Facade Structure - 2024DA -The Bower Tree Restaurant Facade

ID NUMBER                  4712 
ENTRY CATEGORY         4 – Glazing and Vertical Facades
ENTRANT ROLE     Designer / Installer
PROJECT NAME:   The Bower Tree 
APPLICATION:     Restaurant Precinct Facade

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

Fabritecture was engaged in designing and constructing the striking aluminium façade screens for the Bower Tree dining precinct in Sippy Downs, situated on the Sunshine Coast.

Fabritecture provided a complete design-to-implementation service for custom solutions including prototyping, samples, and engineering in the early design stages through to a diligent fabrication process and on-site construction.

The team took a creative and forward-thinking approach by designing intricate curved panels made of perforated aluminium that elegantly encompassed the main structure. Additionally, they employed flat perforated panels for the parking structure, resulting in an architecturally stunning and contemporary masterpiece that captivates the eye.

DESIGN / FABRICATION / INSTALLATION BRIEF

The Bower Tree venue sought a unique façade screen to enhance its visual appeal. We designed and fabricated curved perforated aluminium panels for the façade, incorporating sub-framing, fixings, and anti-vibration packers for structural integrity.

The design provided the opportunity to add an impressive illusion of dimension and depth to the façade by fabricating curved perforated aluminium panels coated with a unique finishing colour which complemented and elevated the building. The perforated application allows natural ventilation and reduces heat gain or loss through the building envelope. It also increases light penetration into the interior space.

The car park screens, featuring matching perforated panels, were also created to maintain aesthetic consistency. Our approach involved precise fabrication and installation of the panels, ensuring both striking visual impact and functional durability. The result is a distinctive, modern façade that aligns with the client's vision and enhances the restaurant's architectural presence while effectively screening the car park area.

STRUCTURAL SYSTEMS

The Bower Tree project features a steel frame as its primary structural system, enhanced by strategically placed L brackets bolted into the frame. Panels are sequentially installed by clipping them into place, with precise drilling and bolting into the structural steel ensuring stability. A specialized sub-framing system supports the panels and aids in alignment, while anti-vibration packers are used where needed to minimise noise and vibrations.

The design accommodates various dynamic loads and adjusts to different ground conditions, providing robust support. The geometric form of the structure is both aesthetically pleasing and functionally efficient, resulting from detailed engineering analysis and careful execution. This approach combines innovative design with rigorous structural integrity, ensuring a durable and visually impactful outcome.

MATERIALS

The materials used encompass a carefully selected range to ensure both aesthetic appeal and functional durability. The feature façade screen prominently includes curved perforated aluminium panels, in Colorbond Aries, chosen for their lightweight yet robust nature, ideal for creating a dynamic visual effect while ensuring structural integrity.

For the car park screens, perforated panels were used to integrate with custom framing and appropriate fixings to provide ventilation and visual continuity with the overall architectural theme.

FABRICATION

Our Engineering process was detailed and diligent to ensure we could achieve the right radius at the top and bottom of the cladding panels, also slowly curving the sheet to suit the radius of the wall and making sure the substrate and panels were evenly fixed to enable an accurate and pristine finish.

An extensive quality process was applied throughout fabrication such as onsite inspections, testing, samples and prototyping.

Great care was taken in the packing and transport of materials to site to avoid any damage during transit. We also allowed for a percentage of excess panels to mitigate damage or quality issues once on site.

COLLABORATION, CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE

The installation was successful working in collaboration with Paynters and other interface of trades. To achieve the architectural elegance through the curved panels, arched placement and unique finish, required a team of installation experts who had an exceptional level of technical competence.

COSTS

The Bower Tree project was valued at approximately AUD$795,000.

COLOUR IMAGES - Captions and Credits

PKNote: DPID 424