Trust has a reputation for being a bit dusty and conservative, but the reality is that we are always striving to be at the forefront of heritage practice, keeping up to date with what the community values, and with the evolving views of experts in history and architectural heritage.

Certainly, when we go in to bat for buildings like the Footscray Psychiatric Centre not all our members will agree. But we’re always advocating for a very broad range of places. We are always looking for the gaps in protection.

Brutalist, Modernist buildings are the ones most likely not to be protected. Most historic buildings largely enjoy a fair level of protection.

That kind of thing can challenge people’s perception of what is heritage. Most people in the community, some National Trust members as well, still think of heritage as being sandstone or bluestone buildings from the 19th century.

The idea of heritage will always evolve. In the Modernist era, Melbourne’s Royal Exhibition Building in Carlton Gardens was considered to be a white elephant. In 1954 the architect Robin Boyd called it obsolete, and for many decades after that it was under threat of demolition. Yet it’s now recognised on the World Heritage List.

HM: Some buildings are instantly regarded as heritage, like the Sydney Opera House. Does the Trust spot some buildings going up, big or small, and decides: this is one for the ages?

FW: We’re always on the lookout for excellent examples of design that we can file away and maybe come back to some years down the track. In Victoria our heritage guidelines state that as a general principle, a generation or approximately 25 to 30 years should pass after the creation of that place or object before it’s considered for heritage listing at any level. It allows the enduring cultural value to be more rigorously assessed and compared with other best examples of its type. But to every rule there are exceptions. The National Trust nominated Federation Square to the Victorian heritage register when it was only 16 years old.

We felt it had achieved a demonstrable social significance, its architecture was outstanding -- it had won the most awards in the history of the Australian Institute of Architects – and it had become a place beloved by many Melburnians. Another reason was that it was under threat at the time by what we believed to be inappropriate redevelopment.

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HM: What are some of the ideas for using the building?

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LEFT Footscray Psychiatric Centre.

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Photography: John Jovic.

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HM: Do you find that some architects become almost sainted in the trade and that even their more minor works have a following and support for retention? There’s a controversy in Sydney now about some of Harry Seidler’s less wellknown buildings.

FW: Comparative analysis is important, and the level of heritage value you are looking at.

You might have an Australia Square that’s really of state significance, but some other buildings might be of local significance where it’s important to look at those in local context.

When it comes to the Modernist movement there are certain architects that are very well known, and their work is highly regarded by the general public in a way that some other architects aren’t. In Victoria, Robin Boyd is the most obvious example. Boyd is one of Victoria’s most important architects, and he designed many buildings which are worthy of heritage protection. But we need to look at the breadth of his work and decide which ones are the most important ones that we want to protect. We also need to look at the architects that might not be as well known. In Victoria, research by architectural historians is raising the profile of work done by emigré architects who came here after WWII, like Anatol Kagan and Ernest Fooks. These movements aren’t just about those really well-known architects.

HM: Modern office buildings have a short life span, compared to the stone-clad bank and insurance offices designed to reassure their customers about financial endurance. They’re more machines, with new technology requiring different wiring and layouts so that demolition is more economic than refitting. Is that something the Trust grapples with?

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FW: Yes, you think of the former State Office Block – the “Black Stump” – in Sydney. That was the first example of a Modernist preservation issue that I ever learnt about. At the University of Sydney, I loved going to the Fisher Library, also designed by Ken Woolley, so he was an architect I really admired. One of the first issues it raises about refitting and retrofitting is just the waste in the demolition of a building like that. It was completed in 1967, it was designed to be incredibly durable. Then it ended up having a life of 30 years. This is something we don’t talk about in relation to heritage enough: if we want to get serious in responding to climate change and in sustainability, we really need to get serious about refitting, retrofitting, refurbishing our existing buildings, rather than just seeing redevelopment sites as blank slates.

Recent research by the Architects Climate Action Network in the UK showed that the built environment contributes about 45 percent of the total carbon emitted in the UK. Embodied carbon accounts for up to 75 percent of a building’s emissions over its total life span. So, to demolish a building with that much embodied energy is a really poor environmental outcome.

We tend to focus on the energy efficiency of new buildings, but we haven’t paid enough attention to the carbon emitted in getting them built and in demolishing existing buildings and those materials ending up in landfill. It’s something we are looking at in Victoria. The City of Melbourne is proposing to protect a number of buildings in the CBD including 55 places that represent the best of our city’s postwar residential and commercial architecture, basically the period 1945-75.

As part of that, they’ve done a study of the adaptability of post-war office buildings, and

found that they’re actually highly adaptable, for example adapting a commercial office building into residential. It’s not just about protecting buildings but ensuring they have a viable use into the future as well. It’s particularly important for Modernist buildings because their construction isn’t as substantial as those masonry buildings from the 19th century.

A lot used experimental technology and materials that sometimes need to be remedied throughout the life of that building. We need to develop a new toolkit for the conservation and adaptation of modern buildings.

HM: A lot of councils get around preserving a streetscape and allowing development is used to prop up the facades of older, low-rise buildings and have a huge new building behind. How happy is the National Trust about that?

FW: It’s a huge issue. It’s a tactic increasingly used in our cities. The National Trust generally doesn’t see it as an acceptable outcome. It’s the worst of both worlds. It doesn’t mean we protect significant heritage places and it’s usually a poor planning and design response.

What we advocate is for councils to have policies that discourage developers and property owners from facading buildings, and that when there’s a building assessed as significant and worth protecting to at least preserve enough of the three-dimensional form of that to allow it to be appreciated. Melbourne recently adopted new policies requiring the front or principal part of the building to be retained, usually the front two rooms and the front part of the roof structure. Adapting the historic building is the best-case scenario, but when it’s incorporated into a new design we want to see that done in a meaningful way.

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P R O M O T I O N F E AT U R E

STORMTECH.COM.AU /

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Considerations for specifiers • Aesthetics. Linear drains can be used to enhance the visual appeal of a design through the use of grate patterns, finishes, colours and arrangements.

• Environment. Linear drains capture the majority of waste on top of the grate surface, preventing it from entering waterways.

• Safety and durability. Consider whether the drain will be subject to foot traffic only, or whether it has to withstand the load of service vehicles. Corrosion-resistant and/or slip-resistant finishes may also be required depending on the application.

• Application specific. For high catchment areas with a risk of flooding, drains supported by manifold piping systems may be required to handle greater volumes of water.

Stormtech For 30 years, Stormtech have been leaders in the design of sustainable drainage solutions for the Australian market, and the only drainage manufacturer with Level A GreenTag certification. Stormtech’s linear drainage solutions are durable, versatile, compliant with all relevant Australian Standards and perform well in public and urban space applications.

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APR-JUN 2021

Linear drainage for public spaces Linear drains are elongated drains that utilise a sunken trench covered with a grate to deliver level-plane drainage. This specific drainage design provides the following benefits: • countersunk trench-and-grate system separates water from solid waste, and enables easy cleaning by simply cleaning and removing the grate; • as a level-pane drainage system, linear drains do not require hobs or steps; • commonly installed along the edge of spaces

so they are unobtrusive; • requires only a gradual slope in a single direction to achieve adequate water runoff; and • modular design can accommodate areas of all shapes and sizes.

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Managing stormwater runoff is imperative in preventing slips and falls due to wet weather, preventing flooding and ponding, and providing the best possible outcomes for the environment in ensuring minimal waste is returned to natural water sources.

With this in mind, specifiers must weigh up the functional and aesthetic benefits of various drainage options in public and urban spaces.

Linear drainage systems provide an excellent balance between safety, performance and visual appeal.

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Drainage design to maximise safety and visual appeal in public and urban spaces.

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WORDS TONE WHEELER

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Tri-Arc Troubles

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The Holiday Inn at Melbourne has been in the news recently, as the site of virus contamination suspected to be through the ventilation system. Archi-spotters will have recognised the concave shape of the hotel walls as one of several similar designs in Australia. Firstly, on the design; secondly, on the ventilation.

The floor plan, based on a triangle, was developed in the USA in the 70s by ‘Travelodge Hotels’. It’s a masterpiece of modernist minimalism: the central core is equally distant from a fire stair at the end of three double loaded corridors, minimizing non-monetised circulation space. The curved concave exterior means the that the widest part of each room is along the internal corridor, allowing for entry, storage and bathroom and the room proper narrows to the smallest amount of window required for light and view.

It was all about efficiency: a minimum circulation area servicing the maximum number of rooms; the room shape widest where needed, narrowing towards the outside – the expensive area of the façade. The Travelodge ‘Tri-Arc’ system was flexible: seven or nine rooms per side; between 5 and 15 floors. In the USA they are in Portland OR, Denver CO, Houston TX, Mt Laurel NJ, Salt Lake City UT, San Diego CA and even at Walt Disney World. You can find one in Toronto

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Canada and Narita Airport in Japan. In Australia, in addition to Melbourne there are Tri-Arcs in Camperdown and Albury in NSW, Geelong and Darwin. There is even one in Port Moresby.

Now to ventilation. In a sealed building, such as a hotel with no opening windows, fresh air must be provided from the outside into habitable rooms, for oxygen to replace CO2, and to remove odours. Air is circulated from an entry point, usually on the roof or a higher facade level, away from pollution such as roads. The air is then fan pushed through ducts in the building to all habitable rooms, and then exhausted out, through more ducts to the outside.

This is ‘mechanical ventilation’ often erroneously referred to as ‘air-conditioning’ because it is now used to deliver heating and particularly cooling, but historically it predates its use for thermal comfort; it is beautifully laid out by Reyner Banham in ‘Architecture of the Well-Tempered Environment’ in 1969. Heating was easily obtained, but it took the ingenuity

of Willis Carrier one hundred years ago to add cooling to the moved air.

Tempered air in traditional sealed buildings usually follows this path: air is drawn into a plant room on the roof (or on a middle floor), heated or cooled there, then forced by fans through ducts down the ironically named risers, along ceilings to be distributed through grilles.

The air returns through a separate set of ducts (or more commonly a ceiling plenum) to the plant room where some is recycled (to save the thermal conditioning) and some is vented out.

In most hotels the supply follows this pattern, but the many small rooms make it difficult to collect and return the air. Rather it is exhausted in several ways: drawn out through the bathroom fan (the quiet hiss you hear when cleaning your teeth), lost through gaps in windows (where it helps prevent leaks) and some may be vented back into the corridors where it helps to condition that space before it is ducted back to the plant room.

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In most hotels the supply follows this pattern, but the many small rooms make it difficult to collect and return the air.

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This system of returning air via the corridors was common in the 70s, at the time of the Tri-Arc, (and is in use in the Camperdown version) but is not commonly used now because there are concerns about noise and fire safety for the vent coming through the wall.

Take another look at the Tri-Arc plan and the issue of ‘dead ends’, and possibly dead air, is clear. The assumption then is that the issue of contamination in Melbourne was a result of transmission across the corridor space.

I suspect that the super-efficient plan developed by Travelodge is a very cost-effective arrangement for a hotel but is not a ‘fit-forpurpose’ design for a 21st century quarantine hotel. But this is only speculation (without being able to visit the Holiday Inn), and the current inquiry may prove me wrong. But let me be clear: I don’t think there is a particular fault here, rather I think using hotels for quarantine was a bad idea from the start, irrespective of the AC system used.

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There are two better options: sealed hospitals with AC systems that are pressurised to prevent contamination; or fully fresh air ventilated buildings. Notably Victoria’s Dan Andrews, who advocated hotel quarantine when Scott Morrison had no plan, (but so many suffered from bad management of that decision), is now planning to build a purpose-built quarantine centre with fresh air paramount. How very Aussie: a quarantine hotel made of dongas. A victory for passive design.

Two more Tri-Arc stories to end: the early Travelodge hotels in Australia were developed

by Charlotte and Ervin Vidor, immigrants from Poland and Hungary in the 60’s. They went on to found Toga Hotels and now have the brands Vibe, Medina, and Adina (which is explored in my chapter “The Migrants Who Built Modern Sydney” in The Other Moderns, edited by Rebecca Hawcroft and published in 2017 by New South).

And finally, the image here of the Darwin Travelodge, with brick panels missing, was

taken a week after Cyclone Tracy when I worked briefly as a BLF volunteer putting roofs back on houses. It was remarkable to find the building, one of Darwin’s largest as I recall, that had withstood the fury amongst the devastation everywhere. I didn’t stay there at that time unfortunately – rather I was sleeping on the science bench in Nightcliff High School - but that’s another story for a future column.

Tone Wheeler is principal architect at Environa Studio, Adjunct Professor at UNSW and is President of the Australian Architecture Association. The views expressed here are solely those of the author and are not held or endorsed by A+D, the AAA or UNSW. Tone does not read Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or Linked In. Sanity is preserved by reading and replying only to comments addressed to toneontuesday@gmail.com

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Canberra’s Civic Quarter

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WORDS EDITED BY BRANKO MILETIC ARCHITECT COX ARCHITECTURE PHOTOGRAPHY KIERNAN MAY

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Civic Quarter (CQ) is a mixed-use commercial tower in Canberra’s city centre and the first stage completed in the redevelopment of its prominent namesake site.

No longer suitable as a modern workplace, the previous office building’s scale and public domain interface did not reflect high-quality urban design or the zoning objectives of the Territory Plan.

With a desire to create ‘Canberra’s Premier Office Building,’ the final design connects the tower with its surrounding environment and supports flexible working and collaboration.

It is the first office building in many years not developed for a large government lease, but rather specifically designed to accommodate several boutique private-sector businesses.

With a desire to create ‘Canberra’s Premier Office Building,’ the final design connects the tower with its surrounding environment and supports flexible working and collaboration.

It is the first office building in many years not

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developed for a large government lease, but rather specifically designed to accommodate several boutique private-sector businesses.

“Veterans Park is an important green space for the city – enhancing and incorporating it into our master planning and the building fabric was critical,” says COX Director, Chris Millman.

The park functions as an important public landscaped space and pedestrian thoroughfare to the nearby light rail terminus. It also becomes the building’s front door drawing passers-by into the ground floor retail spaces of CQ tower and provides a relaxing green space for office workers.

CQ tower’s southern edge provides a sense of transparency and permeability through its slender design, fully glazed facade and shallow floor plan, allowing light and views of the park and city streets to pass through.

The tower’s commercial floors offer tenants a high level of flexibility and amenity. The workplace floors provide large open spaces, minimal internal columns and the opportunity for interconnected stairs. Natural light and views are available on all the floor plates, including lift cores and bathroom areas.

The CQ tower design was a collaborative process led by Amalgamated Property Group (APG). The APG team engaged COX for precinct master planning, concept design and Development Application (DA). May + Russell Architects continued work post-DA, providing detailed design, interior design, documentation and construction services.

This project received a Commendation in the Commercial Architecture category at the 2020 ACT Architecture Awards.

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RIGHT CQ tower’s southern edge provides a sense of transparency and permeability. BELOW The tower’s commercial

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floors offer tenants a high level of flexibility and amenity.

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Brisbane’s king of timber towers WORDS LENDLEASE ARCHITECT BATES SMART PHOTOGRAPHY LENDLEASE

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As Australia’s tallest and largest engineered-timber commercial building, 25 King offers world-class office space inside a visionary, sustainable building.

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the building has also achieved a 46 percent reduction in energy and 29 percent reduction in potable water consumption.

Research has shown timber in indoor environments reduces stress and promotes health, satisfying the innate tendency to seek connections with nature. Biophilic design principles were employed throughout the design, expressed in the warmth of exposed timber surfaces, natural light and abundance of living greenery. Precise digital design helped deliver the building for a comparable cost of a traditional reinforced concrete building. Prefabrication and a new modular construction methodology improved safety and efficiency onsite.

25 King is also Queensland’s first building to be WELL Core and Shell Certified at the Platinum level. The building is on target to achieve a 5-Star NABERS Energy Base Building Rating.

In bestowing the WELL award, IWBI Chairman and CEO Rick Fedrizzi commented that 25 King demonstrated exemplary leadership in design and innovation.

“This extraordinary building exemplifies how leadership and innovative design can unite to deliver an iconic workplace that puts

people first. It’s early adopters like Aurecon and Lendlease who pave the way for the entire movement to advance human health and wellbeing everywhere.”

WELL is the leading tool for advancing health and wellbeing in buildings globally and uses an evidence-based system that assesses seven categories – air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort and mind.

The project team ensured biophilic design and WELL evidence-based principles that impact health and wellbeing of building occupants, were met or exceeded throughout design and construction.

Green Star is an internationally recognised sustainability rating that assesses management, indoor environment quality, energy, transport, water, materials, land use and ecology, emissions and innovation.

The NABERS Energy Base Building Rating compares the energy consumption of a building against a set of benchmarks developed using actual data. This will be achieved at 25 King through features such as rainwater harvesting and re-use, enhanced thermal comfort for building occupants and a façade that drives energy efficiency with external shading.

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The project team, consisting of developer and builder Lendlease; Aurecon, as anchor tenant, sustainability consultant, building services engineers, structural engineers for the base building and fit-out and project managers for the relocation and fit-out; and Bates Smart Architects, collaborated to drive the delivery of sustainability outcomes beyond global benchmarks.

25 King has achieved a 6 Star Green Star Design and As-Built v1.1 rating and is believed to be the world’s first timber building and Queensland’s first building to receive a Platinum WELL Core and Shell Certification.

The International Well Building Institute’s WELL Building Standard is the premier standard focused on enhancing people’s health and wellness across seven areas of building performance – air, water, light, nourishment, fitness, comfort and mind.

Comprising renewable cross-laminated timber walls and floors and glue-laminated timber structural beams and columns from floors one to nine, 25 King was designed and engineered with holistic sustainability and wellbeing as a priority. A highly sustainable model, with rooftop solar, rainwater capture and 74 percent saving of embodied carbon,

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ABOVE & OPPOSITE Research has shown timber in indoor environments reduces stress and promotes health, satisfying the innate tendency to seek connections with nature.

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Aurecon has also undertaken pre and post occupancy surveys to understand how the new office performs in use. The pre-occupancy survey data provided valuable insight into the brief for the new building.

Constructing a timber commercial building requires rethinking standard project delivery practices. Early documentation is necessary to enable prefabrication, requiring a very different approach to resolving the design, coordinating procurement and services, and finalising details ahead of construction, as it is difficult to make onsite adjustments. To coordinate penetrations, connections and interfaces, the project team undertook early, detailed, 3D-digital documentation, delivering the building in a shorter construction timeline and reducing costs through precise digital design and modularisation.

The extensive pre-construction design process, off-site fabrication and use of fewer hot works led to a significantly cleaner, quieter and safer construction site with minimal waste

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(3.75kg/m2 waste to landfill) and very little disturbance to neighbouring high-density residents. The entire building was constructed in 15 months – 20 percent faster than comparable steel/concrete buildings.

Biophilic principles were adopted in the design and construction, using exposed timber, extensive greenery and natural light, to improve tenant health and wellbeing through: • Best construction practices to protect health of occupants • Integrating elements of nature (material selections, natural daylight) into design • Enhanced ventilation incorporating increased outdoor airflow – 100% increase on AS1668 • Sensors and risers to manage CO2 limits and eliminate pollutants • Low VOC materials and finishes and sustainably-sourced products • Lighting design and brightening strategies for visual acuity

• Source separation design to control odours • Large floorplates to enable break-out areas for collaboration and teamwork • Timber stair to all levels of Aurecon tenancy encourages staff movement • End-of-trip facilities 25 King is designed with a range of features that will support sustainable performance over its lifespan and also highlights the benefits of timber as a cost-effective and efficient way to construct tall towers, while reducing a building’s carbon footprint.

25 King’s innovative development model (including modular construction and off-site prefabrication) is readily replicable, and the project team will take the knowledge gained from this project to future builds.

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WORDS CARISSA KARAMARKO ARCHITECT SCOTT CARVER PHOTOGRAPHY LUC REMOND

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Sydney whiskey bar combines raw materials with clever spatial design

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Located at the rear laneway of the award-winning, FJMT-designed EY Centre is a micro whiskey bar.

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Alleyway is the perfect example of how a tiny, unused space in a premium location can be transformed into a cosy micro whiskey bar.

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Designed by design studio Scott Carver, the hidden ‘Alleyway’ in Sydney sits on a small site of just three metres in width and makes use of an unused lift lobby.

“Alleyway is the perfect example of how a tiny, unused space in a premium location can be transformed into a cosy micro whiskey bar, breathing life into a corporate hub and augmenting Sydney’s emerging laneway scene.

When design is considered and clever, any space can be activated,” says the interior designer.

“The constraints presented an opportunity for the concept; a cosy meeting point serving up bespoke drinks, quick bites and a little corporate escapism.”

It was also designed to complement the branding of two existing café bars: Avenue on Chifley and Avenue on George, the latter delivered by Scott Carver in late 2016.

Alleyway’s design features a raw look and feel, which has been achieved by exposing the concrete walls, and juxtaposing recycled timbers with metal details. Hand-selected reclaimed timber display crates form a design solution of space-saving storage.

According to the designers, copper piping, polished nickel, a unique patterned metal ceiling and a resilient bronze serving ledge in a Verdigris finish support the brand identity, while also employing the existing site as an industrial backdrop. Lighting was skilfully integrated into concealed spaces, providing ambient illumination and design interest, while mirror strips create an illusory depth of space.

“Sitting in contrast to the sleek commercial tower in which it resides, the lighting enhances the textures and patina of [the] natural and reclaimed materials, beckoning commuters in,” says Scott Carver.

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a unique patterned metal ceiling and a resilient bronze serving ledge in a Verdigris finish support the brand identity.

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IMAGES According to the designers, copper piping, polished nickel,

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CELEBRATING SUSTAINABILITY LEADERS Be a part of Australia’s longest-running and most prestigious awards program dedicated to acknowledging and celebrating excellence in sustainable design and architecture.

ENTRIES OPEN 2 JUNE sustainablebuildingawards.com.au

sustainablebuildingawards.com.au SUSTAINABILITY SUMMIT & SUSTAINABILITY AWARDS GALA | 11 NOVEMBER 2021, SYDNEY IMAGE Marrickville Library and Pavilion by Steenson Varming & BVN 2020 Sustainability Awards Highly Commended in the Best Adaptive Reuse category. Photo: The Moment It Clicks.

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Adam Kane Architects Studio

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WORDS ADAM KANE ARCHITECT ADAM KANE ARCHITECTS PHOTOGRAPHY ADAM KANE & FELIX FOREST

Adam Kane Architects has officially opened its new office space, showcasing what is a true reflection of the elegant, timeless and minimalist work it delivers.

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The inspiring new workspace is complemented by a number of custom made fittings and furniture pieces, creating a unique office that provides a glimpse into the future direction for the practice.

Director and founder Adam Kane, says he wanted to create an office space that was not only a stimulating place to work, but one that emulated the minimalist design philosophy that his practice strives to achieve.

“Designing our own office was an opportunity to showcase the work that we produce, particularly through our focus on minimalistic design. We’re excited for clients to be able to experience this firsthand,” he explains.

“As we removed all of the internal load bearing walls to let in more natural light, we were able to utilise a darker palette to create a somewhat moody yet sophisticated atmosphere.”

Located in the heart of South Melbourne, the contemporary workplace consumes two levels of a former Victorian corner hotel.

Brooding and elegant, the use of a rich grey hue in the architraves, ceiling and walls is cleverly contrasted by the abundance of natural light that floods the space.

On the ground floor, a small powder rooms sits next to a narrow staircase, discreetly hidden by a large, unassuming pivot door.

On the first floor, there is a subtle separation between the meeting room and main workspace, with a transition in floor levels ensuring that the spaces are kept individual.

Custom steel-framed doors that stretch 3.6m high from floor to ceiling also allow the spaces to be closed off entirely, bringing flexibility to the office as a whole.

The bronze joinery ‘block’ is a feature of the workspace, creating a bold focal point that cleverly divides the formal and informal zones of the space. Clad in panels of custom dipped bronze, the block provides an everchanging play of light across its patinaed surface whilst concealing the kitchenette and sample library on its reverse.

The purposeful layering of grey provides a soothing backdrop to the office, allowing a collection of custom pieces to be accentuated, including a five-metre long, timber-veneer desk purpose built in its place.

Another custom feature is a marble table supported by three polished plaster ‘pillars’, providing a place to gather and collaborate in the corner. Whilst the stone offcuts from the tabletop were used to create a secondary side table.

“For the corner wall, we worked with our plasterer to create an artwork from polished plaster by layering and scraping the materiality into a textured piece,” Kane explains.

“This hangs just above the Ligne Roset ‘Pumpkin’ chair and small side table in the main workspace. In the meeting room, we custom designed the table out of grey stone, with the legs and tabletop cut from the one singular slab.

This sit beneath the stunning Apparatus ‘Arrow’ Lamp that is suspended overhead.”

Staying true to the heritage of the building, the original 120-year-old floorboards have been left raw and unfinished, allowing the character and integrity of the timber to sit in juxtaposition to the new elements of the space. As a result, the office provides an inspiring place to work whilst also providing the perfect setting for current and prospective clients to gather.

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...we were able to utilise a darker palette to create a somewhat moody yet sophisticated atmosphere.

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WORDS AMY SALA TENA ARCHITECT HAMES SHARLEY PHOTOGRAPHY DOUGLAS MARK BLACK

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Perth’s P2 Data Centre

Data centres represent a very utilitarian aspect of the built environment, and yet they compose a particular kind of infrastructure within contemporary society, one where form must follow function.

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Think refined industrial, exposed services and metallic finishes, which make up the overall design aesthetic.

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Hames Sharley worked closely with Urbis and City of Perth (CoP) to deliver an outcome that worked for the local council and the client – balancing the security requirements with the City’s desire for an open and transparent public interface. As the architect and interior designer for P2 Perth, Hames Sharley also worked closely with subcontractors to deliver organised and considered services layout and routes, where possible.

The project provided several challenging scenarios, the greatest involving the need to deliver a non-public building with a public interface that also connected the street level.

Strong, bold architectural accents of red connect to emphasise 3D spatial geometries in NEXTDC, while spatial layering throughout controls lighting and sight-lines. Think refined

industrial, exposed services and metallic finishes, which make up the overall design aesthetic.

Hames Sharley added further value by investigating and implementing, (within budget), the inclusion of breakout spaces to the street for additional façade activation and improved user experience.

The newly-built facility is the pinnacle of data centre certifications worldwide. Tier IV infrastructure is a building block on top of the requirements for Tier III, adding complete fault tolerance to the infrastructure deployed on-site.

Completely fault-tolerant infrastructure means that any individual equipment failures or distribution path interruptions that occur will have no impact on the overall operations of the facility.

Hames Sharley engaged early with the Head Contractor and sub-contractors on crucial design elements to ensure these critical elements were not overlooked, and the client achieved their optimal outcome.

With over 12,000m2 of technical data centre space at full fitout, P2 supports the highestdensity, computer-intensive requirements for Perth organisations, and can scale from rack-ready cabinets to full contiguous rows and custom cages and private suites.

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• Integration with the existing site conditions and infrastructure • Breakout spaces to the street for additional façade activation and improvement of the user experience

• Effectively connecting the street with the main building level being at the 1/100 year flood level (2.5m level difference) • Concealment of services running externally • Fast architecture – repeating fins to the street that creates a dynamic façade when moving past the building in a vehicle • A lighting design to change the look of the building at night – proving 24-hour architecture for the Perth community.

PROJECTS

Hames Sharley was selected as a partner, supporting NEXTDC in the successful delivery of Perth’s first Tier IV data centre (P2), just one of the new developments for the data centre operator across the country.

NEXTDC is one of Australia’s most trusted and highly interconnected platform of premium colocation data centres. Housing the country’s largest and most comprehensive ecosystem of >640 clouds, networks and specialist IT services providers.

Based in the Perth CBD, P2 forms an important digital interconnectivity hub, offering appropriate supporting infrastructure to deliver critical connectivity, front of house facilities, world-class security, a delivery area, storage and staging rooms and client parking and access. The newly built facility consists of over 10,000m² of technical space and 10 high density compute data halls.

Built to meet the increasing needs of today’s digital economy, the key moves and design principles consisted of:

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A complex layer of authentic oversized soft grey-beige and delicate copper veining caresses a pure white base.

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Enhanced by our natural matte finish, Calacatta Maximus™ evokes the unique beauty of the mineral layers found in nature.

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WORDS GRAY PUKSAND ARCHITECT GRAY PUKSAND PHOTOGRAPHY SHANNON MCGRATH

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

Agile, modern, fluid & solid

PROJECTS / APR-JUN 2021

Gray Puksand’s recently completed fit-out for 130 Lonsdale Street Melbourne is an agile, modern workspace that places the health and wellbeing of employees front of mind.

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RIGHT Beyond its organically shaped desk is the

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sculptural stairs, which connects all four levels.

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The intent was to deliver an interior exuding a sense of calm and balance that essentially functions as a yin to the yang of the often high-intensity business. In order to do so, the project team employed the principles of biophilic design throughout, incorporating natural materials, neutral colours and patterns reminiscent of nature.

The design’s driving concept is underpinned by themes of fluidity, growth and solid foundations. These interconnected ideas are expressed as strong spatial and architectural elements, beginning at the entry, with a generous reception area that welcomes visitors.

Beyond its organically shaped desk is the sculptural stairs, which connects all four levels.

This dramatic structure visually anchors the fit-out, while around it, different settings allow employees to choose how they want to work by offering zones for collaboration alongside intimate areas for quiet retreat.

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ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

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The intent was to deliver an interior exuding a sense of calm and balance that essentially functions as a yin to the yang of the often highintensity business.

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ABOVE Panoramic views of the north of the city further extend the connection to nature, as does the natural stone flooring, timber detailing and subtle textures of the fabric upholstery.

Key to the overall design is the ‘Green House’, an informal meeting space that allows employees to gather in small to medium groups. While a variety of modern furniture in pastel blue, pistachio green and warm ochre characterises this area, it’s defined by a striking ceiling feature that recalls rippling water.

This is adjacent to the Wintergarden, which boasts a double-height space and abundant

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plantings. Panoramic views of the north of the city further extend the connection to nature, as does the natural stone flooring, timber detailing and subtle textures of the fabric upholstery.

Soft edges and curves dominate the design, from the wide non-linear circulation paths that carve out each floor’s plan to the pendant lighting and amorphously shaped rugs. Even the glass-enclosed boardroom, centrally-placed

to symbolise an opportunity to ‘meet in the middle’ when resolving disputes, doesn’t have any sharp corners.

The fit-out’s forms and shapes come together to represent nature’s ebbs and flows, which have ultimately settled in place to provide a relaxed, comfortable workplace.

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Go beyond the INDE.Awards with

Join us for the inaugural INDE.Summit 2021. A full day conference proceeding the INDE.Awards Gala. Learn and be inspired from the best local, regional and international experts on topics that define architecture and design in our region.

5 August 2021 | Hyatt Regency, Sydney or Online Get your tickets at indeawards.com/summit

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Sections2 WORDS CLINTON BAIRD

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

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Welcome to Sections2, where we highlight the very best section drawings from architecture and design students from our many universities With the population of Melbourne set to reach 8.5 million by 20501, rapid new underground infrastructure to facilitate the city’s growth has brought critical thought to Melbourne’s establishment conjecture of (Sub) Terra Nullius2, a problem highlighting Australia’s problematic relationship to land3 and its embedded notion that ‘land is a sink.4 The European colonisation of Melbourne, discovery of gold and the rapid expansion of the city in the 19th century brought surmounting waste products of both our built environments outputs and behaviour causing detrimental

damage to the earth’s subsurface (land, soil, and water-bodies)5 as well as to our own subsurface (disease & sickness).6 For this reason the museum is interested in containing our subsurface infrastructure as well as the contaminants which run-off from our urban activity. In doing so the museum will challenges the sanitary nature of encasement in the typical displays of museums by designing spaces for visitors to confront their unforeseen ancestral and own toxic waste coagulating below the surface, challenging preconceived notions of waste and rethinking its future potential.

Luke Henriques-Gomes, “Australia’s Population Forecast to Hit 30 Million by 2029,” The Guardian, November 22, 2018, sec. Australia news, https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/nov/22/australias population-forecast-to-hit-30-million-by-2029.

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M. D. L. Melo Zurita, “Challenging Sub Terra Nullius: A Critical Underground Urbanism Project,” 2020, https://doi.org/10.1080/00049182.2020.1723829.

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Bruce Pascoe, Dark Emu : Aboriginal Australia and the Birth of Agriculture, New edition. (Magabala Books, 2018).

Max Liboiron, “Waste Colonialism,” Discard Studies, November 1, 2018, https://discardstudies.com/2018/11/01/ waste-colonialism/.

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Lee Fergusson, “Anthrosols and Technosols: The Anthropogenic Signature of Contaminated Soils and Sediments in Australia,” Water, Air, & Soil Pollution 228, no. 8 (July 9, 2017): 269, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-017-3460-z.

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Graeme Davison, David Dunstan, and Chris McConville, The Outcasts of Melbourne : Essays in Social History (Allen & Unwin, 1985).

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OPPOSITE TOP The project acts as surgical incision through ground plane. Where we can not possibly hope to navigate the complexity of the urban underground, we may peer into its depth, view it and hope to understand its seemingly infinite complexity.

OPPOSITE BOTTOM At the edge of the Birrarung Marr a large subsurface lift penetrates the waters surface and allows museum visitors to witness the state of toxicity from below.

RIGHT At the points of incision – the underground gallery spaces – visitors are confronted with the run off and complexity of their urban environments subterranean landscape.

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CLINTON BAIRD I completed my Master of Architecture at the University of Melbourne in 2020, finishing with First Class Honours. During my studies I was bestowed the Anthony Auh Chew Kang Master of Architecture Scholarship in 2019 and 2020, and the Edward and Penelope Billson Prize in Architecture in 2020 for the work undertaken in my Thesis studio. I am currently working as an architectural graduate in Melbourne at Warren & Mahoney Architects, previously having worked as a student at de.arch architects. Throughout my studies I found interest within theories of dwelling in space and

architecture as well as speculating the possible futures of our urban manifestations, influenced by a childhood love of science fiction film and storytelling. Where my vocational interests resonate with implicating design solutions that pertain to the lived experiences of space and its memories and postulating the value of built infrastructure as a catalyst for civic interaction and change.

ABOVE Entry to the museum reveals the floating mass of an anaerobic digester - a cybernetic stomach that converts food waste from the adjacent buildings food court into energy.

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P R O M O T I O N F E AT U R E

A L U M I N I U M FA C A D E S Y S T E M S . C O M . A U

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A & D X A l u m ini u m F acade S y ste m s

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Pathways to compliance: Understanding cladding and the requirements of the National Construction Code.

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Given the high demands on their performance, building facades are often at the centre of compliance issues. A thorough understanding of the performance and testing requirements that impact facade and cladding systems is critical in delivering compliant building designs.

Pathways to Compliance The pathways for complying with Performance Requirements under the National Construction Code (NCC) are as follows: • Performance Solutions (tailored solutions that meet the intended objectives of the relevant Performance Requirements); • Deemed-to-Satisfy Solutions (a prescriptive list of requirements that enable compliance if followed); or • a combination thereof.

Key Performance Requirements for Cladding Systems • Structural Provisions – Section B. A building or structure, during construction and use, with appropriate degrees of reliability, must perform adequately under all reasonably expected design actions and withstand extreme or frequently repeated design actions.

• Weatherproofing – Section F. An external wall must prevent the penetration of water

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that would cause unhealthy or dangerous conditions, or loss of amenity for occupants and undue dampness or deterioration of building elements.

• Fire Resistance – Section C. Building elements (including external walls) must resist the spread of fire and maintain structural stability during a fire.

Testing for Compliance Facades and cladding systems are subject to performance testing to determine they are compliant with the NCC. Below is a nonexhaustive list of relevant tests: • AS/NZS 4284:2008 outlines testing for multiple aspects of a facade system’s performance, including structural strength and weatherproofing.

• AS 1530.1:1994 provides the combustibility test for building materials.

• AS 5113:2016 includes the fire propagation test of external walls.

Evaluating Facade and Cladding Systems When specifying cladding, a distinction should be made between Aluminium Composite Panels (ACPs) and solid aluminium panels.

Unlike ACPs with a PET core, solid aluminium panels will prevent the spread of flames as

aluminium is inherently non-combustible.

Aluminium offers a range of additional benefits including strength, durability, light weight, flexibility, and corrosion-resistance.

Aluminium Facade Systems powered by Alspec Alspec’s ProCladTM System is a complete non-combustible aluminium facade system, incorporating intelligent fixing methods to ensure maximum performance, safety and lifespan of a facade.

This range includes: • ProClad SOLID: Non-combustible PVDF prefinished solid aluminium panels.

• ProClad LINEAR: An intelligent interlocking facade system in three different profiles and an array of powder-coated colors.

• ProClad FIXINGS: Non-combustible aluminium fixings for compliant and safe installation.

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Non-Combustible Aluminium Panels

ProClad™ SOLID high quality aluminium panels are the ideal solution for any facade.

The non-combustible panels come in a vast array of colours to suit a range of applications from high-rise commercial buildings to residential development.

ProClad™ SOLID is the perfect solution for any new build as well as recladding of existing projects. Architects, engineers, developers, builders and contractors can feel confident when specifying ProClad™ SOLID aluminium panels as they are 100% non-combustible, low maintenance and have a high level of safety and durability.

For more information contact us on 1300 252 523 or info@aluminiumfacadesystems.com.au aluminiumfacadesystems.com.au

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A brave new world of facades WORDS STEPHANIE STEFANOVIC

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN / p ra c t i c al

The term “commercial building” can include just about anything from an office skyscraper to your local holein-the-wall restaurant, shopping mall or even a parking lot. By the same token, the options for commercial facades, walls and structural materials are seemingly endless.

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LEFT Robertson Facade Systems’ Brick Inlay was recently used in Hotel Britomart, a stunning addition to an Auckland waterfront hospitality and retail precinct.

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p r a c t i c al

ABOVE Kaynemaile’s architectural mesh was used in the Cumulus Studio- designed Protagonist café and bar.

Let’s take a look at some of the newest and most innovative materials, and some of the stunning commercial structures they feature in.

ALUMINIUM

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Aluminium is a very popular choice these days, and for good reason – it’s low-maintenance, durable and easy to install. There are also plenty of variations that are 100 percent noncombustible and available in a range of finishes.

One such example is DecoClad, a noncombustible aluminium product that uses photo imaging technology to recreate the look and feel of timber. Used in a contemporary office design for G-Force Construction, the brief was to create a bright, airy and aesthetically pleasing

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space in the inner suburbs of Adelaide. This was achieved through use of the DecoWood finish on the building’s exterior, which was chosen to complement the structure’s dark features while adding to its warm, earthy feel. This timber alternative also has the benefit of being more durable, UV-resistant and low maintenance than actual timber cladding.

Another interesting aluminium cladding product is Colorspan’s Pure + Freeform Exterior Wet Seal Plate panels, which come in a range of unique colours and textures for use indoors or out. These panels were used in Florida’s Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, an unconventional design by Klai Juba Wald Architecture + Interiors. Specifically, the panels were chosen for the pool area, which includes a

two-storey food service space in the shape of a boat, complete with a floating walkway. Using the Wet Seal Plate panels, the grain is offset, moving in the opposite direction around the fascia. This creates a wood like appearance that is reminiscent of a real ship, but with a material that can better withstand the humidity of the pool and surrounding climate.

If you’re looking for a sustainable solution, another good option is Alspec’s Proclad Linear, a non-combustible intelligent interlocking system that is pre-finished and 100 percent recyclable. Well-suited to a wide range of commercial builds, it requires minimal fabrication and decreases waste by offering custom sizing on request, plus the opportunity to add texture and distinctive character to facades.

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TBA FIREFLY™ WHOLE EXTERNAL WALL SYSTEM MADE UP FROM OUR DTS NON-COMBUSTIBLE PRODUCTS TBA Firefly™ are the FIRST Company to offer Design Engineers, Façade Engineers, Building Certifiers/Surveyors & Fire Engineers a true belt and braces Performance Solution approach to meeting the Non-combustible requirements for lightweight external wall systems of Type A & B Construction with 1 Whole System.

TBA Firefly™ Lightweight External Wall System incorporates ALL Non-combustible Components in accordance with BCA 1988 through to NCC2019 amendment 1: NCC Clause C1.9 Non-Combustible building elements The following TBA Firefly™ Components meet this criteria and are incorporated in TBA Firefly™ External Wall System. All Test Reports are available from our Technical Sales Staff along with CSIRO Report No: FCO-3289 explaining the requirements of C1.9 and why our products meet this clause: • • • • • •

TBA Firefly™ ASP Solid Aluminium Panel Non-Combustible TBA Firefly™ NCBR (Non-Combustible Backing Rod for joints) TBA Firefly™ Non-Combustible Sarking EKA 161 (Non-Breathable) TBA Firefly™ Non-Combustible Sarking EKA 161-B (Breathable) TBA Firefly™ Vulcan Non-Combustible R0.2 Thermal Break Pads and Strips TBA Firefly™ AFRT Non-Combustible Reinforced Foil Tape for our sarking joints

We weather Tested our whole External Wall System made up from our DTS Non-combustible products.

This system incorporated our Breathable EKA 161-B sarking to meet: NCC2019 Weatherproofing Verification Methods V2.2.1 and FV1 Tested in accordance with AS/NZS 4284-2008.

Testing of Building Façades to meet the compliance requirements of FP1.4.

In addition to the weather testing we also carried out a Hail Impact Test on our Aluminium Solid Panel.

Acoustic Performance

Tested in accordance with AS1191-2002 Acoustics & AS/NZS ISO717.1:2004 Acoustics

All External Wall Systems designed for Buildings of Type A and Type B Constructions are Performance Solutions, there is no Deemed to Satisfy SYSTEM to meet Compliance with the NCC. A Performance Solution is required whether you choose to go down the Non-combustibility Route or the CV3 Route by using a Whole System which has achieved an EW Classification when Tested to AS5113.

For more information or for a copy of all Referenced Reports please contact us at

Scan to Learn More

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PHONE: (07) 5411 4209 OR (02) 8004 3333 (Option 2)

WEBSITE: tbafirefly.com.au EMAIL: sales@tbafirefly.com.au

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APR-JUN 2021 / practical / ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

Aluminium is a very popular choice these days, and for good reason – it’s low-maintenance, durable and easy to install.

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Also worth noting is Network Architectural’s Alpolic non-combustible aluminium composite panel. According to the company, it is the first aluminium composite panel to achieve an A1 Euroclass rating – one of the world’s strictest fire protection standards for building materials. This makes it an excellent choice for commercial structures in fire-prone areas, or for buildings that are being reclad to remove combustible cladding.

Finally, on the topic of combustible cladding, it is important to mention the launch of HVG Facades’ Envirosmart recladding program.

Developed with the input of EPA registered and Green Star certified recycling experts, the program ensures that all non-compliant ACP cladding is collected from site and transported to a specialised facility. The panels are then shredded and separated into aluminium and polyethylene powder, which will be re-used to make new building materials such as compliant aluminium packers that could be used for future recladding projects. And according to HVG Facades, the program can provide certified documentation for the whole process.

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Robertson Facade Systems’ Brick Inlay, which offers extensive design choices for brick facades.

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

LEFT & OPPOSITE Another good option is

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PORCELAIN

It’s not often talked about, but architectural mesh is a surprisingly versatile material that can add to a building’s structural integrity, ventilation and aesthetics, all at once. One example of this is Kaynemaile’s architectural mesh, which the company describes as the reimagination of 2,000-year-old chainmail into a unique mesh product made from high-grade polycarbonate.

The mesh was used in the Cumulus Studiodesigned Protagonist café and bar, located in the historic Melbourne arts precinct that is also home to the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) and the State Theatre.

“Protagonist is wrapped by a chainmail curtain which physically opens and closes each day, inspired by the curtain and fly tower within Arts Centre Melbourne’s theatres. The colour is a reference to the centre’s landmark spire,” says Cumulus Studio director Keith Westbrook.

Not only does the mesh contribute to the café’s bold, eye-catching design, but it serves a dual purpose, forming a screen at night where visuals are projected to promote upcoming events.

Imagine walking into the lobby of a city hotel or commercial tower where the entire room looks like it’s encased in a singular piece of marble.

According to Kaolin Tiles, this has been made possible with its Endless Vein porcelain tiles, which, as their name suggests, can connect endlessly in any direction.

“There are book-matched designs and there are connecting vein designs, where a set would have tiles that connect between each other. But never have we seen another design that can keep connecting in any direction,” says Anton Bourtsev, director of Kaolin Tiles.

Aside from making a bold interior design statement, endless tiles are also a very lowmaintenance solution due to the lack of grout joints, as well as resistance to scratches, stains and heat.

Alternatively, if you’re looking for porcelain cladding designed to withstand the elements, Frontek’s extruded porcelain panels could be a good option. According to the company, these panels are an extremely durable, weather-proof

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solution that can hold up to extreme weather conditions with no maintenance requirements.

They are also non-combustible and have been tested in Australia and New Zealand for compliance, which includes seismic performance.

APR-JUN 2021

ARCHITECTURAL MESH

BRICK INLAY A modern twist on an old classic, brick inlay is growing in popularity as architects and designers seek to recreate the look of a traditional brick facade with lower costs and easier, faster installation.

One example is PGH Bricks’ InBrick product, which embeds genuine clay brick tiles into precast concrete panels. InBrick was recently used in the ClarkeHopkinsClarke-designed Armstrong Creek Town Centre, a 1,400sqm shopping and community hub built for a new suburb outside of Geelong.

“The developer wanted the brick finish but the timeline was critical. With InBrick, structurally you still keep the precast integrity and steel support with a brick finish externally,” says Dale Baldi, precaster at Statewide Panels.

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SUPPLIERS Aluminium Facade Systems (Alspec) architectureanddesign.com.au/suppliers/ aluminium-facade-systems Colorspan colorspan.com. au Deco architectureanddesign.com.au/suppliers/ deco-australia Frontek frontek.com.au HVG Facades architectureanddesign.com.au/suppliers/hvg-facades Kaolin Tiles kaolin.com.au Kaynemaile kaynemaile. com Network Architectural architectureanddesign. com.au/suppliers/network-architectural PGH Bricks architectureanddesign.com.au/suppliers/ pgh-bricks-pavers Robertson Facade Systems architectureanddesign.com.au/suppliers/robertsonfacade-systems LEFT & BELOW A modern twist on an old classic, brick inlay is growing in popularity. One example is PGH Bricks’ InBrick product, which embeds genuine clay brick tiles into precast concrete panels. InBrick was recently used in the ClarkeHopkinsClarkedesigned Armstrong Creek Town Centre, a 1,400sqm outside of Geelong.

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shopping and community hub built for a new suburb

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“We were standing 20-25 precast panels per day, so a whole front of a building would be up within the week.”

Another good option is Robertson Facade Systems’ Brick Inlay, which offers extensive design choices for brick facades, including a variety of speciality thin brick, porcelain or stone colours and textures, plus the ability to create custom patterns. This material was recently used in Hotel Britomart, a stunning addition to an Auckland waterfront hospitality and retail precinct.

What makes this design special is the fact that everything about it was custom fit for purpose, including the facade. The hotel features a full brick facade floating on a glass podium – a sight rarely seen in New Zealand because there are no local precast brick panel systems, and it can be expensive and difficult to find a solution that can hold up to New Zealand’s seismic requirements.

According to Robertson Facade Systems, this is the first time the company’s Brick Inlay has been used in New Zealand. Not only did it create a unique, almost abstract, facade, but it also held up to rigorous testing to prove it could meet New Zealand’s stringent seismic requirements.

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P R O M O T I O N F E AT U R E

Brick Inlay crosses the Pacific and delivers New Zealand’s first full brick façade.

R O B E R T S O N FA C A D E S . C O M . A U / APR-JUN 2021

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What set Brick Inlay apart?

Cheshire Architects is ecstatic: “We knew we’d found a robust system.

Robertson Façade Systems was more willing than some companies to get in and help us test, prototype and generally support us with our process … The fact you could put the Krause bricks we chose, which Robertson’s supplied, in the Brick Inlay system that Robertson’s could warranty, and was practical in the time we had, was really good.”

“And we’re really pleased with the way it turned out – you don’t see where the panels are in the building, which was helped by the variability of colour in the bricks. You read it as a single object with lots of texture, pattern and interest in it, and definitely not as an individual panel.”

Teamwork made all the difference.

Determination and persistence, combined with the flexibility and robust capabilities of Brick Inlay enabled Cheshire Architects to realise its spectacular design.

And the result is exceptional.

Excitingly for Robertson Façade Systems, it’s the first time Brick Inlay has been used in New Zealand: “Our team was thrilled to be involved in this challenging and rewarding project and to work with Cheshire Architects to help achieve their vision. It’s wonderful to see Brick Inlay used in New Zealand, and we look forward to working with them again,” says Peter Robertson.

Perhaps this won’t be long, as Cheshire Architects’ Dajiang Tai concludes, “Brick Inlay is a maturely developed system. We needed a robust system to make our design work, and we wanted to use Robertson’s bricks. It all worked really well, so we’d definitely use Brick Inlay again.”

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How do you build a full brick façade in New Zealand?

The Hotel Britomart has a full brick facade floating on a glass podium – a rare site in New Zealand.

Most are full glass, or have a solid podium on the lower levels. This is because there are no precast brick panel systems in New Zealand, and it’s really expensive and difficult to achieve due to Building Code requirements for Seismic Resilience and the engineering involved.

Fortunately, Cheshire Architects discovered Robertson Façade Systems’ Brick Inlay.

So began a thoughtful collaboration between Cheshire Architects, Holmes Solutions, Mott MacDonald and Robertson Façade Systems.

Because behind this unique façade was a rigorous process involving checking Brick Inlay’s

performance in key earthquakes zones of Los Angeles and San Francisco (a strong tick), six months of thorough compliance testing using mock-up panels, and refining the design and construction based on those results.

This process, though lengthy, reaped rewards: Brick Inlay’s innovative and proven system could construct a full brick façade, speak to Britomart’s heritage area and withstand New Zealand’s stringent earthquake requirements.

A & D X R obert s on F a c ade S y s tem s

It’s every architect and developer’s dream: To lead a project of a lifetime that pushes your technical, creative and problem-solving brain past its physical and emotional limits.

The Hotel Britomart in Auckland is that project.

It’s a technical and aesthetic work of art that will never date. Because its design and construction followed no trends. Everything is custom fit for purpose, beginning with the façade.

Photography: Sam Hartnett (left) and Petra Leary (right).

READ MORE ABOUT THE HOTEL BRITOMART bit.ly/Robertson_21Q2

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How to maintain the fire safety in commercial builds

In their efforts to assess and balance the various aesthetic, technical, and functionality requirements of commercial projects, architects are duty-bound to place the safety of future occupants above all else. The appropriate application of fire and smoke control solutions is critical to this endeavour.

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WORDS MATT MCDONALD

Fire represents a real and present threat to all commercial buildings, regardless of type. Every corporate office, retail outlet, hospitality centre, sports facility, government building, community hall, medical centre, and educational institution is at risk and must comply with all relevant regulations and codes.

However, building fire safety is not a simple, one-size-fits-all proposition. Rather, it involves a series of sub-systems associated with training and education, fire service response, ignition potential, fire load, escape routes, passive fire protection, fire-fighting systems, detection and alarm systems, smoke management systems, digital fire apps, sprinklers, fire curtains, and so forth.

EBSA - THE CPS-M SMOKE CONTROL PANEL

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For various structural and thermal reasons, when fires do break out, natural extraction systems are not always enough to adequately remove smoke from the building in question. Examples of commercial buildings where this can be the case include shopping centres, underground car parks, and multi-storey buildings.

In these instances, motor-driven fans or ventilators – known collectively as mechanical smoke extraction (MSE) systems – should be installed. In fact, in some cases, the installation

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of MSEs can be stipulated in building permits.

To operate effectively, MSEs require a control system such as the CPS-M smoke control panel from Brisbane-based louvre and window automation supplier, EBSA. Certified to ISO21927, the CPS-M smoke control panel is a crucial (yet often unspecified) component of any building where operable façade elements are used as part of the fire system.

Purpose-built, the CPS-M is designed to interface between Building Management Systems, the local Fire Service, operable façade elements and mechanical dampers and fans.

As a digital system, it has freely configurable inputs and outputs and is therefore very flexible. It incorporates several failsafe measures such as monitoring of input supply voltage and monitoring of 72-hour failsafe battery backup. While it can be used for natural ventilation control it is hard coded so that, in the event of fire, smoke control functions always receive top priority.

A product of German manufacturer D+H Mechatronic, the CPS-M smoke control panels are assembled in Brisbane by EBSA. Locally, they have been installed in several high-profile projects, including the Williamtown RAAF base, Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Centre, Carrara Indoor Sports Centre, and PEGS School Melbourne.

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ABOVE Matilda Veneers Fireply X range of pre-finished plywood panels at Arcadia College. Photography by Peter Bennetts.

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ABOVE For various structural and thermal reasons, when fires do break out, natural extraction

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systems are not always enough to adequately remove smoke from the building in question.

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PROMAT - CAFCO SPRAYS AND PROMATECT Available from fire protection equipment supplier Promat, Cafco Sprays and Promatect board enable specifiers to increase the fire resistance of existing materials – such as concrete, masonry walls, or concrete slabs – in existing buildings.

This can be necessary in cases where an older building changes use and, in so doing, triggers a requirement to increase its fire resistance level (FRL). This is especially the case in CBDs where older buildings are often refurbished for a new use.

Cafco Sprays and Promatect both work by slowing the transfer of heat through the wall or slab. Because they are significantly thinner and lighter than the equivalent amount of concrete or masonry that would be required to do the job, they are much more practical. Performing this type of retrofit is far easier than attempting to add extra concrete.

The Cafco spray material can be applied without removal of any services or fixtures to the wall or slab. In applications where aesthetics is a consideration, the board material can be easily painted or covered with additional linings.

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The material and equipment needed to apply the products is small and lightweight, making it an easy task compared to pumping concrete.

And because the board products can be precut offsite, installation is simply a matter of a straight fix to the walls or slabs.

CSR BRADFORD - ACOUSTIGARD GLASSWOOL FIBRE INSULATION The use of non-combustible façade components is a critical way to prevent the vertical spread of fire in high rise buildings. This applies not just to cladding and other externally facing materials but also to things like insulation.

Engineered to reduce sound transmission in walls and ceilings, CSR Bradford’s Acoustigard glasswool fibre insulation is also certified as a thermal insulation for non-combustible external walls. It represents a standardised solution for fire, acoustic and thermal insulation in high rise commercial applications.

It should be noted that internal walls in commercial and multi-res buildings are also often required to provide fire and acoustic separation. The use of non-combustible insulation, such as Acoustigard, within separating walls provides not just acoustic performance but also a reduction in the risk of

noxious gasses spreading in the event of a fire. In other words, it increases the chance of survival for evacuating occupants and first responders.

MATILDA VENEER - FIREPLY X RANGE Changes to the Building Code of Australia (BCA) in 2019 made the specification of real wood products in many areas of Class 2-9 buildings increasingly challenging. They effectively diminished the choices for specifiers looking to use natural timber.

Matilda Veneer’s introduction of the Fireply X range of pre-finished plywood panels addresses this challenge and restores some excellent timber choices. A natural successor to Matilda Fireply, an unperforated, unfinished, oversized version that has been available for approximately four years, Fireply X ensures the finishing of these panels is in line with all proper use recommendations and that the finished panels meet aesthetic and performance expectations.

Unlike Fireply X, most fire-retardant plywood products are treated post-production (which limits its fire resistance) or treated with intumescent paint or lacquer to provide fire resistance. This requires regular maintenance and negatively impacts their appearance and durability.

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In contrast, Fireply X is treated by veneer impregnation prior to plywood production. As such, the whole product is fire retardant, not just the exterior. This means trimming can be done on site without negative impact on the product’s fire rating.

Panels are supplied cut-to-size at either 2400mm x 1200mm or 2390mm x 1190mm (which allows for express joints) to reduce cutting on site and allow for quick and simple installation without the risk of non-compliance or voiding warranties.

Manufactured by the company of the same name, Speedpanel is a lightweight, user-friendly wall system for fire and acoustic protection. It was developed in the mid-90s as an alternative to the standard solutions of that time, which were mainly heavyweight concrete or masonry walls that were not needed for the structure of the building, but because of their weight, required large and expensive foundations and structural supports.

A modular wall system, Speedpanel comprises a steel outer shell filled with a lightweight,

USG BORAL As the Chadstone Shopping Centre redevelopment, which took place in south-east Melbourne in 2016 illustrates, logistics and supply considerations are critical to fire safety

compliance. Gandel and Vicinity Group engaged Probuild to complete the project, which would see the centre regain its status as the largest of its type in Australia. Probuild subsequently subcontracted the internal walls and ceilings job to Arc Plastering, a company that specialises in large commercial projects.

It was decided that Arc Plastering would use 115,000m² of USG Boral lining products including Fiberock and Sheetrock plasterboards and compounds to complete the project.

Like all USG Boral fire rated wall and ceiling products and systems, these products meet NCC requirements for suitable fire resistance.

The difficulty in this case was that Arc had not previously used USG Boral products.

Nevertheless, with the assistance of USG Boral they took on the job.

Demonstrating that building compliance and fire safety must always be prioritised as key considerations during the design and construction phase, the two companies held daily meetings to ensure runs of specialised plasterboard met building code regulations for fire safety and were available in sufficient quantities. In this way, they were able to ensure that they met the project’s Christmas deadline.

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aerated concrete inner core. The Speedpanel system consists of individual panels that click together in a ‘tongue and groove’ fashion.

It is available in 78mm, 64mm and 51mm panels to suit a wide variety of acoustic and fire wall applications, including commercial ones.

Specifically, it is suitable for shafts and risers, intertenancy and corridors, car parks, plant rooms, stair walls, ceilings, and bulkheads, as well as external and facade substrate.

Importantly, Speedpanel systems are tested, certified and may provide up to a -/240/240 FRL. They remove costly structures in highrise and commercial projects and ensure that fire safety is a top priority. They have been successfully used in several noteworthy commercial projects, including Melbourne’s Eureka Tower, International Towers Sydney, Sydney’s Star City Casino, and the Sunshine Coast University Hospital in Queensland.

SUPPLIERS EBSA architectureanddesign.com.au/suppliers/ebsa-pty-ltd Promat architectureanddesign.com.au/suppliers/promat-australia CSR Bradford architectureanddesign.com.au/suppliers/bradford-insulation Matilda Veneer architectureanddesign.com.au/suppliers/matilda62

veneer Speedpanel speedpanel.com.au USG Boral architectureanddesign.com.au/suppliers/usg-boral

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PASSIVE FIRE PROTECTION

NEVER COMPROMISE ON SAFETY When it comes to protecting what really matters, you don’t compromise.

That’s why you rely on fire safety by Promat. We produce construction materials that meet the highest fire safety standards to protect generations to come. Thanks to continuous research, we develop new, lightweight materials to build fire safe spaces with zero impact on our climate.

www.promat.com

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Commercial floors getting greener

When it comes to designing commercial spaces, there is a trend towards more environmentally-friendly designs, with a homely and inviting feel as opposed to colder, traditional business-like designs.

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As these preferences continue to gain momentum, the commercial flooring industry has followed suit. The once popular lineal or graphic designs on floors are being replaced with more organic, warmer and textural designs complimented by natural finishes like timber and stone.

Signature Floor’s Commercial Product Manager Angelique Mandarano says such trends were driven by the wider biophilic design movement and a desire to create workplaces that feel more comfortable and welcoming.

“Never has creating this sense of place felt more important than in these post-Covid times.

With much of the world adapting to working productively from the comfort of the home, we believe workplaces will need to offer a warm and inviting environment to attract the workforce back,” she says.

One popular choice for Signature Floor’s commercial clients right now is their Fusion Carpet Planks. The carpet is designed with expressive, vibrant colours and three tonal neutral bases, allowing it to be customised to any brief. The designs can be mixed and matched to create a unified flow through the space or used in isolation for specific zones.

Fusion Carpet Planks can be laid in multiple tessellations delivering the ultimate tool for playing with creativity in design.

During a recent refurbishment and extension of Deakin University in Victoria, H2o Architects collaborated with Signature Floors to install new flooring across the workstation and meeting spaces. Keeping in mind that noise transmission is easier in an open plan

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workspace, the designers chose carpet planks with the aim of maintaining quieter spaces.

They selected monochrome tones from the Fusion range as the base carpet, introducing green highlights to delineate breakout and circulation zones from enclosed spaces.

Speaking about the project Vanja Joffer, Associate Architect from H2o Architects says the overall goal was to create large circular zones within the flooring, to delineate the open plan and enclosed areas.

“We also wanted a plank format as it looks more dynamic and elegant than a square tile.

The different colours in the Fusion range allowed us to achieve this. In addition, the client wanted a carpet that wouldn’t show up coffee stains, which this carpet achieved,” Joffer says.

In a recent collaboration with design studio Hot Black, Signature Floors created a custom carpet for the Gateway Business Lounge in Sydney that tapped into the trend of organic and nature-inspired patterns. The brief was based around exploring contour lines and organic rock formations of sandstone - looking at how the material can morph and change over time. The design needed to be subtle and calming with muted tonal sections while also showcasing pockets of visual excitement.

The final design showcased a combination of digital painting and collage techniques, then blended and layered these different patterns, motifs, textures to create a sprawling, nonrepeating placement style floor covering.

Interior Designer at Hot Black Despina Carpis was pleased with the outcome and her client also

loved being given the chance to look at several rendered options and choosing from them.

Commercial flooring company Interface has also seen a move towards organic patterns.

This can be seen in their Composure collection, carpets inspired by rock formations designed with flexibility in mind so that it can flow effortlessly across large spaces.

“This product has been designed to explore flows of colour in a single installation, ultimately creating a calm and tranquil space,” Interface’s Australian and New Zealand Design Studio Manager Tetchie Tregent says.

The Composure range is completely customisable and can be made to emulate an array of colours from calming neutrals to chalky pastels and poppy brights.

“We have also recently released Composure 2 which features an on-trend palette of colours in a higher weight product including a dusty eucalyptus and a striking terracotta hue,” she says.

When Interface was tasked with doing the flooring for MYOB’s Cremorne office in Victoria, the client opted for Composure throughout the project alongside Interface’s Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) Drawn Lines. In the fit-out, Composure was used to zone and define spaces throughout the office levels and cut tiles were also included to graduate from one colour to another, as well as add graphic visual interest.

“LVT Drawn Lines complements Composure in this fit-out as it’s also a design led product that features an organic pattern and also explores tonal shifts in colour,” Tregent says.

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ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN / p r a c ti c a l / APR-JUN 2021

THIS PAGE Style Timber’s Chevron Muse collection has been a popular choice for commercial clients.

Recently they supplied and installed American Walnut Chevron at the VIMG office.

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Another trend seen in commercial flooring is a big uptake on high quality and eco-friendly finishes, not for aesthetics alone but also as part of a greater movement to improve wellbeing.

Marketing Manager at Havwoods Jessica Hall explained that there is a demand for higher quality products that do not contain harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs), are sustainably certified and responsibly sourced.

“There is also a greater awareness around the benefits of incorporating natural materials such as timber into a workplace. Studies have shown a connection to nature improves mental health and reduces stress and that this cannot be replicated with imitation products such as vinyl,” she said.

She believes providing “beautiful, tactile and engaging spaces to remember” is becoming a big part of brand experience.

“High-quality finishes are key to both a stunning space and the longevity of the space,” she says.

Havwoods Italian Collection of timber flooring products are becoming sought after in the commercial sector thanks to their versatility of use. Inspired by the intricate floors of Italy, the Italian collection is made up of standard plank, chevron and herringbone patterns in a range of colours. The collection

also has sustainability credentials and is fully Forest Stewardship Council Certified, meaning that the forestry practices are done in an environmentally responsible manner.

The herringbone style flooring design that originated during the Baroque period in Europe is increasingly being chosen for high end commercial builds. The zig zag-pattern design adds depth to spaces, attracting the eye in different directions.

Luxury Australian womenswear store Mastani selected Havwoods Italian Collection of timber flooring in a herringbone pattern for their Melbourne boutique fitout.

The design brief for the 100sqm store was to create something “underpinned by qualities of strength and beauty providing a confident and layered environment to showcase the collection”. The material palette was focused on a nuanced collection of soft textural hues, with depth and weight added through timber, stone and carefully selected colour accents including a series of custom coloured ombré glass panels.

Made in Europe, Havwoods Pallido Block from the Italian Collection provided an ideal base for the layering of tonal and textural details while complementing the overall palette.

Managing Owners of the Mercure hotel in Newcastle NSW Grant and Amanda Vickery

were also drawn to Havwoods Italian Collection when it came to renovating the iconic 1970s modernist build.

Their goal was to keep the heritage of the hotel lobby, whilst infusing notes of freshness, light and warmth into the space. To achieve this the Vickery’s worked with Associate and Head of Interior Design from Webber Architects, Tanya Killen.

“The Havwoods flooring was an excellent option for us as it is all prefinished and such a straightforward tongue and groove design.

This meant installation could happen without impacting day to day business,” they say.

They chose to use both the Pallido plank and the Pallido Herringbone designs from Havwood’s Italian Collection. The timber planks were not only placed on the floor, but artfully positioned in a parquetry style upon the walls to create a welcome punch upon entry. The whole floor was laid between 10am and 3pm, over a few days without closing the doors and with minimal disruption to guests.

Commercial Manager at Style Timber Preanka Hasan has also seen a rise in the demand for chevron and herringbone patterned floors in the commercial sector.

“Chevron flooring patterns have long been associated with elegance and prestige,” she says.

ABOVE Signature Floor’s Fusion Carpet Planks at Deakin University.

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timber flooring | engineered

Mizuho Bank Sydney | Designer: Gensler | Photographer: Nicole England

Plank Floors collaborates with Australia’s leading architects and designers on a diverse range of retail, hospitality, multi-residential and commercial timber flooring projects.

We offer a curated collection of European Oak and Australian Hardwoods as well as customised solutions to suit project requirements.

Explore our range and reach out to discuss your next project at plankfloors.com.au

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SUPPLIERS Signature Floors architectureanddesign.com.au/ suppliers/signature-floors Interface architectureanddesign.com.au/ suppliers/interface-aust Havwoods architectureanddesign.com.

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Style Timber’s Chevron Muse collection has been a popular choice for commercial clients.

“With a variety of colours to select from, designers and builders get a wide range of options when selecting for their projects,” she says.

Recently they supplied and installed American Walnut Chevron at the VIMG office fit out in Dawes Point. Hasan says the multiple layers of lacquer on these floors make them harder wearing. “With a lacquer finish there are less maintenance concerns for commercial spaces,” she says.

“All our products are FSC certified so for commercial spaces that need green star rating our products can contribute to that rating also making it a more sustainable product to select,” she says.

Sustainably sourced flooring is one of the biggest trends Tasmanian Timber has seen in recent times. Customers are seeking out timber flooring products that are sourced from sustainable and renewable resources with no compromises on design and durability.

Engineered Timber Flooring is becoming increasingly popular in the commercial sector, as it is quick and easy to lay, durable and requires no sanding and finishing.

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Neville Smith Forest Products has a range of popular Tasmanian Timber flooring products, including Woodsmith Engineered Flooring, handcrafted from the finest regrowth hardwood Tasmanian Oak. The straight, consistent grain and 165mm flooring profile creates a sense of expansiveness and organic flow and quarter sawing ensures a smooth, uninterrupted visual continuity. The layered construction is stable, flexible, resistant to warping and shrinkage and suitable for commercial applications.

This was the flooring of choice for Sydneybased architecture firm, Fitzpatrick + Partners when designing their new Sydney CBD office last year. “It was very important that the studio expressed what we are. It didn’t need to be a show pony. The detail was very important, and we really questioned: ‘what is an office or a work environment for today?”, partner James Fitzpatrick asks.

Fitzpatrick says he selected Tasmanian Oak engineered flooring throughout the 700sqm space because the innovative material not only looked great but was also easy to install and was a sustainable choice. “It’s fantastic for an office environment in that it gave us great speed of

delivery. The planks arrived, they were laid, they were pre-finished, so we didn’t have to worry about sanding floors and leaving clear zones. One of the beauties to us was that it’s a matte finish.

It immediately gives you that feeling of a studio.

People actually now come in and visit and say, ‘wow, look at that timber floor’,” he says.

Fitzpatrick + Partners is on the path towards becoming carbon neutral, so the selection of materials was really important to them, both for the physicality of the material and what it offers in terms of carbon neutrality, and also what it says to their clients. “It’s a fantastic product. The concept of being able to use a solid timber on a backing board, is an efficient use of timber. We’re not wasting a valuable resource,” Fitzpatrick says.

“It’s incredible that we can still access these solid timber profiles for our projects, knowing they are appropriately sourced and certified as being from renewable, managed forests,” he says.

Commercial flooring design has come a long way, as clients continue to lift the bar on what they want. Durability is no longer the only thing to consider, as people look for sustainable products that can give their space a sense of style and warmth.

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APR-JUN 2021 / practical / ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

Lighting & energy management – the best & the brightest WORDS MATT MCDONALD

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OPPOSITE Jean Philippe Delberghe. PAGE 72 Mikhail Derecha. PAGE 73 Hang Niu. All via Unsplash.com

The industry applications of LED and digital display technology are many. They range from airports, racetracks, and educational facilities

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CORPORATE INITIATIVES - SERVICES FOR DIGITAL DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY

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The Positouch lighting control system is designed and manufactured by Digilin, a Brisbane-based maker of innovative lighting and control products known for their performance, reliability, and efficiency.

Intuitive and user-friendly, Positouch ensures the lighting within commercial buildings is flexible. It can be programmed by each occupant, on a space-by-space basis, to suit specific lighting requirements. For example, some tenants may

to reception areas, shopping centres, stadiums, and civic theatres.

The displays themselves (what you and I see and interact with when visiting such places) cannot be classified as products. Rather they are nearly always combinations of products (LED matrix screens, LED lighting, etc.), as well as the skill and expertise necessary to put them to use and have them function as planned.

Whether the application in question involves a digital artwork display, the manipulation of light for wellness purposes, sensor activated interactivity, or touch interactivity, the functioning of this sophisticated technology requires control and specialist programming skills.

Digital displays require the services of an organisation like Corporate Initiatives.

Equipped to provide the right combination of skill and support for each individual project (and the corresponding hardware associated with that project), the company takes a brand agnostic approach to its work.

As such, it counts some of the most technically demanding LED displays in Australia – including the MCG/Etihad perimeter/parapet LED, the seethrough Emporium media façade, the giant Yagan Square LED Cylinder, the Northbridge Outdoor Cinema, and Telstra’s Crystal LED Melbourne theatre – amongst its successful projects.

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DIGILIN - THE POSITOUCH LIGHTING CONTROL SYSTEM

choose ambient lighting from 7am-7pm, while others may be more specific, and specify how different areas on their floor are illuminated at any given time throughout the day.

Using Positouch, they can put unused areas onto pre-set low light modes, dim each area individually, or turn their lights off completely - all from one control panel. The presence of this single, easy-to-use interface is important. It means users are more likely to take advantage of this functionality; and therefore, to reduce unneeded lighting and save power.

Unlike most other lighting control systems, the Positouch does not require third-party programming or specialty knowledge. It can either be pre-programmed by Digilin before being sent to site for ‘plug and play’ installation, or user configured via USB connection and simple software. Each of its six buttons is capable of initiating DALI commands through long-press, short press, and tap-and-release inputs.

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Across all types of commercial settings – from retail outlets, hospitality centres, and sports facilities to community buildings, medical structures, churches, and educational institutions – the demand to reduce energy consumption and cut carbon emissions is a constant.

Though this efficiency imperative can be challenging, the good news for architects and designers is that the technology at their disposal is up to the task. There is an everincreasing number of solar, battery, lighting, power control and other green energy management options available to help them.

Here is a rundown of the key suppliers in this space and their latest offerings.

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

Sustainable and energy efficient technologies are now part and parcel of commercial building design. With this in mind, we examine the latest lighting and energy management options for commercial buildings.

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Within office settings there is a new emphasis on maximising the use of natural light and, in so doing, reducing the need for artificial lighting and its associated costs.

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SKYDOME – DAYRAY Within office settings there is a new emphasis on maximising the use of natural light and, in so doing, reducing the need for artificial lighting and its associated costs. Though this can be achieved in several ways, in some offices (or spaces within offices) not even conventional skylights or tubes are able to provide adequate light.

In such cases, Hybrid Solar Lighting Devices (HSLD) is sometimes a solution. An example is Skydome’s Dayray, which uses solar energy harvested via solar panels on the roof to power daylight simulator LED arrays on the office ceiling.

Incorporating a German-designed monocrystalline solar panel (the Skypanel Evolution 2 Solar Panel) and a state-of-the-art LED Vividday luminaire, Skydome distributes light evenly around the room. The luminaire is a compact, recessed fitting that delivers more than 2300 lumens. (This compares to a typical 100-watt incandescent bulb, which delivers about 1600 lumens).

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An easy-to-install, plug and play device, Dayray can be fitted to all types of roofs. The luminaires are available in round or square designs and rather than providing an obviously artificial light, they actually mimic the functioning of skylights. For example, the light fluctuates as clouds pass above. They can be installed without structural alterations and they operate without any heat loss/gain. Therefore, they reduce heat load on the building.

AGLO SYSTEMS - MONDOLUX MONS-C TRUNKING SYSTEM Given that they use up to 90 percent less energy than traditional light globes for the same light output, LED lights represent an environmentally sound investment for a range of commercial applications.

LED linear trunking systems, which include continuous rows of LED modules, are particularly suitable for applications like retail aisles. They deliver sleek, modern line of continuous, energy efficient illumination.

The Mondolux Mons-C Trunking System, available from Aglo Systems, is an all-in-one system that offers five, seven, or 11 wires with a phase selection trunking rail, interchangeable LED module, and lens optic supplied together.

Whether surface mounted or suspended, it is easily installed, versatile and enables a threecircuit track to be integrated to mount spotlights.

Compared to fluorescent battens positioned end-to-end, this trunking system is compact and delivers a uniform and continuous illumination.

The fact that each section interlinks to the next seamlessly makes this possible.

The use of the Mondolux Mons-C Trunking System at the IGA store in Georges Hall, NSW highlights its suitability for retail applications.

As the retail chain’s flagship store, it already had high quality lighting installed. However, its owner (Metcash) wanted to explore the latest technology available. Aglo proposed the Mondolux Mons-C LED trunking system.

To conduct the trial, and to provide a distinct comparison to the traditional 5000K T5 fluorescent luminaires in adjacent aisles, the

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LED trunking in 4000K was installed in one aisle only. The result was noticeably different, and as a result, Metcash decided to use the site as an example of best practice. It is used to show potential franchisees how to best handle their lighting needs.

TREND LIGHTING – THE XSR RANGE More and more commercial sites are moving away from traditional T-Bar ceilings. With its industrial appearance, exposed concrete with is becoming both a style choice and a cost saving measure.

This can have implications in terms of lighting. The versatility of Trend Lighting’s

XSR range is that lighting quality and style can be consistent regardless of ceiling type or mounting height. The range provides architects and designers the versatility they require to design usable commercial spaces that feel larger, and at the same cut costs.

Designed and developed in Australia to meet the requirements of modern commercial applications, the XSR range combines quality, performance and value in a versatile product that can be configured to suit a range of applications.

Fashion retailer Institchu bridges the gap between old world tailoring traditions and the modern digital retail landscape. Their 2020 revamp of their head office in Sydney’s CBD saw them use a mix of XSR luminaires.

Institchu staff are constantly working with textiles where colour and consistency matters, so ensuring a high quality of light was of utmost importance. Being able to colour-check a Grimsby Navy Pinstripe or a Barbados Light Purple is made even easier under a high CRI luminaire.

For this reason, Trend lighting recommended the XSR range, which has a great colour rendering of 90+ CRI. Available in surface mounted or suspended options, the XSR range was used in both configurations throughout the Institchu meeting rooms and offices. The result was an unqualified success. The lights chosen are designed to be stylish and to blend well within the office, while providing a good environment for the team to view fabrics and sample products.

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SUPPLIERS Digilin digilin.com.au Corporate Initiatives .architectureanddesign.com.au/suppliers/corporate-initiatives Skydome skydome.com.au Aglo Systems aglosystems.com.au Trend Lighting atrendlighting.com.au

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Specifying automatic windows for health, safety and sustainability.

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The Case for Window Automation The National Construction Code requires buildings to be energy efficient by sealing the building envelope against air leakage while utilising air movement to assist passive cooling.

Window automation allows this transition to occur seamlessly by increasing natural air flow whenever and wherever possible, improving energy performance by enabling natural cooling of a building during warmer months.

With a considered design, window automation can further enable a dynamic natural ventilation system with passive or mixed mode ventilation, automatic space cooling, and other advanced functions. Effective natural ventilation improves indoor air quality by cycling out stale air and pollutants, contributing to elevated levels of occupant health, wellbeing and productivity.

Design Considerations Window automation systems work best when each component works together to deliver optimum performance and functionality.

• Actuator, cabling and controls. When selecting actuators, consider fitness for

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purpose, wind load and noise requirements, and size. Effective design utilising digital technology can reduce cabling costs. Control solutions are available that can switch between automatic, time-controlled, and manual opening and closing.

• Internal and external sensors. Air quality sensors monitor CO2, humidity and temperature and can be specified to enable the automatic regulation of ventilation.

Integration with a building’s smoke sensors and relief system can also be a requirement for commercial and public buildings.

• Integration. Window automation can integrate with building management systems, security systems, mechanical cooling and heating systems, and ventilation systems.

• Minimising safety risks. If not specified correctly, automatic windows can pose a crushing risk. A site-specific risk assessment should be performed during planning to assess and implement safeguards (such as by specifying drives with anti-pinch mechanisms).

Engineered for Safety: EBSA and D+H MECHATRONIC As Australia’s leading manufacturer and supplier of window automation and louvre installations, EBSA are proud to offer D+H Mechatronic’s range of window automation products, including control panels, sensors and drives. Preferred for their quality, D+H products have been designed, produced and tested by D+H Mechatronic to the highest performance and safety standards.

Selecting from the D+H range of window automation products with the guidance of EBSA’s expert consultants, clients can design efficient mixed ventilation solutions and smoke and heat ventilation systems that meet all performance and safety requirements.

DOWNLOAD THE WHITEPAPER bit.ly/EBSA_21Q2

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When size is everything Bigger is better right now when it comes to windows and doors and in the commercial sector, according to National Marketing and Business Development Manager at Australian Glass Group, Michael Ward.

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Ward says this is not only for those inside to appreciate the views outside, but also for those passing by to see the “engineering feats and activity within”.

It may sound simple enough to execute, but Ward points out that these larger windows and doors can cause issues with meeting the strict new minimum energy efficiency requirements in the revised National Construction Code (NCC).

“This translates to lower Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) and lower U-Values in the glazing,” he says.

“Overlay this to the trend of larger glazing and you see a conflict that can only be satisfied by either conceding and reducing your window-towall ratio or using higher performing glazing.”

If you select higher performing glazing, Ward notes it is important to make sure you don’t forget about the comfort and wellbeing of those working in these commercial buildings.

“You can tick the boxes of a very low SHGC with a dark grey glass, however your building is now black with 6% visible light coming in,” he said.

The trend in glass therefore is high performance but maintaining neutrality in aesthetics and high visible light. To solve this Australian Glass Group has developed Insulglass LowE Max, one of the highest performing triple silver soft coat low-e’s in the world market.

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Glass Selectivity is an index that reports the relationship between visible light transmission and solar heat gain, it is measured as an index (S = Vt/g) with a high selectivity more preferable in modern building design.

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“It is stocked and made into double glazed units right here in Australia – NSW, Victoria and Tasmania,” he explained.

The product has very low SHGC, very low U-values and yet 66 percent visible light transmission with a neutral look.

“Excellent colour renditions for looking through the glass, so the blue sky still looks blue, and the green grass is still green,” Ward says.

“95 percent UV blockage to help protect your furniture, timber floors, carpets and artwork from fading,” he says.

The product is available in both 6mm and 8mm thick to be able to maximise window sizes without compromising performance.

It also virtually eliminates the possibility for condensation to form on the inside of the glass.

When speaking to Viridian glass, very similar challenges were echoed about adhering to the new NCC guidelines while trying to meet commercial client’s desires to have large windows that let plenty of natural light in.

“The challenge is striking the right balance between natural daylight and thermal performance of the building envelope,” Marketing Communications Specialist for Viridian Glass Nicole Saccaro says.

“Spectrally selective low e double glazing products are the game changer here,” she says.

“And we need to start moving the needle to specify these products here in Australia on a larger scale for better performing sustainable buildings”.

To assist in identifying the best glass options, Viridian has adopted a new term called Selectivity. Glass Selectivity is an index that reports the relationship between visible light transmission and solar heat gain, it is measured as an index (S = Vt/g) with a high selectivity more preferable in modern building design.

High selective glasses, generally above 1.8, offer exceptional performance.

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Viridian has three key spectrally selective low double glazing products available to support designers to meet these new challenges in glazing specification. The first is LightBridge next which takes the current LightBridge product and offers next generation benefits. It contains improved thermal edge performance due to its non-conductive spacer. This spacer minimises energy loss and there is also a greater reduction in the potential for condensation to form at the edge. LightBridge next also contains a specially formulated glass to dampen noise, providing enhanced sound insulation performance. Secondly, there is PerformaTech, which balances high levels of light transmission with very low levels of solar heat gain to provide a brighter and more comfortable space.

The range uses a high-performance coating that restricts UV and infrared radiation from passing through but importantly provides exceptional levels of natural appearance in.

Lastly, Viridian’s ClimaTech is a limited range of clear or toned double-glazed units for applications which require a better performing window glass. ClimaTech uses two pieces of glass, one coated with a spectrally controlled low e coating and the other an ordinary clear or toned glass.

“These product solutions allow designers and specifiers to strike a perfect balance for commercial and multi-use buildings,” Saccaro says.

Viridian’s PerformaTech glass was folded, origami style into towering walls of transparency and reflection on the new Geelong Library and Heritage Centre. Viridian’s PerformaTech glass was chosen for the $45 million project by ARM Architecture thanks to its high lustre, crisp light transmission, solar control and thermal insulation.

Whilst designing the unique sphere-shaped landmark building, ARM architect, Wayne Sanderson engaged Viridian to help calculate how much glass to include, the amount of the facade that is vision glazing and how it should be treated. “The technical input from Viridian is vital and their level of expertise and service is a contributing factor as to why we bring them on board,” he says.

He says the extent of glazing and its performance was vital to the build, going on to explain that the zigzag form of the glazing was a conscious decision to assist with the environmental performance.

“By rotating the glazing away from the west, it faces the north-west and south west, the glazing system is more efficient,” he says.

Director of EBSA David Auret also highlighted the impact that the NCC changes have had on his client’s choices.

“The changes to the code have definitely impacted the use of single glazing in commercial projects and this has been very evident by the increased demand for thermally broken double glazed louvre systems,” he says.

“Even though EBSA has offered these systems since 2012, it is only in the last few years that the need to achieve excellent thermal performance has driven mainstream interest in highperformance double-glazed louvres,” he says.

One popular choice for his clients is the thermally broken framed double-glazed louvre SLS BT90. It is certified to AS2047 at a width of 1740mm wide making it able to span substantially wider openings than conventional glass louvre systems. “The stand-out features of this product is that it is fully compliant for use in air-conditioned buildings passing both the positive and negative air leakage tests and it achieves U values below 2.5 because of its superior thermally broken frame design,” he says.

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ABOVE Photo by Joshua Davies (left), photo by Drahomir Posteby Mach (right).

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Alspec’s Hawkesbury Commercial MultiFold Doors and Swan Evo 45mm Double Glazed Commercial Doors are also options for achieving universal access.

Both these doors can be seen in action at Rydges Gold Coast Airport in Queensland where easy access was needed for the ground floor outdoor amenities. The multi-fold doors operate smoothly using tyred floor guides along concealed channels. This enables a wide opening to connect the poolside area to the adjacent restaurant and bar, creating an indooroutdoor relaxing leisure space. The Swan Evo doors, used where hinged or pivoted doors were required, offer centre pocket glazing and hard-wearing componentry, making them ideal for the hotel and hospitality environments from both security and durability perspectives.

Commercial window and door design has changed a lot in the past year thanks to the increased stringency of the energy efficiency requirements laid out in the National Construction Code. This coupled with a trend towards large windows and doors mean highthermal performing -products have never been so important to the market. When it comes to doors, more consideration is also being taken about universal access, which slots in nicely with the trend for seamlessly flowing indoor outdoor spaces.

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providing a significantly more pleasing aesthetic than other systems,” EBSA concluded.

Another increasing request from commercial clients searching for the right windows and doors for their build is the need for level access thresholds.

This was pointed out by National Specification Manager at Alspec Ross Baynham who says, “whilst we are finding that many buildings are being built with universal access in mind, allowing wheelchair access, we also believe there is an aesthetic appeal as well”.

Alspec has a number of products that provide a level access threshold into a building with their most popular product in this category the ProGlide High Performance Sliding Door. Some of the benefits of the door include the fact it can have door panels up to 3150mm high and 2250mm wide, it can provide up to 700 pascals for water penetration and it has the option for an AS1428.1 compliant sill in the ProGlide UltraFlat option.

The ProGlide High Performance Sliding Door was chosen by the designers of premium retirement living complex Anglicare Woolooware Shores in Taren Point, NSW. The ProGlide Sliding Doors were chosen with the flush sill option, allowing a smooth transition from indoor to outdoor areas to assist residents of all mobility levels. To provide secure and protected access to balconies and courtyards, Alspec’s custom Aluminium extrusion abilities came to the fore, creating the new sliding door and flyscreen combination. A custom extrusion is a cost-effective way to create complex cross sections to suit specific uses which are then easily assembled with other building components. The flyscreen framing was incorporated into a single frame directly alongside the ProGlide High Performance sliding door.

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

The system is not limited to double glazing and in fact with triple glazing it is possible to achieve acoustic values as high as RW42 and even lower U values.

Another top offering is the MP2 Louvres which David believes set the benchmark for louvre systems worldwide.

“Tested to AS2047 it achieves resistance to water ratings as high as 1000 pascals and performs as well as some fixed glazing systems in terms of air leakage. In one test it actually recorded no air leakage at 75 pascals,” he says.

“It is available in both a framed or, a semi frameless version. MP2 is used where facade performance is critical”.

EBSA supplied and installed an MP2 fully framed, double glazed louvre system and CPS-M control panel at Barrack Place, an A-Grade office building in Sydney CBD. Barrack Place was recently named as a Property Council of Australia 2020 Innovation & Excellence Awards Finalist in the ‘Best Office Development’ and the ‘Best Sustainable Development – New Buildings’ categories. It is also the first building in Australia to receive a WELL Certificate Platinum rating from the International WELL Building Institute.

Additionally, the office building has also achieved a Green Star Office Design V3 Certification from the Green Building Council of Australia.

EBSA said they were thrilled to be involved with the “outstanding project” which achieved functionality for both smoke and natural ventilation.

“The SLS BT90 and MP2 double glazed systems simply outperform any single glazed louvre in terms of thermal and acoustic performance, they are also able to span significantly wider than traditional glass louvre systems,” EBSA says.

“Both products allow for very large format louvre blades with heights of around 450mm

SUPPLIERS Australian Glass Group architectureanddesign.com.au/suppliers/australianglass-group Viridian architectureanddesign.com.au/ suppliers/viridian EBSA architectureanddesign.com.au/ suppliers/ebsa-pty-ltd Alspec architectureanddesign. com.au/suppliers/alspec

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Thermal performance, efficiency and compliance: The benefits of thermally broken aluminium framing.

Excess heat loss or gain can occur through a standard aluminium window or door frame through “thermal bridging”, the effect where a component of an object has higher thermal conductivity than the surrounding materials, creating a path of least resistance for heat transfer.

The updated Section J in the National Construction Code 2019 recognises that thermal bridges reduce a building’s overall thermal performance. The solution: thermal breaks.

What is a Thermal Break?

A thermal break is a material of low thermal conductivity fixed between two conductive materials to prevent heat transfer between them. “Thermally broken” refers to window or door frames with a reinforced polyamide strip fixed between the inside and outside aluminium profiles to create an insulated barrier within the frame.

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Benefits of Thermally Broken Windows • Reduces energy consumption. Thermally broken frames provide better insulation, reducing the dependence on mechanical heating and cooling.

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• Reduces risk of condensation. The polyamide strip acts as a thermal barrier preventing the formation of condensation on the frame’s surface.

• Improves indoor comfort. Enhanced thermal performance and reduced condensation contribute to comfortable indoor temperatures and improved indoor air quality.

Compliance with Section J Under the new Section J, the whole wallglazing construction is calculated as a TotalSystem U-Value, using area weighted averages for individual components (windows, doors and walls). A minimum backstop R-Value is required for spandrel sections, which encourages the use of thermally broken frames.

The Total System U-Value is greatly diminished by using inefficient components.

Lower performing components may reduce the allowable Window-to-Wall Ratio of the building, while still meeting the U-Value requirements. Thermally broken frames improve thermal efficiency by up to 35% (over non-thermally broken systems), allowing you to increase the Window-to-Wall Ratio of your building.

Alspec’s® ThermAFrame® From Alspec, the leader in architectural aluminium systems, ThermAFrame is an energy efficient window framing system that utilises the latest European Polyamide Thermal Break technology combined with Australian design principles to achieve the best possible results in energy rating in a system that is easy to fabricate and install.

ThermAFrame has been designed to accommodate high performance double glazed units that can maximise the performance of the building envelope. This versatility enables designers to achieve challenging structural and energy requirements, with excellent U-Values as low as 1.7 for some models.

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Konayuki, Falls Creek VIC - Perna Developments

Reduce Building Energy Usage Alspec’s ThermAFrame thermally broken window and door systems are an energy efficient option that utilises the latest in European Polyamide Thermal Break technology with Australian design principles.

Benefits of Alspec’s ThermAFrame • • • •

Excellent ‘Uw’ values - as low as 1.7 Wide 32mm glazing pocket to suit many DGU’s Integrated screening options available Bushfire suitable up to BAL – 40

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Call 1300 ALSPEC (1300 257 732) or visit our website to learn more about Thermaframe.

24/3/21 2:09 pm

Talking Architecture & Design

Launched in 2017 as part of the Architecture & Design publishing and news network, Talking Architecture & Design podcast interviews industry leaders, innovators, personalities and a range of industry movers and shakers. With no subject that is off-limits, we talk to those that not only make change happen, but also those that turn that change into industry norms and trends. In this issue we are featuring our Commercial podcast series, proudly partnered by Alspec.

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Commercial Series: The rising pace and dramatic change in this sector of the built industry is leading to challenges in both how commercial structures are designed and also how they are maintained and refurbished in order to meet current safety standards and environmental guidelines.

EPISODE 67: MICHAEL TEYS (LEFT) AND CRAIG PENTON (RIGHT) TALK ABOUT BUILDING SAFETY ISSUES AS WELL AS THE FUTURE OF CLADDING AND WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH CLADDING RECTIFICATION Michael Teys is a strata industry consultant with more than 30 years’ experience in strata law and management. He is a strata research academic with City Futures Research Centre at the University of NSW where he holds an Australian Research Council grant to study the impact of large-scale strata on our cities.

Craig Penton is the General Manager of Aluminium Facade Systems a division of Alspec. He has worked in the construction industry for 15 years, 6 of which in facades. His experience has brought great success in the facade industry with their Premium ProClad Suite of products on a range of major commercial and multi-res projects.

In this podcast, Michael and Craig explain in detail how the issue of cladding has become so convoluted and complex, while at the same time, providing an insight into just how far we need to go to ensure that all the buildings that still use cladding are once again safe to occupy. bit.ly/TAD_E067

EPISODE 65: VEENA SAHAJWALLA (RIGHT) FROM UNSW & DIANA SARCASMO (LEFT) FROM MIRVAC EXPLAIN HOW BUILDING NEW APARTMENTS FROM WASTE IS THE NEXT BIG THING Unveiled recently at the Sydney Olympic Park, Mirvac’s industry-first apartment made using waste materials has the potential to revolutionise home construction, sustainably reduce waste in the building industry as well as transform waste into a valuable resource. As a collaboration between Mirvac and the UNSW Centre of Sustainable Materials Research and Technology (SMaRT), we talk to Professor Veena Sahajwalla and Mirvac’s General Manager Design, Marketing & Sales, Diana Sarcasmo on how building from waste is set to revolutionise Australia’s apartment building industry. bit.ly/TAD_E065

Proudly sponsored by

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EPISODE 62: Dr. Steve Cummings from Caroma talks about the importance of designing for dignity in aged-care EPISODE 48: How COVID-19 has changed the built industry, why moving to green buildings now makes sense and should building products be manufactured onshore

Since graduating from the University of Melbourne, Tisha Lee has accumulated over twenty years of experience working on significant educational, residential, and civic precincts.

Before joining K2LD in 2007, Tisha was previously a Senior Associate with HASSELL where she was responsible for the management of a dedicated team working on educational and community projects for both the State Government and the Private sector.

Tisha says that design, as well as designers, are changing and adapting and even thriving to the new normal reality that is the way we live, work, and play. bit.ly/TAD_060

EPISODE 54: Architect, lecturer, author and councillor Professor Philip Thalis talks about the design of Sydney, where it’s gone wrong & what we can do about it

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Alexander Symes Architects was founded in 2014 with a mission to advance sustainable architecture. The world’s climate is changing and as Alex notes, he believes that architecture must lead the way in changing how we utilise resources to contribute to a sustainable future.

As a multi-award winning designer, Alex’s vision for sustainable architecture is layered through all aspects of our practice and through all the stages of a project. This starts with the examination of a project brief to ensure the grounding principles of a project support a sustainable way of life. As the project takes shape, Alex says he deploys his depth of technical expertise to realise the project to its full potential.

EPISODE 60: K2LD DIRECTOR TISHA LEE EXPLAINS HOW THE DESIGN WORLD IS ADAPTING TO OUR NEW NORMAL

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EPISODE 64: ALEXANDER SYMES DESCRIBES HOW A PRACTICAL AND POETIC UNDERSTANDING OF CRAFTING A BUILDING IS CRUCIAL

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EPISODE 52: Koichi Takada talks about sustainable design and how COVID-19 has forever changed how we work, live and design our buildings

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EPISODE 1: Talking with Robin Mellon, CEO of Australia’s Supply Chain Sustainability School

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Visit podcast.architectureandesign.com.au for the full list of podcast episodes or search for us on your usual podcast platforms.

If you would like to be interviewed on Talking Architecture & Design, send an email to podcast@architectureanddesign.com.au

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Future focus: Alspec’s 47 year innovation journey From humble beginnings in a shed in Western Sydney, to having multiple branches, warehouses and testing facilities across Australia and a staff of nearly 600, Alspec is a true Australian success story which has adapted over the years and is now stronger than ever.

National Business Development and Special Projects Manager Richard Harrison has seen the aluminium system supplier diversify their offering in order to stay at the top of their game.

“We saw a lot of offshore pressure within the local market. A lot of builders in high rise projects particularly were going direct to China for products, and we just couldn’t compete,” says Richard. “So we decided we needed to be a one stop shop and offer the complete package. Not just aluminium extrusion, but the hardware to go with it. Then we invested heavily in an R&D testing facility here in Queensland, and we have 10 to 12 fully trained specification managers around the country who are dealing directly with architects and get Alspec systems specified into the market.”

The strategy paid dividends - Alspec now offers a diversified range of products from security doors to shower screens, and

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continues to prioritise product innovation.

“We don’t want to just stay with the status quo of what’s happening today. We want to create a future where our products are in every space.

And to that end we’ve created architectural systems and high end residential window and commercial systems, sliding doors, stackers and bifold doors for dining rooms, front and back doors, security systems with three point locking systems, front and back, wardrobes and shower screens. We design something and then we reevaluate it in six months time, or 12 months time. We just don’t stand still.”

Alspec is also investing in technology and bringing innovative new services to its customers. “We introduced an intelligent quoting system called Alspec AIQ which is an estimation software solution that allows customers to punch in numbers, and actually visualise what they want to build,” explains Richard. “It connects to our warehouse, it sends out quotes to customers, it sends purchase orders to us - it’s an incredibly valuable tool for our customers.”

But despite this frenetic pace of innovation and development, Alspec continues to find time

to prioritise sustainability, refining its processes and reducing its environmental impact. “We’re really looking at waste differently,” says Richard. “We separate all our waste - from plastics, to extrusion, to timber, to any rubbers - and dispose of it all appropriately. We’ve installed movement-activated LEDs across our facilities to ensure we’re minimising energy wastage, and we work closely with our vendors and suppliers - as well as our own teams - to ensure our packaging methods are the most economical they can be.”

The company is clearly driven by passion and remains firmly future focused, opting for a strategy of constant renewal rather than trying to shape the market to its will. “The markets are constantly changing,” says Richard. “And it’s a massive challenge for us to keep delivering in line with those changing expectations. We don’t want to just stay with the status quo of what’s happening today. We’re all one big family, and that’s the greatest thing about us, is that we believe in what we do.”

LISTEN TO PODCAST EPISODE 68 bit.ly/TAD_E068

13/5/21 10:14 am

We are the aluminium systems specialist

Taronga Zoo Wildlife Retreat, Sydney NSW | Fabricator: Hi-Tec Windows | Builder: Taylor Construction | Architect: COX Architecture Alspec Products used: ProGlide® High Performance Sliding Door | Hunter Evo 150mm Double Flush Glazed Framing | Dualair®

1300 ALSPEC (1300 257 732) alspec.com.au

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With hundreds of educational resources free for you to download, and the very latest industry news, products and projects happening in Australia now, architectureanddesign.com.au is a trusted resource for the architecture and design professional.

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Product Directory

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CREATING A UNIQUE CONNECTION WITH THE ELEMENTS OF NATURE Chosen by leading award-winning architects for its versatility, stability, strength and visual aesthetics, Big River Armourpanel decorative plywood offers simplicity, warmth and texture to create intimate and inviting environments that are uniquely Australian.

Combining the natural characteristics of native timbers with the rugged durability of a precision-engineered structural product, Armourpanel, is particularly desirable for residential and creative commercial fit outs requiring character, a high level of craftsmanship, with a distinctly natural appeal.

Manufactured using local, sustainable timbers, and offering rich combinations of appearance and performance that exude personality to create immersive functional spaces and signature aesthetics, Armourpanel can transform any interior landscape. Every Armourpanel sheet offers an individual look, with the species’ unique grain structures being preserved so no two sheets look alike.

With its distinctive features, Armourpanel has become a go-to choice for architects, builders and homeowners looking for a superior product.

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As one of Australia’s strongest plywoods, Armourpanel has a unique construction method that sees each of its layers of Australian hardwood sheets bonded together in a cross-ply manufacturing process to form a strong, solid, stable decorative panel. Its tolerance to changes in ambient temperatures, and the durability and resilience of the hardwood veneers make them ideal for use in flooring, wall panelling, screening, joinery and ceiling linings.

Armourpanel’s face veneer panels are available in a range of native species including Blackbutt, Flooded Gum, Spotted Gum and Sydney Blue Gum.

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Enquiries: 1300 881 958 architectural.bigrivergroup.com.au

The new Monash University Chancellery building by ARM Architecture features two central elliptical voids surrounded by stepped plywood balustrades. These balustrades draw the eye up to a spectacular Margaret Preston artwork on the ceiling.

TGA Engineers specified Ecoply® plywood for efficiency and cost effectiveness for the balustrades. In all, there were 80 pieces and over 5kms of plywood used. Every piece of the balustrade is different. Each section was CNC milled from plywood sheets laminated together to 130mm thickness into curved shapes that were glued and screwed together into 2.4m long sections. These weighed up to two and a half tonne each.

The Chancellery has been built with net zero carbon emissions and was designed to Passivhaus principles. Green credits were an important aspect of the specification process. Ecoply® is manufactured by Carter Holt Harvey from FSC® certified, sustainably grown Plantation Radiata Pine. The production and supply from the Myrtleford mill in Victoria also meant fewer carbon kilometres compared to imported products.

IMAGE Stepped plywood balustrades in Monash Chancellery.

Photography by Rhiannon Slatter.

Enquiries: 1800 338 463 ecoply.com.au

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ARTISAN FOLDING DOOR BY CAPRAL ALUMINIUM The Artisan Folding Door incorporates a technologically advanced folding door system that surpasses that of ordinary folding doors on the market. It moves and feels like no other, because it’s made like no other. At the heart of it all – Effortless Motion Technology (EMT), Capral’s AGS ‘Smart Hinge’ and ‘Easy Gliding’ Channel.

This product combines aluminium with high-quality 316 marine grade stainless steel components. The integrated folding door system has excellent weather tightness, security, environmental and structural performance. Additional functionality also incorporated includes internal and external 90° corners.

Features and benefits: • Heavy-duty roller, capable of taking 100kg load per panel • AGS ‘Smart Hinge’ using 316 marine grade stainless steel • AGS ‘Smart Groove’ technology for superior fabrication • AGS multi-point locking system n Sill options including channel, flat and high performance • AGS ‘Easy Gliding’ Channel n Slim operating handle with adjustable positioning height • Lockable twin bolt mechanisms for additional security • Single- and double-glazing options available • Designed & tested to comply with Australian Standard AS2047 Enquiries: 1800 258 646 capral.com.au architectureanddesign.com.au

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CA2606

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

• Up to 4-point locking system allowing dual side entry

Mitsubishi ALPOLIC™ NC is suitable for use wherever noncombustible materials are required and has a unique coating technology that has been proven in Australian conditions for over 30 years.

APR-JUN 2021

Scientifically proven to be the safest aluminium façade product in real life fire tests around the world. It is fully compliant and backed by a 20-year full replacement warranty from the globallytrusted manufacturer, Mitsubishi.

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Mitsubishi ALPOLIC™ NC (Non-Combustible) was introduced solely for the Australian construction market and has the best possible safety rating with the Insurance Council of Australia.

Products

MITSUBISHI ALPOLIC™ NC (NON-COMBUSTIBLE) ALUMINIUM CLADDING

Enquiries: 13 71 75 networkarchitectural.com.au NA1128

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NATURAL FROM WEATHERTEX

The Solaire™ range of self-mating louvre fins has been developed to provide both Architects and Fabricators a flexible, yet simple solution to external solar control requirements that seamlessly integrate with Australia’s unique architectural landscape. By utilising a range of selfmating clip together blades and accessories. Alspec’s design offers a robust solution that offers our customers an economical and flexible fabrication option. With countless configurable sizes and aesthetic possibilities, the Solaire™ range is the perfect solution for your next residential or commercial project.

The Weathertex Natural range provides the look of organically textural timber showing all the knots, cracks and grooves. It can be installed without staining, oiling or coating, leaving the product to ‘silver off’ and lighten over time.

Enquiries: 1300 257 732 alspec.com.au/solaire-fixed-louvre

Enquiries: 1800 040 080 weathertex.com.au

AL2759

architectureanddesign.com.au

This completely eliminates the contribution of embodied energy, greenhouse gas emissions, health and ecotoxicity impacts associated with the production of coating products and results in a significant positive effect on the overall life cycle impact of construction.

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ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

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Products

SOLAIRE™ FIXED LOUVRE

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AUTOFLO PILLAR STYLE “TOUCH FREE” SENSOR TAPS

LOUVRETEC OPENING ROOFS: CREATING OUTDOOR ROOMS

Autoflo’s range of pillar style sensor taps are the perfect choice when selecting “touch free” tapware, combining classic shapes and lines with sophisticated technology. Nowadays, a must for commercial environments.

Multiple options are available to satisfy the installation requirements. WELS 5 and 6 star’ options, with flow rates ranging from 3 to 6L/min will cover a wide range of situations, from high traffic areas like retail, to specialised areas, such as medical facilities. The Autoflo Pillar Range comes standard in chrome and matte black, however using custom colours, such as brushed gold (pictured), creates a striking feature in any installation.

One of the most requested additions in residential architecture is the creation of a functional, outdoor living area.

Enquiries: 03 9380 8244 autoflo.com.au

Enquiries: 1300 695 688 louvretec.com.au

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Constructed of high-quality aluminium, Louvretec’s Opening Roof range is fully customised to match any architectural style, wind zone and your precise design requirements. Opening Roofs bring functionality, quality, aesthetic and lifestyle letting afternoons transition seamlessly into long evenings. A Louvretec Opening Roof will provide a deck area with welcomed operable shade protection and atmosphere.

LA0805

architectureanddesign.com.au

3/5/21 8:51 am

GROUNDED & DOWN-TOEARTH: RAW ELEMENTS

APC SHELVING: VERSATILE SHELVING SOLUTIONS

Textured, flexible, colour-rich and hardwearing – Signature Floors’ latest commercial carpet tile collection Raw Elements makes an impression with a colour palette reminiscent of the infinite treasures in the earth’s crust.

Available in two textured ranges – Bedrock & Gemstone – the flooring collection brings together dark, moody and muted tones juxtaposed with dazzling, jewelled hues.

Designed and manufactured in Australia, the APC’s Aislesaver® mobile shelving systems provide the most efficient use of the available storage area and have a large range of standard sizes that can also be tailor-made to suit your specific needs.

Available in manual, mechanical and electronic models, the APC Aislesaver® is extremely versatile and allows users to effortlessly move heavy loads.

SF4550

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NATURAL CREATIONS XL BY ARMSTRONG FLOORING

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architectureanddesign.com.au/magazine/

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SPEEDLANE COMPACT: STYLISH SPEEDSTILE WITH JUMP-OVER PROTECTION Boon Edam Australia is introducing its new Speedlane Compact tall glass version, designed to provide extra security in smaller interior spaces, including leisure centres, sports facilities and commercial lobby refurbishments.

The tall glass option not only seamlessly integrates into a wide variety of architecturally designed interior spaces, but also provides the security benefit of additional jump-over protection.

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BIOPHILIC INSPIRATION: THE NEW CUBE™ COLOUR RANGE

GTEK™ WALL AND CEILING PLASTERBOARD

Autex has added six new colours to their Cube™ acoustic panel range.

Inspired by biophilic design, the new palette offers a contemporary take on archetypal hues. Featuring shades commonly found in the Australian landscape, juxtaposed by staple brights, the six new colours complement each other and the existing Cube palette—giving you a curated selection of hues to choose from.

GTEK™ Wall plasterboard realises a flat, smooth, blemish-free and monolithic surface that will readily take decorative paints and thin cover finishes. For residential and commercial applications where economy of effort and costeffectiveness are crucial.

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Whoever said the washroom (the most frequented room in any building) shouldn’t be as nice as the lobby?

ASI JD MacDonald just gave the washroom a makeover—you can too. Featured are our exclusive Velare™ and Piatto™ collections offering behind mirror solutions and a completely recessed range of washroom accessories.

Check out the new cover at Sunbury Leisure Centre’s heated swimming – a wave-themed metal façade made from custom perforated panels

by Arrow Metal. With the ability to manufacture panels up to 5000mm length, Arrow Metal could achieve the specified size of 4000mm x 1100mm, with no horizontal joins for a seamless, flowing pattern in keeping with the architect’s vision.

P roducts

LOBBY? NO, IT’S YOUR WASHROOM

PERFORATED METAL FAÇADE: CUSTOM ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

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ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

Natural Creations XL from Armstrong Flooring offers a new range of contemporary and traditional patterns in large format resilient vinyl flooring, including Australian Species: Spotted Gum, Blackbutt, and Tasmanian Oak. Available in 5.0mm thickness and as 230 x 1500mm long planks (500 x 500mm for Concrete tiles), Natural Creations XL combines underfoot comfort and timeless beauty with durability and acoustic properties.

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BILLI HANDS-FREE SENSOR TAPS FOR WASHROOMS Billi’s contactless sensor tap range is ideal for use in food preparation, healthcare, aged care, residential bathrooms, childcare, schools & universities, & commercial washrooms.

It features a unique electronic sensor built into the spout which automatically detects hand movement and shuts off as soon as you move your hands away, reducing water wastage. Also available in soap dispenser designs.

BA3923

architectureanddesign.com.au/magazine/

LuxeWall® is a high-performance, lightweight wall cladding product with luxury exterior finishes for residential projects. Manufactured in Australia, it delivers outstanding architectural qualities in a range of Colorbond® Matt & Metallic finishes. It offers increased speed of construction with a unique concealed fixed system. It creates the ultimate thermal barrier delivering superior climate control and comfort to the home. architectureanddesign.com.au/magazine/

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INNOHOME STOVE GUARD

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

P roducts

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APR-JUN 2021

LUXEWALL ® – THE NEW STANDARD IN ARCHITECTURAL WALLING

With a control unit that switched off electricity to the cooktop before a fire can begin, and remote sensors that monitor the cooktops temperature, Stove Guard is the easy solution to prevent cooking fires. Stove Guard is made by Innohome in Europe and is approved to Australian & New Zealand standards.

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SMART DELIVERY LOCKERS Groundfloor™ smart, contactless delivery lockers make a significant contribution to the sustainability of the built environment. Having facilitated over 200,000 efficient, secure delivery transactions across Australia, Groundfloor is the trusted brand for asset owners/operators and specifiers.

Features include Italian design, awardwinning user interface, dry cleaning and refrigerated lockers, and the smallest footprint on the market.

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LYSAGHT ZENITH™ CLADDING – INSPIRED BY EUROPE, MADE FOR AUSTRALIA Lysaght’s ZENITH™ cladding range provides an exciting complement to Lysaght’s extensive range of roofing and walling products. Inspired by the best in European design, the six profiles in the Australian-made LYSAGHT ZENITH™ range each offer a distinctive character enabling a range of dramatic style statements.

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NEW PEARL LIMESTONE New Pearl Limestone is a high-density stone glowing with the deep luster of pearls. Its honed surface has a slight translucence, creating an amazing visual depth, making it popular and multi-functional. Ancient fossils are visible throughout, confirming the natural history and variation to the final product. Perfect for modern and classic applications, it’s particularly striking in oversized architectural elements.

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THE ULTIMATE ALTERNATIVE TO PLASTERBOARD Easycraft offer a comprehensive range of decorative wall and ceiling linings.

Not only do our linings make it easy to create visually stunning designs, they are 300% more impact resistant than plasterboard and install in less than half the time. This together with our readily available specification guides you’re sure to save on time and installation costs.

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HALF PRICE BLINDS EXCLUSIVE: WINDMASTER BLINDS Designed in Western Australia, Half Price Blinds' Windmaster blinds have been specially built for windy conditions. To minimise fabric movement, these blinds feature heavy-duty base rails, locks and channels. Aside from offering shelter from wind and rain, Windmaster can reduce up to 94% of the heat inside the home for comfort all year long.

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3/5/21 8:51 am

ZINTL® LAUNCHES NEW PROFILES ZINTL®, Australian Made and Owned®, premium interlocking aluminium cladding system offers a fully compliant, easy to install and aesthetically pleasing solution.

ZINTL® uses ezy HD2 technology, the first system to obtain a realistic wood effect coating using a powderon-powder process that ensures highdefinition and a highly-durable finish for your product.

HF3932

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AS INDIVIDUAL AS YOU: AVANTECH YOU

architectureanddesign.com.au/magazine/

architectureanddesign.com.au/magazine/

HYDROTAP G5 CLASSIC PLUS Zip HydroTap Classic Plus Boiling, Chilled, Sparkling, Filtered water features simple, intuitive controls including continuous flow to fill bottles, Boiling water safety lock, and SteriTouch® antimicrobial protection impregnated within the new Classic Plus touch-pad for enhanced hygiene.

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Louvreclad’s Polaris Series® perforated aluminium screens can create a striking feature while permitting preferred degrees of filtered natural light and vision and sun protection. The Polaris Series® is a bespoke perforated aluminium screen system which is designed and engineered to suit the project.

Typically fabricated out of 3mm aluminium plate, the Polaris Series® has unending possibilities.

LO4554

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METECNOSPAN®: STATE-OFTHE-ART COMPOSITE ROOFING SOLUTION MetecnoSpan® combines the roofing, insulation and ceiling in one roof panel with a fire-resistant PIR core. It offers long spans and is suitable for commercial and industrial applications.

MetecnoSpan® delivers R values up to 4.55 with attractive finishes using Bluescope steel. As a single component system, it reduces site installation time by as much as 50 percent.

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SG3900

POLARIS SERIES

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RAPTOR™ Rope Access Davits provide a safe and controlled system for rope access workers when maintaining building facades and equipment mounted on the external face of a structure.

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P roducts

RAPTOR™ DAVIT SYSTEMS

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HA3205

The Havwoods V Collection of genuine European Oak timber flooring delivers exceptional value in a beautiful, durable and stable timber floor you can rely on. Available in a comprehensive range of colours, finishes and sizes, the V Collection is ideal for residential through to commercial projects.

In stock now, ready for immediate delivery Australia-wide.

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

AvanTech YOU is designed to impress with a sleek linear design, slender drawer side profile at an impressive 13 mm thickness, the style is uncompromisingly sleek. The purist design keeps all working components hidden into the slender drawer side.

There are no cover caps or holes to spoil the look of flawless beauty.

The fitting deliberately recedes into the background and blends in with furniture as a design element.

V COLLECTION: THE PROFESSIONALS CHOICE IN ENGINEERED TIMBER FLOORING

architectureanddesign.com.au/magazine/

ENERGY-EFFICIENT LIFT-SLIDE SLIDING DOORS Paarhammer lift-slide sliding doors are custom made in Australia in many configurations including giant sliders, stackers, and corner sliders. Available up to 3m high and up to 400kg per slider, double or triple glazed and featuring a unique airtight framing design which incorporates multi-level rubber seals and eliminates drafts.

Low VOC spray-painted timber finishes, or low maintenance WoodAlu composite.

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CASPER CLOAKING FILM An architectural film for internal glass partitions designed to obscure digital screens from outside view, while room attendees can work collaboratively and confidentiality.

This subtle material masks windows for privacy of digital information without boxy, space-reducing walls. Cloaking film is the buffer that allows the design advantage and practicality of glassenclosed rooms.

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

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APR-JUN 2021

PA3853

Quick-Steps Perspective Nature Laminate range consists of 12 unique designs marked by unprecedented levels of refinement. This latest Laminate brings together 30 years of innovation, perfection, creativity and technological leadership, resulting in life-like design, detailed structures and unparalleled performance, not seen before in laminate flooring.

PF3751

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THE COATING FOR A SAFER FUTURE

CUSTOMISED SCREENS PROJECTS

Bio-Guard Coating, developed by Pylon Coatings is a dedicated range of antimicrobial coatings that offers permanent, highly active antimicrobial protection 24/7 for the lifetime of the coating. Surfaces that have been protected with Bio-Guard will reduce the cross-contamination risk while improving decontamination and maintenance procedures, thus creating more hygienic environments.

On this project designed by Luigi Rosselli Architects and built by Building With Options, we provided several different custom designed and made screens for the upstairs back areas, and the front of this unique house. We worked in consultation with both the architect and the builder to ensure the stunning results were achieved.

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BRICK INLAY: THE INNOVATIVE, COST-EFFECTIVE FACADE SOLUTION Brick Inlay is a cost-efficient, reliable and proven façade solution that embeds thin brick, porcelain or stone into precast concrete panels during the panel manufacture, that are then delivered on site, ready for erection.

It speeds construction time and significantly reduces construction costs, while still enabling you to deliver award-winning, architecturally creative cladding solutions.

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QUICK-STEPS PERSPECTIVE NATURE LAMINATE RANGE

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LOUVRE WINDOWS Safetyline Jalousie offers a premium quality, performance louvre window system with many features never seen before in a louvre window in Australia. With extra-wide spans up to 1.4 metres, they maximise natural ventilation and offer flexibility in design options. Inbuilt security provides peace of mind when windows are left open and weatherproof seals maximize the energy efficiency of air conditioners.

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XS4 ONE ELECTRONIC LOCK

FIREPLY X

Bring smart access control to any door. The XS4 One electronic lock combines elegant design and the latest technologies for a wide range of applications. With easy installation and no wires, it delivers the same power and performance as an online point.

Available in a wide range of finishes and compatible with the majority of European mortise locks and cylinders.

Fireply X® is a versatile, prefinished and ready-to-install plywood, compliant with the increasingly rigorous relevant Australian Standards relating to fire safety. With the focus of solving major design and compliance challenges, Fireply X® is available in a range of perforated options, as well as eight on-trend colours – all certified as Fire Hazard Group 2.

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OVERTUR™: RETHINK SPECS

ZERO THRESHOLD DRAINS

Allegion’s Overtur™ is a cloud-based suite of tools which enables architects and door hardware consultants to come together and collaborate on the specifications and the security design of doors and openings.

Designed to eliminate the ‘trip-andslip’ hazards of stepdown partitions, Stormtech’s threshold drain delivers uninterrupted access between indoor and outdoor living areas and is access and mobility compliant according to AS1428. The Threshold drain integrates elegantly into sliding door tracks, bi-folds or hinged doors, is compatible with major door manufacturers and available in all styles of grate designs.

Improved collaboration, coordination and productivity. Overtur is designed to simplify the process of specifying door hardware on your next project.

AL0922

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NON-COMBUSTIBLE FULLY COMPLIANT PRODUCTS BY SUPAWOOD

architectureanddesign.com.au/magazine/

CEMBRIT PATINA ORIGINAL Cembrit Patina Original is a throughcoloured fibre cement board with fine, sanding lines on the surface.

The natural ageing of the fibre cement leaves subtle changes on the surface, and the façade will gradually acquire a distinctive ‘patina’ over time. Connecting performance with a natural and authentic look, Cembrit Patina is the perfect choice for your building. Available in 11 colours.

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Our interior range is hard-wearing and durable offering excellent cleanability, washability and stain resistance.

I.D Advanced Total Protection Technology™ now delivers increased levels of protection, with antimicrobial and low VOC properties.

UF3450

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GLOBAL LEADERS IN SOLAR CONTROL SOLUTIONS SilverScreen by Verosol. Verosol’s ground breaking SilverScreen roller blind fabrics reflect up to 85% of solar radiation. To ensure wellbeing, creativity and productivity are maintained, it’s essential to create an environment with good visual and occupant comfort. This is achieved when daylight exposure, unspoiled viewing out and heat and glare control are in balance. SilverScreen blind fabrics have been designed to support these requirements.

VA1101

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APR-JUN 2021

At Urban+, we understand that all outdoor spaces are unique, which is why we offer customised solutions for projects of any size. Our team will work with you from concept through manufacture to installation ensuring that all design and project objectives are realised in a timely, efficient and professional manner. Illustrated is a recent custom installation for Brisbane City Council at Sunnybank.

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CUSTOM DESIGN

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SA4655

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ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

SUPAWOOD have developed an exciting Non-Combustible range of aluminium lining products in beams, slats, panels and blades.

Fully-compliant to 2019 NCC/BCA requirements, all products are supplied with proprietary engineered fixing systems. Suitable for exterior and interior walls, ceilings and screens they come in a huge range of finishes including textured woodgrains.

ST3546

architectureanddesign.com.au/magazine/

DESIGN GUIDE #51: COST ENGINEERING OF MID-RISE TIMBER BUILDINGS Design Guide #51 by WoodSolutions provides reference data and methodology advice for cost engineering activities directly and indirectly associated with the design, procurement and installation of wood structures in Australia, especially with reference to mid-rise buildings (four or more levels).

WD4620

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SAVE THE DATE 11 NOV 2021, SYDNEY & ONLINE 2021 SUMMIT TOPICS Designing the perfectly sustainable building Everything architects need to know when designing with timber Circular economy ideas for adaptive reuse of buildings Water-sensitive design – 2021 & beyond Women in built environment sustainability leadership Now in its 15th year and the oldest and most respected sustainable built environment educational event in the country, the Sustainability Summit is Australia’s pinnacle of sustainable design, ideas and innovation.

With five Formal CPD points on offer, hear from 30+ sustainability and industry leaders, and discover new ideas that directly impact sustainability and promote carbon-neutral design.

PRE-REGISTER FOR UPDATES sustainablebuildingawards.com.au SUSTAINABILITY SUMMIT & AWARDS GALA | 11 NOVEMBER 2021, SYDNEY & ONLINE IMAGE Sustainability Summit 2019

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2021 PARTNERS

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The buildings of tomorrow.

The Sustainable Buildings Research Centre (SBRC) was the first building in Australia fully accredited under the Living Building Challenge (LBC), as well as being the Illawarra’s first six-star Green Star Building. The LBC is arguably the highest built environment sustainability accreditation in the world today with its ambition to encourage buildings to be net zero energy and water, to connect more readily with the natural environment, and provide comfortable and restorative places to live and work.

The SBRC not only embodies sustainable design, but is a ‘living’ laboratory for improving building and material design. The ‘high-bay’ roof is divided into two discrete sections using COLORBOND® steel in the colour Surfmist® and COLORBOND® Coolmax® steel. These materials were chosen for their high solar reflectance (low absorptance) and ability to improve the thermal performance of a building.

The building also meets the high standards demanded by the material and waste requirements of the LBC with the BlueScope materials used being manufactured locally and incorporating recycled content. BlueScope is also committed to sustainable sourcing practices that create, protect and build long term environmental, social and economic value.

The COLORBOND® steel Environmental Product Declaration is available at steel.com.au/epd. For information about specifying BlueScope products, please visit steelselect.com.au or call our technical team on 1800 753 658.

Architect: Cox Richardson Architects. Project: Sustainable Buildings Research Centre. Location: Fairy Meadow, New South Wales. COLORBOND®, Coolmax®, BlueScope the BlueScope brand mark and ® colour names are registered trade marks of BlueScope Steel Limited. © 2020 BlueScope Steel Limited ABN 16 000 011 058. All rights reserved.

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