Stylish, sustainable & structurally sound

Beyond their important functional requirements, some of the qualities exhibited in this selection of structural elements suitable for commercial applications include their ability to help reduce environmental footprints and their capacity to contribute to aesthetic outcomes.

In an age where architectural success is measured in terms of not only function and form, but also closely watched bottom lines, heightened environmental awareness and more, structural elements continue to evolve.

COLUMNS & CURVES

According to AFS Systems, one of the most interesting recent developments in in this area is the increased popularity of columns and curves.

While in the case of curves, the trend is very much design-driven, blade columns are important because they’re all about useable space. For architects and designers, the attraction of slimmer load bearing blade columns comes down to the fact that they deliver more useable space, while for builders the attraction is more about speed. They allow them to complete their work faster.

The company has introduced the RW200 curved system, an easy to install solution that comes in a 0.5M radius (1M diameter) with 15-degree angles. Finished in standard Rediwall white PVC, it meets all required performance standards – including those relating to fire, acoustic and thermal capabilities.

Then, in terms of columns, AFS Systems offers an advanced design method to construct AFS Rediwall blade column and wall. With simplified design and detailing, it provides flexibility in combining walls, columns, blades, and cores. It can ensure increased speed of installation by reducing the complexity of confinement ties with the use of U-bar reinforcement arrangements. while meeting the compliance requirements of AS3600-2018 Amendment 2 and the NCC.

TRIED & TESTED SOLUTIONS

According to Peter Robertson, Director of Robertson Façade Systems, concern regarding the much-publicised presence of combustible external cladding on multi-storey buildings has led many architects, engineers, and developers to return to “tried and tested solutions”, like brick and concrete.

“We supply a system to embed thin brick into precast concrete. Naturally designers are looking for flexibility and interesting design challenges. With this support we have created new brick bond patterns, protruding brick options and curved panel solutions,” says Robertson.

Known as brick inlay, the system was developed in the US by a company called Scott System. One of the best examples of its use is at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, a project by renowned Swiss architect Mario Botta.

“The challenge [on that project] was to have a brick façade that related to the San Francisco character and have this perform safely with the seismic challenges presented by the San Andreas fault,” Robertson says.

Having been made a licensee of the system in 1998, Robertson Façade Systems has gone on to supply it for numerous projects in this part of the world.

One noteworthy recent example is Auckland’s Hotel Britomart. As in the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art example, one of the main considerations in this project was ensuring the brick inlay met New Zealand’s stringent seismic requirements. After six months of compliance testing, which included the production of a series of mock-up brick panels, this was achieved, and the system was deemed suitable to use.

Considering the result, a slimline grey brick tile blend paired with glazed, frameless tessellated windows, this level of thoroughness was clearly worth the effort. Today, the Hotel Britomart stands as not just the first building in New Zealand to feature a façade of this type, but also a welcome addition to the heritage precinct in which it stands.

The Emergence Of Structural Timber

Another development worth noting is the rapidly growing interest in structural timber. “In the last couple of years, we’ve seen an amazing variety of buildings incorporating structural timber elements delivered around the country,” says Laurence Ritchie, an Advisor with WoodSolutions, a not-for-profit information provider, resourced by Forest & Wood Products Australia and supported by industry bodies and technical associations.

“From aquatic centres, to libraries, schools, apartment buildings, offices, and more, actual experience has demonstrated that structural timber products can be utilised to deliver diverse indoor and outdoor spaces.”