Bluescope STEEL PROFILE 122

STEEL
STEEL INNOVATION
ARCHITECTURAL
NOVEMBER 2015
WITH BLUESCOPE
122
NH ARCHITECTURE AND POPULOUS

IN JOINT VENTURE
MARGARET COURT ARENA
TAG ARCHITECTS AND IREDALE
PEDERSEN HOOK ARCHITECTS
IN ASSOCIATION
KUNUNURRA COURTHOUSE
IN PROFILE:
3XN
EDITORIAL EDITORIAL ISSUE 122
Welcome to Steel Profile 122. ADVISORY CONTENTS
As a longstanding supporter of excellence in
Australian architecture and 30-year Principal
PANEL
Corporate Partner of the Australian Institute of
Steel Profile has an Editorial Advisory
Architects, BlueScope congratulates all recipients
of the 2015 National Architecture Awards. Panel to ensure that only projects of the
highest calibre are selected for publication.
This issue features Andrew Maynard
The panellists are:
Architects’ Tower House which received
the highest National Award for Residential
Architecture – Houses (Alterations and
4 12 18 22
Additions): the Eleanor Cullis-Hill Award.
The most prestigious COLORBOND® award

was saved for a project with a delightfully
contemporary, scalloped form that is refined
in its expression and clearly demonstrates the A high-speed ‘sun-roof’ swathed Inspired by childrens’ sketches 3XN wowed Copenhagen with A slick and expansive steel-
suitability of steel as a complementary material in COLORBOND® steel in the of a simple tower-like house, the steel-enabled curved facades wrapped pavilion creates a
to enhance heritage fabric. We particularly luxurious custom colour Andrew Maynard Architects of The Blue Planet aquarium and flexible addition for architect
applaud Cox Architecture, Walter Brooke Copper Penny™ is a textbook has used steel to meet the now has its ingenious sights set John Lowe’s heritage-listed
and Hames Sharley for the Adelaide Oval example of how to become a cladding requirements of a on the transformation of Sydney’s Adelaide cottage
FRANK STANISIC
Redevelopment (see its Western Grandstand sports facilities world-beater series of home additions Circular Quay precinct
Stanisic Associates founder Frank Stanisic is a that together form a ‘village’
in Steel Profile 112) being awarded the 2015 Sydney-based architect and urbanist.
National COLORBOND® Award for Steel
His work is fuelled by an evolving interest in the
Architecture. The project also received diagram and frame as a basis for architectural
an Award for Public Architecture. invention, and the aesthetics of permeability.
We look forward to discovering and sharing Frank’s projects have won numerous awards including
many more potential award winners in 2016. Australian Institute of Architects’ Special Jury,
Wilkinson, Aaron Bolot and Frederick Romberg prizes
Please feel free to share your thoughts with
us via info@steelprofile.com.au
Scott Gregory
28 34 42
BlueScope editor
A clever box frame modelled Dubbed the “Opera House of A parkland shelter made
around a Vierendeel truss Kununurra” by locals, this new entirely from steel embodies
demonstrates – in the form courthouse conveys gravitas forms drawn from an
PENNY FULLER of two new school pavilions – without intimidation and features adjacent mountain bike trail
that faith in engineering and an expressive, folding steel roof and employs fabrication
Penny is a partner at Silvester Fuller, established
in 2008. Silvester Fuller’s first built projects have architecture can push the that traces the outline of its techniques to dispense
been awarded for their creativity and design boundaries of possibility surrounding national park ranges with secondary structure
sensibility. Penny’s work draws on experience
gained across a broad range of international projects. Principal Corporate Partner
She is a previous recipient of the Australian Institute
of Architects’ Emerging Architect Prize
NUMBER 122, NOVEMBER 2015

BLUESCOPE EDITOR Scott Gregory MANAGING EDITOR Rob Gillam ASSOCIATE EDITOR Rachael Bernstone
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Rachael Bernstone, Rob Gillam, Peter Hyatt, Paul McGillick, Micky Pinkerton
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Peter Bennetts, Paul Bradshaw, Brendan Finn, John Gollings, Belinda Monck
ART DIRECTOR Natasha Krncevic
PROJECT SUBMISSIONS To submit your project for consideration please visit steelprofile.com.au
SUBSCRIPTIONS For all subscription enquiries please contact us via steeldirect@bluescopesteel.com
EDITORIAL EMAIL rob.gillam@steelprofile.com.au; rachael.bernstone@steelprofile.com.au
MAIL CORRESPONDENCE Steel Profile, PO Box 961, Crows Nest, NSW 1585, AUSTRALIA
BlueScope recommends the use of COLORBOND® steel or ZINCALUME® steel for the majority of external cladding applications.
For technical advice on the right product to use contact your BlueScope representative. BlueScope recommends routine preventative
JAMES LODER maintenance for eaves and other “unwashed areas” of structures which may not be regularly cleaned by rainfall. For further information
please contact your nearest BlueScope office or consult steel.com.au
James Loder is a graduate architect working at
John Wardle Architects. Graduating from RMIT COVER PROJECT BlueScope, COLORBOND®, LYSAGHT®, XLERPLATE®, LONGLINE 305®, KLIP-LOK 700 HI-STRENGTH®, KLIP-LOK® 406, DECKFORM®,
with a Master of Architecture (First Class Honours) Margaret Court Arena BONDEK® and ® colour names are registered trademarks and ™ colour names are trademarks of BlueScope Steel Limited.
in 2012, James was awarded the 2013 BlueScope True Oak ‘Deep™’ and Rev-Klip™ 700 are registered trademarks of Revolution Roofing Pty Ltd.
PHOTOGRAPHER
Steel Glenn Murcutt Student Prize.
Peter Bennetts Copyright © BlueScope Steel Limited ABN 16 000 011 058. No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced or distributed without
His work explores the formal relationships between consent. BlueScope Steel Limited, to the extent permissible at law, is not liable to any person for loss or damage arising from reliance
building and landscape with great consideration upon information contained in this publication. The views expressed in this magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily
PETER BENNETTS
given to spatial expression and materiality reflect those of BlueScope Steel Limited
SP122 architectural steel innovation 3
PB
MOVEABLE
FEAST
Athletic, taut and defined by an origami-inspired roof,
Margaret Court Arena provides stellar helicopter
views and sublime interiors.
Words Peter Hyatt Photography Peter Bennetts; John Gollings
ARCHITECT
NH Architecture and Populous
in joint venture
PROJECT
Margaret Court Arena
LOCATION
Melbourne, Victoria
4 steel.com.au/steelprofile SP122 architectural steel innovation 5

PB
M
argaret Court Arena is the latest in a suite NH’s reputation for clever geometry, resolved skins characterise a project of reduced bulk and increased
of venues to further validate Melbourne and tuned interiors is once again showcased with amenity. While many rooftops are the repository
as a true tennis grand-slam host and the roof made from COLORBOND® steel in LYSAGHT of cluttered mechanical services, the 57m x 64m
global sports and entertainment mecca. KLIP-LOK 700 HI-STRENGTH® profile being a operable rooftop here handsomely caps a sleek entity.
signature element of this project. NH and Populous
This latest addition to a precinct giddy with Doehring describes the high-speed roof – capable
acknowledge that architecture of the public realm
expansion is a textbook example of how to become of opening or closing in less than five minutes –
should whet our appetite to experience the contest
a sports facilities world-beater. as “a Lamborghini”, adding that three-and-a -half
and performance that beckons from within.
minutes would be possible. Such speeds make
A high-speed ‘sun-roof’ is key to this $183 million
“It’s not only a tennis, basketball and netball venue, the once wunderkind roof of Rod Laver Arena
project that offers premium seating for 7500
but also a concert stage with complex lighting (25 minutes) appear sluggish.
spectators. And what’s not to like? The roof
made from COLORBOND® steel in LYSAGHT KLIP- requirements,” says NH Architecture’s project But the new facility and its roof are much more
LOK 700 HI-STRENGTH® profile is swathed in the team leader Wilko Doehring. “We had to ensure than purely about speed. The project underwent
luxurious custom Metallic colour Copper Penny™, the roof was light-proof and allow for all the an intensive weight-loss program from its
movements including expansion, shrinkage
PB
JG
to the last centimetre. conception and the result is a spectacularly
and skews of about 150 different scenarios.” slender sheath of metal barely one metre deep.
An area of under-used playing fields – with the
occasional arrival of Ashton’s Circus being the rare Similar to the Melbourne Cricket Ground and
neighbouring arenas, this copper-toned beauty – OPPOSITE: A dramatic roof profile of folded strength Doehring says the design goal was to produce the Doehring says the relationship with structural
exception – Melbourne Park’s transformation into a
invests the project with a distinctive signature most elegant, lightweight and streamlined solution. engineer Aurecon and its consultant team was
caravanserai of hi-tech coliseums began in the late realised with the COLORBOND® steel custom
colour, Copper Penny™ – raises expectations ABOVE LEFT AND RIGHT: Low-rise, slender He explains how the engineering, fabrication and symbiotic, and he credits valuable input from
1980s with the construction of Rod Laver Arena.
and then delivers. Margaret Court Arena’s compression and light-filled circulation zones construction teams worked tirelessly to produce a Walter P Moore, which specialises in stadia and
Its latest offering, Margaret Court Arena – a joint feature in the main foyer roof barely half the height of a man or woman. Such operable roofs in the USA, and which worked
blurring of architecture, engineering and
venture design by NH Architecture and Populous shrink-wrapped re-sizing can come at a huge cost closely with Aurecon in the project’s early phases.
fit-out produces fine results.
– expands the precinct’s capacity to service every penalty, but, he says, invention rather than lavish
sports and entertainment event imaginable. NH and A seamless, floating elegance inspired by automotive Distilling the roof to such a shallow depth was a
budget provided the solution for an array of shared
engineers Aurecon provide an arresting variation and aeronautical associations informs the sleek consultative process with all of the relevant teams.
services including roof drainage, structure and
from the polite, white modernity of over-arching amenity of circulation areas, where daylight is never A conventional layering and structure of services
acoustic layers, all integrated in a single thin wafer.
steel tubing, tensioned columns and Miesian planes. far away. Smoothly spooled finishes inside and out was not an option. The result was a series of
”It very much reflects this age and takes a micro stratified zones measured in millimetres.
view of the world, of incredible miniaturisation and
Doehring describes the high-speed roof – capable slenderness not previously possible,” Doehring says.
“It’s inspired by electronic devices becoming thinner
Doehring recalls the process of rigorous
miniaturisation. “The electrical engineer might say:
of opening or closing in less than five minutes – and thinner: that really influenced this roof.” ‘I need 200 millimetres’. The mechanical engineer
might say: ‘I need 600 millimetres’. But then we
“The potential for variation was one of the main
as “a Lamborghini” challenges. The second was thinness, weight reduction
needed moveable roof structure and drainage and
we said: ‘Okay, enough. You’re not getting a two-and-
and a profile lower than the bigger brother Rod a-half metre-deep roof. So now, fight for your space.
Laver Arena,“ he adds. “Fold a piece of paper and Reduce your working area further.’ And they did.
it becomes stronger. That is essentially what we did We ended up with over 300 penetrations through
with the COLORBOND® steel LYSAGHT KLIP-LOK 700 that sandwich-like steel roof. We modelled every
HI-STRENGTH® material used for the roof to provide beam to within a millimetre to ensure it would work.”
a substantially stiffened, strengthened span.”
Project structural engineer Mark Sheldon says Aurecon
In engineering terms, the project’s crowning glory is
has contributed to every moving roof in Australia
equivalent to an ultra-strong lily-pad. Doehring explains
during the past 20 years, including one of the world’s
that the precedents for fully-sliding, operable roofs of
largest examples – Etihad Stadium in Melbourne
such a scale are relatively few. “Fifty-one roofs, to be
(2000), Hisense Arena, also Melbourne Park (2001),
precise at the time of launching into this,” he muses.
and Perth Arena (2012) (see Steel Profile 117).
“It’s not as if you just Google this stuff and cut and paste
it into your project. It’s intrinsically harder than that.” “Designing large sliding roofs is a reputation we
He describes the result as reminiscent of a watch don’t mind having,” says Sheldon of a task clearly
with its whirl of inter-connected cogs, cables, super- not for the faint-hearted, or technically challenged.
structure and precision parts. “It’s a concept without “They demand incredible expertise in the area of
precedent and a customised solution. Typically there electronic and mechanical controls and the myriad
are rails and assemblies adding bulk and wasting space of unusual and secondary forces on the structure
and materials, whereas this roof tracks independently mean there are so many things that could possibly
without rails on incorporated, lowered assemblies.” go wrong.” æ
EAST-WEST SECTION
PB
ROOF PLAN
Slenderising this roof by the elimination of the planes that meet above centre court. Each of the
“Patrons feel as if
JG
usual roof tracking system introduced one of the leading edge trusses span some 50m and sit 17.5m
major engineering headaches. The answer came
in the form of inline wheels integrated with the roof
above the playing surface.”
they’re close to the
Unlike the introverted tendencies of most stadia, this
edges to help reduce its profile from ‘hamburger’
to ‘sandwich’. Despite being unable to track with
has large areas of glazing taking in the sweep of the court or stage and that
city with a generous intake of daylight to overcome
such precision, Sheldon says they have managed
to streamline the forces and overcome the tendency
the disorientating experience of warehouse-like is largely due to the
spaces. Doehring says Margaret Court Arena is
for excessive roof flex, potentially causing one inline
wheel set to shift minutely out of alignment.
more like a convention centre with its large foyer, inverted steel roof
easy transparency and edge spaces, to say nothing
Despite the instability of single-rail bogies, Sheldon of the yawning roof which, like a sunflower, is able structure that brings
says the Aurecon team managed to develop a system to open to the heavens and reveal the seating inside.
whereby the bogies and roof steelwork supported
NH follows a proven process with its designs – from
seating into more
each other. Combined, they needed to allow small
rotations for humps in the rails and any non-parallel
initial sketches through to Revit for every junction,
bolt and carefully turned handrail. From a structural
intimate contact with
or rail misalignments, yet allow the roof to slide over
the bogey during skewing, or thermal movements.
viewpoint, the architects and engineers inverted
and contained most of the gymnastics within the
players and performers”
ABOVE LEFT: A deferential roof-line below
“Its complexity wasn’t helped by the interface between structure. The new superstructure also resulted that of Rod Laver Arena preserves the
the structure and pleated skin that could potentially in a reduced overall height of 4.6 metres for the iconic form of the old
foul,” Sheldon adds. “As much as we want to keep steel structure – incorporating XLERPLATE® steel
LEFT: A barely one metre-deep sliding
everything in perfect alignment, we can’t. Temperature manufactured by BlueScope – much lower than
roof space is a triumph of essential
changes and construction tolerances, for instance, Rod Laver Arena and providing a degree of intimacy engineering and slenderness
also alter dimensions and alignment of the two roof with scale, without any sense of claustrophobia. æ

PB
EXPLODED ISOMETRIC
JG
PB
“We wanted something unique and to push the “That was a process that really helped accelerate
boundaries with a unique solution, and to create construction time and minimised many of the usual
the fastest roof possible as an example of Australian on-site safety issues,” he continues. “Three months PANEL SAYS
architecture and engineering,” Doehring says, later the project had to be ready for hand-over. We
In this magnificent new addition to Melbourne’s
his pride in the roof almost palpable. “The design really had a half-finished building that was opened
world-class tennis precinct, the architecture is
philosophy of our office is that this is the fifth early and which took just over three years to build.
defined by one strong idea that pulls all of its intentions
elevation, or, how I like to say, the first elevation, Doehring says it wasn’t a case of being indulged
PB
together: its striking roof. Nestled alongside Rod

because the roof is often one of the biggest surfaces. by a one-off roof budget. “We had to make the funds
Here the helicopter view is very important because Laver Arena, this multi-functional venue provides a
work as hard as possible. It’s really a story about
TOP AND ABOVE: The lowered roofline and of the elevated context displayed on television.” contrast to its neighbour, thanks to the confident use
achieving a welcoming human scale and comfort
ceiling are balanced by an active use of skylights of COLORBOND® Metallic steel in the custom colour
He adds that the entire design and construction rather than something agricultural or industrial,”
and materials to maintain spatial generosity and he explains. “Patrons feel as if they’re close to the Copper Penny™. The pleated roof imparts a singular
daylight connection
team knew they were working on a very difficult
court or stage and that is largely due to the inverted identity to the MCA, especially when viewed from
project at every stage. “There were many strands
RIGHT AND OPPOSITE: The centre’s origami-like steel roof structure that brings seating into more the air, as it will be during live television broadcasts.
to bring together from off-site fabrication and then
qualities are especially evident with interiors intimate contact with players and performers.” The sophisticated origami of the fast-closing roof
an intensive nine months to build and install the
where the folded roof and ceiling form contributes is equally impressive whether the structure is
whole roof,” Doehring says. “The roof comprises Whether this stunning roof is open or closed, and
a distinctive elegance. Clever engineering ensures
a pre-set segmented system of elements each open or closed, and the clean appearance of the
steel trusses and columns are contained within regardless of the spectacle taking place inside,
around 8 x 4 metres. This was prefabricated, Margaret Court Arena reminds us that architecture and all-important fifth facade is a testament to the
the envelope rather than over-arching
brought to site, then assembled and lifted engineering are much more than mere construction: architectural and engineering ingenuity that
into place with the ceiling already installed they have the power to generate a convincing spark underpins the entire project
in the roof system. and become part of a song-line for the city. SP
PROJECT Margaret Court Arena CLIENT State Government Victoria ARCHITECT NH Architecture and Populous in joint venture PROJECT TEAM Hamish Lyon, Richard Breslin, Lyndon Hayward,
Paul Henry, Ralph Wheeler, Adrian Costa, Mun Ching Wong, Thuyai Chung, Wilko Doehring, Paul Foskett, Emily Kilvington, Astrid Jenkin, Dale Jennins, Michael Neve, Julie Rinaldi, Mieke Vinju
STRUCTURAL & CIVIL ENGINEER Aurecon. Aurecon project team: Mark Sheldon, Mark Waggoner (Walter P Moore), Peter Murenu, Warrick Plymin, Matt Johnson, Zac Hankin, Mark Spolidoro,
Nathan Luke, James McFadyen BUILDER Lend Lease STEEL FABRICATOR JVP PRINCIPAL STEEL COMPONENTS Roofing: LYSAGHT KLIP-LOK 700 HI-STRENGTH® profile made
from COLORBOND® steel in the custom Metallic colour Copper Penny™. Structural: incorporating XLERPLATE® steel manufactured by BlueScope PROJECT TIMEFRAME 2011-2014
AWARDS 2015 Australian Institute of Architects Victoria Award for Public Architecture (Alterations and Additions), 2015 Australian Institute of Architects National Award for
Public Architecture (Commendation), Master Builders Excellence in Construction Awards, 2015 Master Builder of the Year and Excellence in Construction of Commercial Buildings
over $80m BUILDING SIZE 24,000m2 gross floor area TOTAL PROJECT COST $183 million
TALL
We’ve come to expect the unexpected from Andrew Maynard Architects and this
project does not disappoint, twisting material assumptions and inverting spatial
conventions to create the architectural equivalent of a page-turner.
Words Micky Pinkerton Photography Peter Bennetts
TALES
ARCHITECT
Andrew Maynard Architects
PROJECT
Tower House
LOCATION
Alphington, Victoria

T
he story goes that the design for Tower House “It was to do with getting a cladding material that we
grew from the sketches that a pair of six-year- could use on both the roof and the walls so we could
olds drew while their parents were talking to run it up over the top, and back down,” explains
architects Andrew Maynard and Mark Austin during Austin. “Steel lent itself perfectly to that sort of
an early meeting about an addition to their existing approach, and that material wrapping would draw
home. Everyone would be familiar with the classic all the little house shapes together in the village.”
picture of a house that the twins drew: a rectangle
Lengths of LYSAGHT LONGLINE 305® profile made
topped with a triangle, boasting a single window
from COLORBOND® steel in the colour Surfmist®
with a cross through it. And maybe, in keeping
envelop each rectangle/triangle form in a seemingly
with the simplicity of a child-like approach, that’s
singular movement. The remaining facades are
the story we should run with here. But as tempting
enclosed in western red cedar shingles. It’s an
as a single narrative is, it would ignore the other
arresting combination which is at turns familiar
relevant beginnings that have informed this
and unusual. The strata of the steel cladding brings
fascinating and delightful project.
to mind residential weatherboards – but they’re
So the story could also start much earlier, with an run vertically instead of horizontally. The shingles
inference that Maynard’s and Austin’s childhoods echo the rhythm of roofing tiles – except that
amidst the peaks of Tasmania had a subliminal they’re on the walls, not the roof. Just to keep
effect on their approach to residential architecture your eyes ‘on their toes’, alternate buildings are
in geographically flat Melbourne. The musings-on- rotated 90 degrees; this subconsciously lends the
a-vertical-theme so clearly evident in Tower House village a domestic rather than an industrial feel.
can be easily traced back through a number of the
Look closer and the real smarts of the design and
studio’s award-winning projects, such as HOUSE
construction become apparent. There’s no guttering
House, Hill House and Vader House.
interfering with the simplicity of the forms, or surplus
Then again, a more recent narrative is that of Google fixings compromising the wrapped effect. The roof
Earth, which the architects contend has led to the plumber was responsible for all the steel cladding
rise of the fifth elevation in that the roof is now an and his effort in realising the architects’ vision is
acknowledged public face of our buildings, visually worthy of a book in itself.
accessible at any time. Utzon presciently referred
“There was a lot of discussion with the roof
to it as the fifth facade, and it’s in this thread of
the story that steel plays a dominant role.
Steel was selected very early on in the process plumber about the corner details of the buildings
and about how we would achieve the quality in
As Tower House was taking shape on paper it for its ability to provide the material profile which each cut and crimp, and bend on each rib,” says
became clear to the architects that a unifying Austin. “So he came up with all these different
element was going to be critical to the success of the could meet fifth facade aspirations, as well as methods and alternative ways that we could do it.
project. Drawing inspiration from the twins’ sketches We learned a lot about the craftsmanship of roof
and the discussions with their parents around the visually link the six new buildings plumbing as part of that process.”
idea of a home as a village, the design had developed
(For those interested in a no-guttering-downpipes
into a series of archetypal structures peeling off the
footnote, rain simply runs down the walls where
existing post-war brick home, arranged around the
BELOW LEFT AND RIGHT: The design sought to use the form of the buildings it waters the garden at ground level, and excess
perimeter of the site and facing on to a ‘communal’
to give more to the project, including a high volume above the dining table, is drained away using the standard agricultural
garden. Steel was selected very early on in the
and natural light above the kitchen island by placing it under one of the combination of slotted PVC pipes sitting in a
process for its ability to provide the material
glassed interstitial spaces bed of gravel.) æ
profile which could meet fifth facade aspirations,
as well as visually link the six new buildings.
ABOVE: Twelve-metre lengths of LYSAGHT LONGLINE 305® profile made from COLORBOND® steel
in the colour Surfmist® envelop each side of the tower
NORTH ELEVATION

LEGEND
19 1. Entry
7
2. Hall
3. Bedroom
4. Laundry
FIRST FLOOR PLAN
5. Bathroom
6. Living
18 6 6
7. Study
16 8. Dining
2 9. Kitchen
2 1
10. Pantry
4 11. Store
17 14 13 9 8 12. Services
3 3
13. Walk in robe
5 14. Master bedroom
15 10 11 15. Ensuite
12
16. Library
GROUND FLOOR PLAN 17. Courtyard
18. Garden
19. Study net
Steel was also used to great effect in the transition

spaces of the project, when moving outside to inside
“It was to do with getting
PANEL SAYS via the doorways and skinny awnings, and in the
glassed connections and stairs between each of the
a cladding material that
Tower House is distinguished by a clear and
unconventional idea about an environment for living.
new buildings. As in the case of the external cladding,
the decision to use steel plate was deliberate.
we could use on both
The level of craft and detail in this alteration and
addition to a home in Melbourne’s inner northern
“It allowed us to keep things really flat, to keep it the roof and the walls...
honest and recessive,” says Austin. “Because you
suburbs is a testament to a way of designing that
always delivers innovative and remarkable results.
can get steel to do a lot of structural work in such Steel lent itself perfectly...
a thin profile it’s perfect for those details where you
Like the Cut Paw Paw House (see Steel Profile 121), want a thin edge. We used it in the walk between and that material
this latest residence by Andrew Maynard Architects one pavilion and the other, whether it’s a step or
uses COLORBOND® steel in the colour Surfmist® to a reveal, so you can read that thinness that almost wrapping would draw all
great effect. This edition showcases a completely new slices through the building in the edge of the steel.”
and different approach: where Cut Paw Paw resembled This provides a neat segue to another plot-line to the little house shapes
a long and low ‘unpeeled’ structure, the steelwork
here creates a collection of aedicules that are
this tale, the one that talks to the architects’ reaction
to the rise of the monolithic backyard extension. together in the village”
almost medieval in appearance. Vertical or horizontal, Think big box addition out the back. To paraphrase
ground-hugging or sky-soaring, Andrew Maynard Austin, this project was more about working a
Architects always finds an inventive way to collection of smaller objects together and being
re-interpret everyday materials clever about using the interstitial spaces, rather
playful.’ A lot of those discussions come out of getting
than having one big shed to put the smaller objects
to know the owners and getting to work out what
in. Which means that although, from an external
they enjoy and how they work as a family,” he says.
perspective, you see a collection of village buildings,
“From that, an opportunity will come and it’s a matter TOP LEFT: Rotating each structure through ninety degrees gives the collection of
from an internal perspective the owners have the
of developing that opportunity in a way that adds buildings a domestic rather than industrial appearance
benefit of a combination of open-plan spaces and
delight to the project. For example the net isn’t there
more intimate spaces, as appropriate. This includes TOP RIGHT: The twins’ studio is a wholly vertical space with a bookshelf running
just because we thought ‘let’s put a net in’, it’s a study from floor to ceiling and a net hung above their desks where they can read
the kitchen/dining area, which straddles two pavilions
of how the boys work… We wanted a distinction
with the island workbench strategically placed LEFT: The spotted gum library is submerged with the desk almost buried in the
between the studying space and lounging-around
under one of the glass sections, as well as the garden, creating a contemplative nook
space – as a result we separated them within the
lovely, submerged study which accommodates
same space so that they could still talk to each other.” ABOVE: The design is in part a reaction to the rise of the home compound with
more reflective activities. In the practice’s formal
high fences. Tower House’s borders are permeable and with the gates wide
project description, Dr Who TARDIS analogies A project with so many interwoven stories and ideas
open the line between public and private is blurred
are made, and not without merit. and allusions could easily have ended up a bloated
and confused building, but therein lies Andrew
So it’s along this winding path via kids’ school
Maynard Architects’ particular facility. They say you
sketches, architects’ backstory, project-specific PROJECT Tower House CLIENT S+P ARCHITECT Andrew Maynard Architects PROJECT TEAM Andrew Maynard, Mark Austin ENGINEER Maurice Farrugia and Associates
shouldn’t edit your own work but this practice has
materiality and pointed spatial questioning that we BUILDER Overend Constructions LANDSCAPE DESIGN Bush Projects and Andrew Maynard Architects LANDSCAPING CONTRACTOR Lucida Landscapes STEEL FABRICATOR Skyrange
a clear ability to distill and refine, allowing all the
arrive at the last narrative we have time for, that of Engineering (Windows); Overend Constructions (Non-structural steel work); Melsteel (Structural steel) SHOP DRAWING CONTRACTOR Melsteel CLADDING CONTRACTOR MGD Plumbing
threads to underwrite a central message but
play. Such an innocent description; so many loaded PRINCIPAL STEEL COMPONENTS Roofing and wall cladding: LYSAGHT LONGLINE 305® profile made from COLORBOND® steel in the colour Surfmist®. Doors and windows: Steel-framed
never compromise it. The result is an inventive
connotations. There’s a fine line between light-hearted double-glazed doors and windows. Steel reveals: 6mm steel plate thresholds between internal and external spaces (including floor, vertical sides & head-over). Steel steps: 6mm steel plate
body of work that never takes itself too seriously
and cute – it’s a distinction Austin well-understands. steps at Living 01/Study, Living 01/Rear Garden, Ensuite, Kitchen/Master Bed. Steel stair structure: to stair in Study Tower. Steel bench top to island bench: with laser-cut details to northern side
but always contributes originality and energy
“It is sometimes hard to get that balance right. to the practice of residential architecture. of island bench PROJECT TIMEFRAME September 2012-March 2014 AWARDS 2015 Australian Institute of Architects National Award for Residential Architecture - Houses (Alterations and
We don’t go into a project thinking ‘Let’s make it Tower House, being no exception. SP Additions): the Eleanor Cullis-Hill Award, 2015 Australian Institute of Architects Victoria Awards: John and Phyllis Murphy Award for Residential Architecture - Houses (Alterations and Additions)
BUILDING SIZE Site area 500m2; floor area 225m2

PB
PROFILE PROFILES...
TUALA HJARNØ
BEN BLOSSOM
They are Danish, have an intriguing name
and boast an extraordinary portfolio in
which every building is unique. Now the
ingenuity of 3XN is being directed to an
exciting re-development of the AMP
complex at Sydney’s Circular Quay.
Words Paul McGillick
KIM HERFORTH-NIELSEN & FRED HOLT

F
rom time to time a building appears and form from the image of a whirlpool, an impression aluminium shingles that respond to the curving form, form a base for the curved facades. “Steel is at the practice with the idiosyncratic name, which is about The name stuck and morphed into 3XN.
becomes an instant international icon, that begins on approach as visitors are drawn up via reflecting both the sky and the sea, signalling the heart of The Blue Planet,” says 3XN senior partner, to transform the Circular Quay precinct of Sydney? Since then the two other founding partners
celebrating the marriage of imagination, surging vortex blades to a wonderworld beneath the aquatic experience to come. Kim Herforth-Nielsen. “It made the shape possible. have moved on and Kim now leads the firm
The firm was founded in 1986 in Arhus, Denmark’s
materials and new technology. Such was the case sea. Sculpturally exciting as the building is, the form Without steel we would not have been able to with two senior partners: Jan Ammundsen
Not so obvious is the underlying structure that has second-largest city. Along with Kim Herforth-
with The Blue Planet, Copenhagen’s new aquarium, also instantly conveys what the building is about. create the shape as we did at a price that was and Kasper Guldager Jensen. The firm also
made this dramatic form possible. Extending beyond Nielsen, the other two partners were also called
when it opened in 2013. Situated north of Karstrup Similarly, the materiality of the building embodies the coastline and sited on land prone to subsidence, viable.” Not surprisingly, this bold exploitation Nielsen and the company was called Nielsen moved to Copenhagen where it has become
harbour, not far from Copenhagen airport, it sits on its purpose. Its organic facade is clad with more the concrete structure sits on piles. This load is of the potential of steel won the 2014 Danish Steel Nielsen & Nielsen. Kim recalls that a client much more international in its focus – about
a headland thrusting towards the sea. It takes its than 33,000 small, identically-sized diamond-shaped carried by a system of 54 unique steel frames that Award. So, what drives this Danish architectural jokingly referred to them as “three-times Nielsen”. 80 per cent of its work is now abroad æ
ADAM MØRK
The form of The Blue Planet signals its purpose as the

approaching visitor feels drawn into a whirlpool
“We believe that architecture shapes behaviour... we continuously explore ways that
we can enhance the lives of the people that live or work in and around our buildings”

ADAM MØRK
“Without steel we spectacular views across the harbour and back
towards the city. Renamed the Quay Quarter Tower
As a major component of AMP Capital’s $1 billion Quay
Quarter Sydney (QQS) project, the Quay Quarter Tower
to design a building that would become an active
participant in its context. Holt points out that the
would not have been (QQT), it is a perfect case study of 3XN and its values. will contribute to the revitalisation of a large section
of the northern end of the CBD. With economic, social,
massing subtly referrences the Opera House through
its slightly varied, repetitive components and the
3XN is finalising designs for the Quay Quarter Tower
able to create the at BVN’s offices in the centre of Sydney. This is a
environmental and cultural benefits embedded into
planning and design processes across the precinct,
Harbour Bridge, while the sun-shading is a deliberate
reference to Harry Seidler’s pioneering use of sun
long way from Copenhagen, but as Kim Herforth-
shape as we did at a Nielsen says: “AMP invited us to participate in the
the scheme aims to reinforce “Sydney’s credentials
as a global city in the 21st Century Asian economy”,
hoods on some of the surrounding tall towers.
initial competition. While our first concern was that The last time a Danish architect gave Sydney a
price that was viable” it is quite far away, we regularly work on projects
according to Louise Mason, AMP Capital managing
director – Office & Industrial.
building it became a global icon. It will be interesting
outside of Denmark, and we realised that this is an to observe the delivery of 3XN’s vision for its own
opportunity to work with a client that truly values For a firm that sees all challenges as potential type of world-class architecture at one of Sydney’s
design and sees it as an integral part of their opportunities, this project offered a unique chance most prominent locations. SP
business success.”
Fred Holt, a partner at 3XN, is leading the design
3XN
team out of the Sydney offices of BVN. BVN is
the local, executive partner in Sydney and Holt
has stayed on to see the design through the
varies phases of the project.
“We often design from the inside out, to influence

the formal geometry of a building,” Holt says.
This strategy has driven the remarkable re-
modelling of the QQT, where the architects began
with conceptualising the workspace then relating
it back to the building form and to the city. Holt
ADAM MØRK
MARTIN KIRCHGÄSSNER
believes this is why 3XN won the competition – not
just because it is “a great gesture” and a response
to the city, but because it also adds value to the
workplace interiors. “I think it set us apart from a
lot of our competitors who were mostly just focussed
on a building that looked interesting,” he says.
Holt explains that with QQT, 3XN has taken all the
qualities of a low-rise office building – proximity
to outdoor space, deep penetration of daylight,
open space – and brought them to a high-rise.
Cutting atria into the building provides vertical as
well as horizontal views, together with internal
cross-views of the workspaces. All of this drives
connection and social interaction which adds
value and increases productivity.
There are two aspects to the strategy. The first

is to break up the mass of the building by cutting
into it to form five faceted tower blocks. These
have internal atria, typically 12 metres high,
forming a series of vertical and horizontal
villages – a kind of interior cityscape that,
– with a much wider typological scope. In 2007, a building’s form must have meaning and not simply because of the transparency of the building,
GXN (with G standing for green) was also established be a sculptural object oblivious to its context. begins to merge with the actual cityscape outside.
as an innovation unit exploring all aspects of
“People are very much at the heart of our design,” The second aspect of the building's strategy
sustainable design, materials and processes.
Herforth-Nielsen adds. “We spend a lot of time at the concerns the podium that is "essentially the
The practice is known internationally for outstanding beginning working to understand the specific needs horizontal village to the vertical village of the tower,”
MARTIN KIRCHGÄSSNER
buildings such as the Danish Embassy within the of each client and how people will use the building. Holt says. The new podium will offer greater amenity
Scandinavian Embassy complex in Berlin (1999), We then design solutions that keep people at the to the retail tenancies by creating multiple levels
the Muziekgebouw in Amsterdam (2005) and heart of the architecture, as opposed to establishing and enhanced porosity at street level. The aim is
more recently the Swedbank in Stockholm (2014). a sculptural form that bears no relationship to its to activate the precinct and draw people towards
But the practice has clear values that have driven surroundings or considers its inhabitants.” Circular Quay through the building which will include
it from the beginning. an elevated garden terrace accessible to the public.
This is an approach that could be summed up
“We believe that architecture shapes behaviour,” as communication, community, connection TOP: An aerial view of The Blue Planet reveals the
says Herforth-Nielsen, “and we continuously and collaboration – one that applies as much building’s vortical geometry
explore ways that we can enhance the lives of the to 3XN’s own highly collaborative studio as it
ABOVE LEFT: One of the themed viewing spaces in
people that live or work in and around our buildings. does to its projects. The Blue Planet which create a sense of actually
We place people at the heart of our architecture.” being in the sea, among its creatures
The practice has brought this approach to the
This aspiration to add value not just to the people who re-development of the AMP building in Sydney, ABOVE RIGHT: Construction images show how the RIGHT: Quay Quarter’s five faceted tower blocks are
use the building, but to the community and cityscape a landmark site at Sydney’s Circular Quay defined underlying system of steel frames supports the stacked, breaking down the mass and creating a
around it, goes hand in hand with the conviction that by Bridge, Young and Phillip Streets, and enjoying dynamic curvature of the building series of internal vertical and horizontal villages

Beyond a heritage facade, this family home in Adelaide boasts a
distinctive and quirky addition wrapped in COLORBOND® steel.
Together, these opposites create a perfect union.
Words Rachael Bernstone Photography Belinda Monck
STATE OF THE UNION
ARCHITECT
Jon Lowe Architect
PROJECT
A Collection of Spaces
LOCATION
Croydon, South Australia

D
rive through this inner-west suburb of Their heritage-listed double fronted cottage – rooms in two distinct parts, each celebrating its own
Adelaide on its main roads – tree-lined built in about 1905 – was also relatively affordable. unique characteristics.
four-lane highways edged with big box
The pair lived in the home for several years while Jon’s design aimed to preserve the old-world charm
retailers, saw-tooth-roofed warehouses and
establishing their careers and considering how of the cottage’s four main rooms while removing lean-
convenience stores – and you’ll miss the eccentric
best to tackle a renovation. When Jon put pen to to structures that housed the kitchen and bathroom.
and eclectic gems that make this place special.
paper he envisaged a double-storey contemporary After work had commenced, it became apparent
Turn into residential streets and you’ll encounter
pavilion at the rear, joined to the original home by that the external rear wall was sub-standard, so
typical handsome stone villas, an occasional
a transition space or link way, opening to courtyards it also had to be torn down. That stumbling block
Tudor-esque house with steeply pitched gables,
forced the couple to reassess and make alternative
and a smattering of 1930s bungalows. A small on either side. Like all good relationships – especially
arrangements. Adding new footings and walls
strip of shops near the railway station boasts a harmonious marriage – this one required a lot of
added additional time and expense to an
retro furniture and fashion stores, an artisan thought and work to make it successful.
otherwise straightforward project.
The two front rooms – now bedrooms – have

mullioned windows that overlook a narrow verandah
“The house provides a series of flexible rooms enclosed by a picket fence. They share three-metre
high ceilings and original wide jarrah floorboards,
in two distinct parts, each celebrating its own and the larger one has a working fireplace. Behind
them, a smaller third bedroom and open living room
unique characteristics” round out the original footprint, where Jon deliberately
maintained the scale of the humble cottage.
“Jess’ dad used to hit his head on the old doorframe

bakery and several cafes. The fine grain of this up-and- As the couple embarked on the design, with Jess
of the lean-to kitchen, it was so low,” Jon says,
coming neighbourhood is easy to appreciate if you acting as informed client, they had vague notions
“However, I wanted to keep those proportions in this
venture inwards, away from its busy thoroughfares. about starting a family sometime in the future.
space, so the ceilings are still low and the windows
“We thought that we might have a baby one day,
Those were some of the qualities that attracted a were deliberately placed low to the ground.”
nothing more definite than that,” Jess says.
young couple – architect Jon Lowe and his partner It eventuated that their first child was born just The link between old and new – a wide multi-function
Jess Murrell – to the area in 2008, when they bought as they moved out so that construction could zone that can easily transform from corridor to study,
their first home. They also liked the easy commute: commence. But even that challenge didn’t throw to home office, with the addition or subtraction of
it’s two stops on the train or a 5km cycle ride through this couple off-course. Conceived as a “collection furniture – hints at what lies beyond. The link narrows
parklands and along the River Torrens to the city. of spaces”, the house provides a series of flexible to create a second short hallway, with doorways æ
EAST ELEVATION
OPPOSITE: The new extension combines seconds

quality bricks painted white at ground level and
COLORBOND® steel in the colour Woodland Grey®
above, to give the upper box a distinctive presence
from the street
RIGHT: At the front, the heritage cottage abuts

the footpath – possibly denoting it as the oldest
house in the street – while the extension is tucked
in behind, and angled to the north

to two new bathrooms and a laundry. From this temporary addition of a stair gate, and carefully design meetings, and shared images of things we
compressed hall space one enters the new back supervised visits upstairs, mean they can still liked on Tumblr,” Jess says. “Jon can appreciate
room. Like saving the best till last, Jon exploded enjoy their sanctuary. In a few years, they may find the ‘carbuncle’ aesthetic of the exposed steel, but PANEL SAYS
this new living zone – which contains sitting area, themselves relegated back downstairs – with the I like the sleekness of Scandinavian modernism.
The considered selection of COLORBOND® steel in
dining space and kitchen – and filled it with light upper section making a perfect teenage retreat –
“Also, Jon’s all about the grey – charcoal grey the colour Woodland Grey® to clad a new pavilion-
and air, making it a natural antithesis to the cosy a switch that will be easily accomplished, such is
structural steel, Woodland Grey® COLORBOND® steel like structure at the rear of a heritage house in
and constrained rooms up front. the inherent flexibility of all the home’s spaces.
cladding, he’s a typical architect – while I prefer white
Adelaide’s inner northern suburbs gives the home
The double-height space is overlooked by a The traditional attributes of the original house walls, and I don’t like too much wood. This is a perfect
a unique presence in the street. The steel is both
mezzanine and balcony, which is reached by a steep compare and contrast beautifully with the expansive marriage of those two approaches,” she continues.
“It was an extremely collaborative process and the dominant and recessive: it provides a distinctive
ladder-like staircase, and is currently set up as a volume and slick production values of the new
studio and library. At the rear of this upper level, one pavilion. Standing in the link-way between the two final product is a reflection of both of our styles.” edge to the bold new structure as seen from the
can look across the garden to the suburban rail line distinct parts, the architect’s ability to manage street, but also enables the bulk of the upper level
It adds up to an old/new, historic/contemporary,
one block away, while the front corner window frames relationships – to balance heritage and modern, box to blend in with the surroundings. Internally,
expansive/sustainable house that can readily
the ornate onion domes of a nearby Orthodox church. sophisticated detailing and simple refurbishment, the volumes are carefully arranged to create various
adapt and change as the family grows. There
scale and volume – is evident. spatial types: some are deliberately compact in line
The ground floor of the new addition was largely is obviously a great deal of design thinking
constructed with the same generic materials as the This outcome resulted from a careful synthesis embedded in this project, but the end result with the historic cottage at the front, and others are
old cottage: seconds-quality bricks painted white, of the architect’s (his) and client’s (hers) visions. appears effortless. Like any good relationship, expansive and undeniably contemporary, such as the
over a timber frame. For the upper box, which is “Jon was very consultative – we had regular these two make it look easy. SP living spaces that overlook the garden. The cut and
visible from the street and neighbouring houses, thrust of the materials, and the collision of old and
and which is angled to the north to flood the entire
new, work skillfully together to create a terrific
space with natural light, Jon opted for an eye-
domestic environment for a young family
catching steel frame and steel cladding solution.
”Most people would use a timber frame for a

renovation in Adelaide, but you can’t achieve these
ABOVE LEFT AND RIGHT: The hallway that connects
cantilevers or thin edges with timber,” Jon says.
the linkway with the new living space (above left)
“Because I work with steel in my architectural
mimics the proportions of the hall in the original
projects in the office – on government and cottage. The new living space, in contrast, is a
commercial projects – I’m comfortable with double-height room that is flooded with natural light
the material and what it’s capable of.”
BELOW: From the rear garden, it’s easy to appreciate
The back room is framed by expressed UCs – the fine steel work which includes crisply detailed
which Jon selected for their more pleasing structural framing made from UCs, and the thin-edged
square appearance thanks to deeper flanges roof made from COLORBOND® steel in the colour
than I-beams. They give the volume a sense of SECTION FLOOR PLAN Woodland Grey®, in Revolution Roofing True Oak™ ‘Deep’
generosity that belies its compact floor space. profile, with recessed gutter
“This was quite a different process to building

a house with a timber frame and brick veneer,” Upstairs, the steel-framed mezzanine is currently used as an adult retreat with library and
Jon says. “The ground-floor brickwork took three studio spaces. It can be easily adapted in future, should the family’s needs change
months to complete, but the steel structure for
the upper floor – which was craned into place –
was erected in just a few days.”
The sides and roof of the upper section were

wrapped in Revolution Roofing’s True Oak™ ‘Deep’
profile, made from COLORBOND® steel in the colour
Woodland Grey®. “The top roof pitch is just three
degrees, which is one reason we chose True Oak™
‘Deep’,” Jon says. “I also wanted to create a
very thin edge on the top of the roof, so I used
recessed gutters to achieve that.”
The decision to reveal the structural steel in the new

section was a considered one, Jon says. “Over time,
you get better at finding ways of using materials
and knowing where to spend money,” he explains.
“In this house we opted to expose the steel and
celebrate that structure, and create shadow lines
in the back room. But in other parts of the house
where it wouldn’t have been as noticeable, we
didn’t go to the same lengths with the detailing.”
Both Jon and Jess concede that the mezzanine

is not ideally suited to life with a toddler, but the
PROJECT A Collection of Spaces CLIENT Jon Lowe and Jess Murrell ARCHITECT Jon Lowe STRUCTURAL & CIVIL ENGINEER Jim Wilson BUILDER Evoque Homes
STEEL FABRICATOR AND SHOP DRAWING CONTRACTOR Peluso Engineering CLADDING CONTRACTOR City Roofing & Gutters PRINCIPAL STEEL COMPONENTS
Cladding and Roofing: Revolution Roofing’s True Oak™ ‘Deep’ profile, made from COLORBOND® steel in the colour Woodland Grey®. Hot rolled sections, UC and RHS
PROJECT TIMEFRAME Eight months (construction) AWARDS 2015 Australian Institute of Architecture South Australia Awards: The John Schenk Award for
Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations & Additions); People’s Choice Award (Houses, Alterations and Additions) BUILDING SIZE 120m2

A gravity-defying engineering system traditionally reserved for
building bridges has been employed by Architectus to thrust
the ends of a new school building 10 metres into space.
Words Rob Gillam Photography Brendan Finn
ARCHITECT
Architectus
PROJECT
Tintern Schools – Middle Schools
LOCATION
Ringwood, Victoria

E
ntering Tintern Schools for the first time, it is he says. “Steel gives great strength, particularly LYSAGHT KLIP-LOK® 406 profile made from
clear its landscapes are cherished. Its many when it’s used in tension. It is engineered well and COLORBOND® steel in the colour Shale Grey™
buildings skirt around the ‘shore’ of generously you minimise material waste and on-site welding was selected for its connection to the surroundings, 1
turfed sporting fields and are linked by a series of because it can be fabricated off site. Assembling it Jones says. “COLORBOND® steel Shale Grey™
1
bushy gardens and stands of mature trees. as a kit of parts made for great economy.” represents a colour often found in the Australian
landscape,” he says. “We wanted it to fit with the 1
When he approached the design for a new building At a “crunch time” in the build, it was discovered that
tone of the landscape and not differentiate itself 1
– at the geographical and hierarchical middle of the delivery of the composite panels which are made in CROSS SECTION
too much from the other buildings. It does of course 1
school – Architectus design principal James Jones* the US would be delayed,” says Jones. “Because of stand out, quite literally, but at the same time it
took this into account by extending its two wings the lead time, the shop drawings for the wall panels 1
seems like it’s always been here.” 1
around a gigantic gum tree. had to be signed off before the steel work went up.
Normally you’d get to measure and then work out Structural steel including Universal Beams for both
“The way the pavilions make way for the trees is 3
tolerance but in this case the steel frames had to beams and columns contributes to the building 2
a bit of a reference to the Plywood House Hertzog 4
go up first. envelope, but as Jones says: “There is only one 4
& deMeuron designed, where they gently splayed 2
cross-section through the two wings so there’s only
a modest house around a tree,” Jones says. Here, “The repetition of the steel frame for the cladding 1 LONGITUDINAL SECTION
one structural section. It’s effectively relying on a 1
though, the concept is exaggerated by largely – which is constructed from standard universal box frame for the 60 metre-long extruded sections.”
separating the wings from each other to physically 1
steel sections – was critical in this regard and This is where architecture and engineering combine 1
embody the school’s parallel learning model which
the mathematical precision of the builder was to perform seemingly magical feats.
tailors the years seven-to-nine curriculum into
to be admired,” Jones adds. 1
separate classes for girls and boys. Jones has created such structural illusions before.
Jones also selected steel to roof the building. In 2008 with Heffernan Button Voss Architects (HBV),
Privacy between the wings is maintained via an opaque
“Because we conceived the building like two he and engineer Jim Gandy designed a post-and-rod
all-in-one cladding and glazing material that allows for
big horizontal boxes floating in the landscape, tension system to create a column-free 43-metre-wide
daylight penetration. The wall cladding is punctuated
we didn’t want the roof to attract attention to roof with a 12-metre overhang for Aurora Energy’s FIRST FLOOR PLAN
with strip windows that provide controlled views.
itself; it’s more about what’s inside the building. Southern Operations Facility in Tasmania (see Steel
LEGEND
Tintern Schools’ business and site manager Damien It’s a big roof but we wanted it to have a low profile.” Profile 102). His next seamingly gravity- æ
1. Classroom
Horman says that investment in design systems
2. Lobby
early in the process paid dividends during the
3. Staff
build. “James helped us with some key decisions
4. Support
to keep the building within budget, including the
structural steel system and the prefab Kalwall
cladding, both of which allowed for speedy
erection,” Horman explains.
“Once the building’s floor level was established, it went

up in just two weeks. We estimate that this helped us
deliver the project 10 per cent under budget.”
Jones agrees that economy is one of the reasons he

specified steel for the building’s structure. “We needed
a lightweight and economical material. We could
have tried to build with other materials but we’d have
been looking at much bigger structural members,” “We wanted to make the building like two big horizontal
boxes floating in the landscape”
ABOVE: The structural system allows for a generous cantilever from the last column that ‘floats’ the pavilions 10 metres into space and creates an outdoor undercover area
BELOW: The schools’ grounds are cherished and the architects took this into account by extending the building’s two wings around a gigantic gum tree
A Vierendeel truss minimises

diagonal members and
places the structure over
the classrooms so they sit
inside, rather than on it

LEGEND
1
1 1. Entry
2. Early Learning Centre
1
3. Colebrook Building
2 4. Hamilton Centre
5. C.M.Wood Building
6. Tintern Schools
administration building
7. Male wing
8. Female wing
12
9. Arts building
13 10. Senior school
11. Science centre
12. The oval
3 13. Hockey field
4 10 11
defying project with HBV and Gandy was Tasmania’s The concrete columns below the classrooms were ABOVE: Spending time in the end classrooms, which
5 7 8
Transend Primary Store (Steel Profile 107), which deliberately propped high, to account for settlement. release views to the school’s oval, is highly prized
eschewed bulky internal steel portal systems for Horman says that when they were removed “there was BELOW: An opaque all-in-one cladding and glazing
a lightweight external truss that suspended a roof a bit of doubt in my mind for a moment that the building 9
material allows for daylight penetration. The repetitive
of bridge-like proportions, spanning 54 metres. might not hold up. I think everyone held their breath.” steel system for the walls was built ahead of the
cladding installation, requiring mathematical precision
The Middle Schools’ pavilions effectively rely on Of course, the cantilevers did not collapse and they
a clever box frame modelled around a Vierendeel now provide ‘free’ covered space underneath the 6
truss. As Jones explains: “Rather than putting big building. “Almost like a redefinition of the veranda,”
beams through to hold up the floor and putting the as Jones puts it.
classrooms on top, the structure goes right over the SITE PLAN
For students and teachers, spending time in the end
top of the classrooms so they are inside the truss,
classrooms that release the view to the school’s oval
rather than sitting on top of it.
is similarly prized. “It’s quite a delightful place to be,”
“The truss minimises the number of columns you says Horman. “When you’re up in the classroom you
need,” Jones says. “It effectively negates the feel like you are in the tree-tops. You feel calm and PANEL SAYS
need for big diagonal members. It’s almost like welcome. The staff and the kids love it.”
This is at once an understated and bold design
a portal frame in three dimensions.
How does Jones feel about the building now it is that uses Vierendeel trusses to achieve two finger-
“I’m not the engineer so I won’t profess to say complete? “It has a level of finesse that I think makes like cantilevered forms, which give the building a
exactly where all the forces are going,” he adds, it successful,” he says. “It’s a robust building with a distinctive appearance and provide covered outdoor
“but the roof, walls and the floor all work together bit of an industrial feel to it, but it doesn’t look harsh
space. Inside, the classrooms have a light and cool
to create the structural box”. or heavy. I trust that it delivers what we set out to do,
feel, with a lofty outlook across the tree canopy
which was to create some beautiful classrooms.”
Jones worked with structural engineer Phil Gardiner and landscaped grounds. It’s refreshing to see the
of Irwinconsult who admits Vierendeel truss systems Jones however doesn’t give too much weight to his architect refer to his collaboration with the structural
aren’t often employed in buildings. “It’s not a common opinions. “The most pleasing thing about this building
engineer in this design. At first glance, one might be
system but James had a vision of how he wanted is how other people respond to it. I think the measure
forgiven for overlooking the innovative use of steel
the pavilions to look and he wanted a particularly big of success is found in how people identify with a
cantilever – it’s close to 10 metres on the roof,” Gardiner building.” He’d have been overjoyed, then, to hear a in this project, but the incredible cantilevers provide
says. “We needed to find a way to elegantly achieve teacher tell me: “The feeling you get from being up evidence of the embedded ingenuity that forms
that, without throwing in massive structural members here is priceless. If only you could bottle it...” SP the backbone of this unique school building
that would upset the look of the architecture.” *James Jones has since left Architectus to co-found Jones Moore –
Architecture, in Tasmania.
A number of schemes went backwards and forwards
between the architect and engineer before they
arrived at the truss which, Gardiner says, “is a
truss but in reality is a little cable-stayed structure,
like a little bridge”.
“A 10 metre-deep cantilever is starting to get out there

in terms of pushing the boundaries,” he concedes.
“When you’re up in the classroom you feel like you are

“We had to do some serious analysis because we
were concerned about the foot-borne vibrations.
“We did a lot of software modelling but once we had

the specs locked in, it was relatively straightforward.”
in the tree-tops. You feel calm and welcome”
Just as the foundation of Tintern Schools is Anglican
faith, Jones wanted the cantilevers to personify his
faith in structure. “It might sound a bit clichéd but CLIENT Tintern Schools – Middle Schools ARCHITECT Architectus PROJECT TEAM Amy Cantwell, Mark Gifford, James Jones, Jennifer Rodenzo, Simon Smith, Mark Wilde STRUCTURAL
one of our embedded ideas was to have faith ENGINEER Irwinconsult BUILDER Melbcon STEEL FABRICATOR AND SHOP DRAWING CONTRACTOR Wisteria Steel CLADDING CONTRACTOR Kalwall® Systems LANDSCAPE
in the building’s ability to seamingly defy gravity,” ARCHITECTS Frank Hanson of Architectus PRINCIPAL STEEL COMPONENTS Roofing: LYSAGHT KLIP-LOK® 406 profile made from COLORBOND® steel in the colour Shale Grey™.
he says. “We wanted the cantilevers to express Structural steel: including Universal Beams for both beams and columns. Roof purlins made from channel sections. Perforated flooring plates to entries made by Locker Group
an optimism.” PROJECT TIMEFRAME July 2013 - June 2014 BUILDING SIZE 1800m2 TOTAL PROJECT COST $6.5 million

LEGAL RE-DRESS The new Kununurra Courthouse is a study in contrasts and owes its
expressive and evocative form to the attributes of steel.
Words Rachael Bernstone Photography Peter Bennetts
ARCHITECT
TAG Architects and iredale pedersen hook
Architects in Association
PROJECT
Kununurra Courthouse
LOCATION
Kununurra, Western Australia

23
18
18 19
15 5 19
18
17 17
14 17
16 16 16
13
11 5 11
9 10
12 12
7 8
20
6 7 7 7 21
5
4 2
3
22
1
GROUND FLOOR
4 4 17
5
4 17
4 10 7 7
12
7
25 12
T
5
he town of Kununurra in Western Australia
is a place of vibrant contrasts. Modern
“We saw the possibility to once more reinstate the value
24 24 27
buildings on curved streets are juxtaposed
against tall-layered pinnacles of ancient sandstone.
of the courthouse to the community as a figurehead
3
Some residents are attracted by jobs in the mining
and agriculture sectors, while the Miriwoong
for the town, a bit like they used to be at the turn of
29
Gajerrong traditional owners have lived in the
area for millennia.
the previous century in regional WA” 5
28
The town’s new courthouse – designed by TAG
Architects and iredale pedersen hook Architects
in Association (they also collaborated on the “There is a great deal of complexity in designing of the year the building needs to run in that
award-winning West Kimberley Regional Prison, a courthouse because you have to maintain the mode to avoid condensation and mould build-up,
see Steel Profile 116) – takes its cues from safety and security of many different user groups,” a requirement shared with conditioned buildings in FIRST FLOOR
these multiplicities. says TAG Architects director Michael Spight. this climate region. Truly sustainable design achieves
“We designed for the needs of the staff, the public, the right balance of all needs of the building.”
The result is a complex building that marries
the jury, the judiciary, vulnerable witnesses and
competing briefs to operate effectively The entire program was a complicated balancing
people who are brought through from police LEGEND
on different levels – both pragmatic and act and TAG and iph’s unusual and highly responsive
custody – some of whom are being held TOP: The courthouse roof form (top) and internal 1. Air lock 11. Staff WC 21. Magistrate court
ephemeral. Understandably, its design posed design has generated high praise, with some locals
temporarily, while others will have been spaces pay homage to the folding ranges near 2. Entry foyer 12. Public WC 22. Public courtyard
many challenges. First, it had to acknowledge referring to it as the “Opera House of Kununurra”,
brought in from remote locations.” Kununurra, such as Mirima (Hidden Valley) 3. Public waiting 13. Clerk of courts 23. Police station
the disproportionate representation of Aboriginal according to iph director Adrian Iredale. “It’s
National Park (above) 4. Office 14. Staff room 24. Meeting room
people in the state’s criminal justice system. The extreme variations in climate imposed a layer certainly the biggest building in town, and it’s on
5. UAT 15. Staff room 25. Meditation room
Indigenous Australians comprise 3.8 per of difficulty, Spight adds. “In the wet season it a really important corner location where you come
6. Public computers 16. Store 26. Void over entry
cent of the population but account for more can be close to 45 degrees Celsius, so we’ve had into the heart of the town,” he says. “We saw the
7. Interview room 17. Plant 27. Void over magistrate court
than 40 per cent of the adult prison population. to try and deal with all that humidity by pressurising possibility to once more reinstate the value of the
8. Registry 18. Waiting 28. Jury deliberation
With this in mind, the architects aimed the building to dehumidify the internal spaces. courthouse to the community as a figurehead for
9. General office 19. Office 29. Jury court
to deliver a building that would appear From a sustainability point of view that seemed the town, a bit like they used to be at the turn of
undesirable, but the fact is for eight months the previous century in regional WA.” æ 10. Utility room 20. Landscaped courtyard
authoritative yet at the same time welcoming.

Those grand old courthouses boast solid stone Both architects agree that the distinctive roof – and COLORBOND® steel in the colour Woodland Grey® “We spent a lot of time detailing that roof, because it
foundations and heavy masonry walls, with the variable heights of the courthouses, public foyers was a deliberate one. “The courthouse that was is so expressive and everyone sees it first,” Iredale
stately columns that shade imposing porticoes and office spaces beneath it – could not have been demolished had an old caramel-coloured Brownbuilt- says. “And the main concern that was raised at the
and graceful arched doorways. High on the walls, achieved without using steel. “The entire building profiled roof with a square canopy and small caps value management workshop in relation to the roof
prominent bas-relief coats-of-arms spell out their is steel framed, although there are some concrete or what we refer to as ‘Canterbury prickles’ over was that it wouldn’t leak. When we create those
function. “The courthouses at Coolgardie and columns downstairs,” Iredale says. The structure each of the ribs,” Spight recalls. “We’ve got a undulations, inevitably there will be some water
Kalgoorlie are classic examples, but that focus was created with a combination of LYSAGHT® 150C similar detail on the new building: we’ve got a collected between the roof planes. We were able
has been lost over time with the design of regional x 64 external wall framing and Rondo 92C x 35 internal fairly broad rib and we’ve used all those same to insert a deep pan roof sheeting profile in those
courthouses,” Iredale says. “They typically became wall framing, and various steel sections including cappings on all of the returns of the building. parts, which was wide enough that it wouldn’t be
generic designs in the 1970s and 1980s, which would SHS, RHS, UC, UB sections, with Z Purlins used for It reduced the whole impact, in comparison to perceived as or perform as a box gutter.”
just be unfolded and applied to generous sites.” columns, beams, roof beams and roof trusses. applying cover flashings on every change of direction. “Most importantly, the Revolution Roofing Rev-
This project – which houses courtrooms on two The first floor slab was formed on LYSAGHT “The small caps over the ridge give a smooth, Klip™ 700 profile enabled us to almost entirely
levels – replaced an earlier courthouse on the site, BONDEK® steel decking made from DECKFORM® clean fold to the edge which you can see in one eliminate visible fixings, with the obvious
and required a bespoke solution, Iredale says. “Firstly steel, which provided time-saving and structural of the photographs that looks towards the entry: additional advantage of reducing penetrations
because of the tightness of the site – it really isn’t big benefits, Iredale says. “Using LYSAGHT BONDEK® each one of the ribs is quite crisp against the sky, though the roof sheet,” Spight adds.
enough to fit the courthouse program that we needed allowed us to get the roof up before the onset as a result,” Spight continues. “When it rains – and in the wet season it buckets
to fulfill, with all of its car parking and courtyard of the wet season, which runs from November down – you can be sitting in the foyer spaces
As well as being the courthouse’s most prominent
requirements,” he says. “We were also trying to find to March,” Spight explains. “It was a matter of upstairs or downstairs and see water shooting
feature, at least from the outside, the roof had to
something that is uniquely specific to this town, to getting that construction sequence to happen off the building in a great waterfall,” Iredale says.
perform well, too. Keeping water out of the building
represent the qualities of the town and its people.” early enough to get the roof on, so work could “It’s a reference to the valleys and gullies of the
is easier said than done when downpours can
take place underneath it in the rain, and provide landscape where water cascades down in a
It wasn’t hard to identify qualities that make the town deliver 500 millimetres of rain in over just two
ongoing shade in the dry season.” similar way.”
special, says Spight. “Kununurra is unique – there days – with accompanying strong winds –
aren’t any places in WA that are quite the same,” The decision to clad the roof using Revolution and the risk of water ingress is exacerbated Stormwater proceeds either directly to roadside
he says. “It has a broad flood-plain which has been Roofing Rev-Klip™ 700 profile made from by several changes in roof plane direction. gutters or to underground storage tanks alongside
cultivated over the years with the Ord River irrigation the building, which slowly release it to a natural
scheme and, as a backdrop to the town there is a swale that drains to Lake Kununurra.
series of ranges including Kelly’s Knob and Mirima
(Hidden Valley) National Park. Those folding ranges
“We spent a lot of time detailing that roof, because Of course the roof has to protect the building
from fierce sun as well – top temperatures above
leave the greatest impression when you first arrive,
and they are ever-present in the town.
it is so expressive and everyone sees it first” 40 degrees Celsius are not uncommon – so it
functions like a giant sunshade to protect the
“The external profile of the roof, which is obviously walls and double-glazed windows, along with
very expressive, is a result of developing the a series of perforated screens and fixed
qualities of the interior space and knowing that the metal louvres that are mounted on BlueScope
folding metal roof would create a strong dialogue XLERPLATE® WR350 weathering steel frames
with the surrounding hills, including Kelly’s Knob,” around the upper level perimeter. æ
Iredale says.
The upper levels are protected by a series of perforated screens (opposite page) and fixed metal louvres (above),
all of which are mounted on BlueScope XLERPLATE® WR350 weathering steel frames. The louvres were designed
to frame views - both near and far - from inside the building
Hidden Valley
Distant Hills
COLORBOND® steel roof

Kelly's Knob form referencing Distant Hills
and landscape

“Because of the proximity to the equator the sun Unusually, perhaps, in such a hot climate, complement that with sophistication, such as The building’s undulating steel roof mimics the and location. Their massing and arrangement
tracks more vertically, so every single side is hit the architects specified roof cladding made Woodland Grey®,” Iredale says. “It also echoes form of the sandstone rock formations which helps to establish an authoritative presence
by sun at certain times of the year,” Iredale says. from COLORBOND® steel in the colour Woodland the shadow of charcoal that you can see at also informed the interiors. Local stone and yet retains an air of approachability. “Aboriginal PANEL SAYS
“The parasol wall – over the upper level foyer Grey®. They admit the colour Headland® is a more certain times of day in Hidden Valley. It was also recycled timber combine with masterful people from this region are not used to having This expressive building in the Kimberley – which
on the northern elevation and the judicial chambers common choice in the Kimberley but assert that important to carry the roof colour down the horizontal and vertical spatial manipulations to attend large complex buildings such as this, is so reminiscent of its landscape owing to the use
on the southern side, combined with triple insulation the darker shade was warranted in this case. fascia and under the soffit to visually reinforce to create recognisable and familiar cave-like so we wanted the building to convey gravitas of local stone and the architects’ skillful handling of
in the roof – helps to reduce the heat load. “We selected Woodland Grey® as an appropriate the continuous folding parasol roof form.” spaces in the public foyers. and respect without intimidation,” Spight says. steel – actively invites people to enter and experience
way to deal with the red dirt,” says Spight.
“The XLERPLATE® WR350 weathering steel- From the outset, the influence of Hidden Valley Both outside and inside, the building exemplifies It’s a design solution that has already its atmospheric and layered interiors. The clever
framed screen with fixed louvres was designed “We knew the presence of this building would – one of the locals’ favourite places to visit among many contrasts – ancient and modern, reaped rewards, including The Julius Elischer manipulation of the unusual roof form – an undulating
specifically to frame distant and close views of the be strong, and we wanted a colour that would the region’s many natural wonders – is evident.
Aboriginal and non-indigenous, light and heavy, Award for Interior Architecture at the 2015 structural steel-frame clad with COLORBOND® steel
surrounding landscape and town from inside the natural and man-made – and fulfills its many WA Chapter Australian Institute of in the colour Woodland Grey® – traces the silhouette
building. The spacing of the steel frame relates to
the interior built-in seats, so that visitors can find “We knew the presence of this building obligations without ever losing sight of its users.
Like the best of Western Australia’s traditional
Architects Awards. of the nearby ranges, with another reference
made through the customised fritted pattern of the
a quiet and intimate space with a distant view to “This is a building for everyone,” Iredale
the hills or sky, or a group space with views to the would be strong, and we wanted a colour that courthouses, it conveys meaning and civic
pride using symbolism that is readily apparent
concludes. “It specifically references both northern elevation screen, tying the building into its
surroundings. These are just some of the qualities
community. This synergy between exterior and the ancient and the new landscapes that
interior elements creates a variety of spaces would complement that with sophistication, to both everyday and occasional visitors.
are very much embedded within the minds to be found in a project that transcends the brief to
that enable individuals and groups to find their The use of locally sourced and readily available of traditional owners and all residents provide a welcoming courthouse, one that goes a
place of preference,” he says. such as Woodland Grey®” materials reflects the town’s unique identity of Kununurra.” SP long way to de-institutionalise a typology that can
often appear rigid and stern
ABOVE LEFT AND RIGHT: The cave-like internal public spaces were framed using steel sections, and clad with local stone and recycled timber, Unlike the courthouses of old, the new building at Kununurra boasts naturally lit courtrooms (above left) and access to public courtyards (above right), which offer visual and
to create a recognisable and familiar sensation similar to the experience of entering Hidden Valley physical connections to the landscape and sky
PROJECT Kununurra Courthouse CLIENT Department of the Attorney General; Department of Finance, Building Management & Works ARCHITECT TAG Architects and iredale pedersen hook
architects, Architects in Association PROJECT DIRECTORS Jurg Hunziker, Michael Spight, Adrian Iredale, Finn Pedersen DESIGN ARCHITECTS Adrian Iredale, Michael Spight PROJECT
ARCHITECTS Daniel Bubnich, Nikki Ross OTHER ARCHITECTURAL TEAM MEMBERS TAG Architects: Cynthia Teng, Julie-Anne McGuinness, Daniela Casadio, Hayley Brigatti, Melanie Burnett.
iredale pedersen hook architects: Martyn Hook, Cherie Kaptein, Caroline Di Costa, Rebecca Angus, Jason Lenard, Mary McAree, Vincci Chow, Khairani Khalifah, Drew Penhale, Brett Mitchell,
LEGEND 6
Jonathan Ware, Matt Fletcher, Mathew Omodei BUILDER Cooper & Oxley Builders STEEL FABRICATOR AND STEEL SHOP DRAWINGS Metro Steel Lintels ROOFING CONTRACTOR Charman
1. Public registry
2 Roofing STRUCTURAL ENGINEER Terpkos Engineering MECHANICAL / SERVICES ENGINEER DB Mechanical Consulting LANDSCAPING Place Laboratory PRINCIPAL STEEL PRODUCTS
2. Foyer
3 Roofing and wall cladding: Revolution Roofing Rev-Klip™ 700 profile made from COLORBOND® steel in the colour Woodland Grey®. LYSAGHT BONDEK® steel decking made from DECKFORM®
3. Magistrate courtroom
steel. Structural steel: a combination of LYSAGHT® 150C x 64 external wall framing and Rondo 92C x 35 internal wall framing, and various steel sections including SHS, RHS, UC, UB sections, with
4. Courtyard 5
1 2 Z Purlins, used for columns, beams, roof beams and roof trusses. Balustrade framing to void: 40 SHS x 4.0 posts shaped to void profile and clad in timber panels. Brise Soleil Truss made from
5. Parking 7 4
BlueScope XLERPLATE® WR350 weathering steel AWARDS 2015 Australian Institute of Architects Western Australia Awards: The Julius Elischer Award for Interior Architecture. MBA Awards
6. Jury courtroom
WA 2015: Winner – Best Regional Project; Bankwest Best Commercial Building – Building Excellence Award, Kimberley-Pilbara Region: Cooper & Oxley Builders; Bankwest Best Commercial /
7. Interview room
SECTION Industrial Building $6,500,000 to $25,000,000, Building Excellence Award, Kimberley-Pilbara Region: Cooper & Oxley Builders; Winner – LYSAGHT® Judges Innovation Award; Winner Midwest
North West Award for Excellence in Glazing APPROX COST $23,500,000 APPROX SIZE 2280m2

STEEL DETAILS
BESPOKE SHELTER F
or what is at first glance a simple building,
the Wylde Mountain Bike Park Shelter in
The flat steel plate edges 90 degrees to create a seam that not only
stiffens the sheets, it allows adjacent sheets to
the Western Sydney Parklands has its
share of flair.
folds up the edges be joined together.”
A capping made from 3mm XLERPLATE LITE®

These structures are truly reflective of their 90 degrees to create weathering steel runs up, over and down the paired
context. When observed from varying distances, edges and is secured horizontally with weathering
With a design that speaks of bicycle frames and red

heights and angles, they begin to unfurl their a seam that joins steel bolts. Oversized holes and separation washers
secrets and embody forms drawn from the allow for some movement at the bolt connection,
dirt tracks, Group GSA has maximised steel’s load- adjacent mountain bike trail. The shelter’s roof and stiffens the to allow for expansion and contraction of the steel
evokes the form and colour of jumps and hills as it heats and cools throughout the day.
bearing potential to create a parkland shelter that
dispenses with the need for secondary structure.
on the trail. The weaving and turning layout adjacent sheets Fleetwood Urban steel fabrication manager Kevin
of the trail is mimicked in the continuous form
Dingley says that fabricating the capping proved
Words Rob Gillam Photography Paul Bradshaw; Simon Wood of the tubular structural system (made from
challenging. “Like for the roof plates, the architects
galvanised mild steel) that snakes around and
wanted the cappings to be as thin as possible.
under the elegant roof canopies. This pipework The ribs that run across the shelter’s folded canopy
We had to make a special jig to bend the capping
is also reminiscent of the backdrop of silvery provide more than visual interest, as Coomer
because it was such a small width.”
angled eucalypts and the self-bracing tubular explains. “The canopy appears as one continuous,
frames of the mountain bikes that bisect the trails. long sheet but is actually a series of individual The capping further contributes to the structural
sheets bent and folded from BlueScope HW350 rigidity of the sheets – “Almost like a series of
GroupGSA principal architect Andrew Coomer
grade XLERPLATE LITE® weathering steel. mini beams, if you like,” says Coomer – which
says the shelters (there are two, with plans for
were designed to work in tandem with the tubular
more in the future) have also been likened to “We chose weathering steel because it is hard-
framework to avoid the need for secondary structure.
insects. “With dark-red ribs on their ‘backs’ and wearing and suited the remote, public environment
‘legs’ sticking out from underneath, they appear like of the trail and allowed us to utilise the long “The rib design of the rigid canopy combined
ants crawling across the landscape,” says Coomer. span lengths of up to 2.5 metres. Sheets fold up with our concept for supporting the roof with a
at the edges and overlap by 150mm as they follow continuously rolled circular section. The spanning
the fall down towards the gutter, providing us capability of the canopy allowed the continuous
with a ‘rigid’ structural canopy.” form of the structure to weave beneath with no
apparent connection between these two elements.”
To introduce structural integrity to the steel
To achieve this floating appearance, discreetly
sheets that form the canopy, they have used
located stand-off brackets separate the weathering
another trick at the joins to further stiffen
steel canopy from the galvanised structural tube.
the whole thing. Coomer explains that “once
you take a flat sheet and turn up the edges, Reminiscent of the trail it that inspired it – the
it makes it stronger. We have done the same structural tube zig-zags up and down, back and
thing with the flat steel plate by folding up the forth in a clever diagonal arrangement that allows
the structure to become self-bracing. There is no
need for additional cross-bracing or finer sub-
framing for support. “This allows the structures
PB
to maintain a beautiful simplicity,” Coomer says.

“Secondary bracing would have them feeling
SW
LEGEND cluttered and clumsy, but it maintains a clean,

20 1. Folded 3mm capping profile sculptured form.
MAX
GPC 2. Folded 6mm plate roof
LJ 1 “When you’re looking at the shelters from
3. Neoprene
2 underneath, all you see is the thin six-mill’ canopy
4. Black steel fasteners – socket head cap
3 floating lightly above the smooth, unbroken tubular
89m
5. Black steel fasteners – acron head cap

89m
4 support structure. That’s one of my favourite things

mC
mC
70
GS
GS
5 6. 89mm circular hollow section

(un
(un
FALL FALL FALL

about the shelters: they are made entirely from
de
der
r)
steel yet they don’t seem heavy. I love the way

they sit so lightly in the landscape, like they were
always meant to be here.” SP
6 10
TYPICAL
20
LARGE SHELTER - ROOF PLAN ROOF DETAIL 6
PROJECT Wylde Mountain Bike Trail Shelters CLIENT Western Sydney Parklands Trust ARCHITECT GroupGSA PROJECT TEAM Principal architect, Andrew Coomer; project architect,
Lucian Gormley; landscape architect, Steven Hammond STRUCTURAL & CIVIL ENGINEER Structural Engineer: Cantilever; Fabrication and Detail Engineering: Fleetwood Urban
BUILDER Shelters: Fleetwood Urban Landscape; Walling: Co-Ordinated Landscapes STEEL FABRICATOR Shelter: Fleetwood Urban; Landscape Walling: Charles Heath Industries
SHOP DRAWING CONTRACTOR Walling: Co-Ordinated Landscapes CLADDING CONTRACTOR Walling: Charles Heath Industries LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS GroupGSA
PRINCIPAL STEEL COMPONENTS Roofing and cladding made from BlueScope HW350 grade XLERPLATE LITE® weathering steel. Framing made from galvanised circular hollow section
from OneSteel PROJECT TIMEFRAME Shelter Construction: three months AWARDS 2015 Premier’s People’s Choice Award in Landscape Architecture; 2015 AILA NSW Award
for Design in Landscape Architecture BUILDING SIZE Shelters: 10x6m and 19x7m TOTAL PROJECT COST Shelters: $ 95,000 (small) and $150,000 (large)

STEEL PROFILE #122
9 320075 079772
www.steelprofile.com.au

Bluescope STEEL PROFILE 122

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Bluescope STEEL PROFILE 122

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Bluescope STEEL PROFILE 122

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

STEEL

NH ARCHITECTURE AND POPULOUS

The most prestigious COLORBOND® award

NUMBER 122, NOVEMBER 2015

4 steel.com.au/steelprofile SP122 architectural steel innovation 5

8 steel.com.au/steelprofile SP122 architectural steel innovation 9

together: its striking roof. Nestled alongside Rod

12 steel.com.au/steelprofile SP122 architectural steel innovation 13

14 steel.com.au/steelprofile SP122 architectural steel innovation 15

Steel was also used to great effect in the transition

16 steel.com.au/steelprofile SP122 architectural steel innovation 17

KIM HERFORTH-NIELSEN & FRED HOLT

The form of The Blue Planet signals its purpose as the

18 steel.com.au/steelprofile SP122 architectural steel innovation 19

Fred Holt, a partner at 3XN, is leading the design

“We often design from the inside out, to influence

There are two aspects to the strategy. The first

20 steel.com.au/steelprofile SP122 architectural steel innovation 21

STATE OF THE UNION

22 steel.com.au/steelprofile SP122 architectural steel innovation 23

The two front rooms – now bedrooms – have

“Jess’ dad used to hit his head on the old doorframe

OPPOSITE: The new extension combines seconds

RIGHT: At the front, the heritage cottage abuts

24 steel.com.au/steelprofile SP122 architectural steel innovation 25

”Most people would use a timber frame for a

“This was quite a different process to building

The sides and roof of the upper section were

The decision to reveal the structural steel in the new

Both Jon and Jess concede that the mezzanine

26 steel.com.au/steelprofile SP122 architectural steel innovation 27

28 steel.com.au/steelprofile SP122 architectural steel innovation 29

“Once the building’s floor level was established, it went

Jones agrees that economy is one of the reasons he

A Vierendeel truss minimises

30 steel.com.au/steelprofile SP122 architectural steel innovation 31

“A 10 metre-deep cantilever is starting to get out there

“When you’re up in the classroom you feel like you are

“We did a lot of software modelling but once we had

32 steel.com.au/steelprofile SP122 architectural steel innovation 33

34 steel.com.au/steelprofile SP122 architectural steel innovation 35

36 steel.com.au/steelprofile SP122 architectural steel innovation 37

COLORBOND® steel roof

38 steel.com.au/steelprofile SP122 architectural steel innovation 39

40 steel.com.au/steelprofile SP122 architectural steel innovation 41

A capping made from 3mm XLERPLATE LITE®

With a design that speaks of bicycle frames and red

to maintain a beautiful simplicity,” Coomer says.

LEGEND cluttered and clumsy, but it maintains a clean,

5. Black steel fasteners – acron head cap

4 support structure. That’s one of my favourite things

5 6. 89mm circular hollow section

FALL FALL FALL

steel yet they don’t seem heavy. I love the way

42 steel.com.au/steelprofile SP122 architectural steel innovation 43

You might also like