Cable Net Facade Feature - New Entrance

The redevelopment of Whitten Oval formed a pivotal piece in a plan to reinvigorate the western suburbs of Melbourne by providing services and facilities that would promote a sense of community. The plan had involvement from both State and Federal Governments and sort to place Whitten Oval at the centre of the community as a hub for local sporting and health service activities.

The Whitten Stand conversion, designed by Peddle Thorp Architects in Melbourne, called for a feature on the façade that responded to its context, was an identifiable entry, and provided an environmental benefit in the form of shading for the glazed façade behind. The resulting design was a series of floating panels that would display the team colours of the grounds home AFL team, the Western Bulldogs. The façade feature would run from the first floor to the roof acting as a gateway for supporters.

Project Entered in the LSAA 2009 Design Awards (42087)

Entrant: Aurecon - Sydney – Designer

Location: 405 Crown Street - Surry Hills NSW 2010    Client: Austress Freyssinet
Architect: FJMT   Struct. Eng.: Aurecon - Facade Engineer  
Concept Design: Taylor Thomson Whitting  Builder: Austress Freyssinet / Probuild

Application: Library and neighbourhood centre with structural glass bio-filter atrium.

This project was entered into the LSAA 2009 Awards - Category 4 (4220)

Entrant: Ronstan – Contractors
Location: Barkley St, Footscray Vic   Client: Western Bulldogs, Whitten Oval
Architect: Peddle Thorp   Struct. Eng.: Irwin Consultants
Builder: Salta   Fabricator: Ronstan

Design Brief: The Architect called for a transparent screening element that would act as a billboard for the oval as well as the local community. It needed to be light enough that it did not detract from the facade but provided adequate passive solar protection to enhance the sustainability of the building.

This Project was entered into the 2016 LSAA Design Awards (5047)

Entrant: Taylor Thomson Whitting (Engineer)

Location: 50 Martin Place, Sydney.   Completed: Unknown   Client: Macquarie
Team: Johnson Pilton Walker, Taylor Thomson Whitting, Brookfield Multiplex, Sharvain Pacific Steel

Application: Glazed Roof over an Atrium.

Description: 

50 Martin Place was refurbished to provide a communal office from a very important heritage building. To increase light into the Atrium, the Atrium was increased in size by removing the perimeter slab, leaving the beams and columns. To provide maximum light, the roof was fabricated from glass. The final design incorporated a dome on steel trapezoid section suspending triple layer glazed panels, some of which were adjustable.

Other Structural Forms - Cablenets, Glazing, Facades, Spaceframes

The LSAA has groups of members interested in cablenets, high technology glazing and facades.

In fact one main reason for the creation of the LSAA  from the MSAA was to cater for the growing number of projects which involved large glazed areas being supported by pretensioned cable truss systems or cablenets.

In modern times, when the overall energy usage for the life of a building is taken into account, the use of high technology facades will become more important. There is also a growing use of "green facades" or vertical gardens.

The traditional spaceframe structures are becoming rarer - those with many small elements that are man-handled and connected together on site. Labour costs and erection times are now outweighed by fewer larger assemblies that can be installed quickly by cranes.

The LSAA would welcome articles and links to projects in this category. 

Application: Zoo Enclosure for Sumatran Tigers.

This project was entered in the LSAA 2018 Design Awards (Cablenets, 4100)

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

The Sumatran Tiger Enclosure at Taronga Zoo consists of three separate enclosures.

Enclosure 1 and 3 are free form tensile roof canopies constructed from X-Tend Mesh. X-Tend Mesh effectively acts as a tensioned cable net structure.

The mesh is tied to catenary cable boundaries connected to masts with tieback cables and is pushed / pulled up with 4 flying masts in each enclosure. The flying masts are supported on a structural cable net that is attached to a large central mast and tied back to the perimeter masts structures.

LSAA 2011 Design Award Entry (Cat 2, 2019)

APPLICATION OF PROJECT:  Separation Enclosure for Chimpanzees.

The Taronga Zoos’ chimpanzee troop is one of the largest captive groups in the world with recognized wild behavior patterns and a sophisticated social hierarchy.  With its population including four maturing sub-adult males jockeying and promoting themselves within the group, the zoo cited a need for the construction of a fully enclosed and semi-transparent separation paddock within the chimpanzee exhibit to allow the chimpanzees to be easily divided as needed, without moving them to an entirely new location, and thus avoiding potential commotion.

Entry in the LSAA 2007 Design Awards (Cat 4, 4113)

Entrant: S2 Corporation

Client: Boeing Australia Limited    Structural Engineer: S2 Corporation Pty Ltd
Specialist Consultant(s): Healey & Castle Associates
Fabricator(s): Casa Engineering, CAD Tech, UFS

Application and Function

S2 designed, engineered and managed the implementation of the aircraft shelter for Boeing Australia at Amberley, QLD. This roof product developed for the Aviation industry is called airspace.

The 67.5 metre x 67.5 metre shallow domed roof is anchored to the ground by just four columns and stands 14.2 metres tall.

LSAA 2011 Design Award Entry (Cat 5, 5042) Jagged Edge - Queenstown NZ

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

An Atypical design and Construct project involving a house for a confidential client. The design was prepared and presented as a “Design+Construct” package that was purchased as a package by the Client. The Builders Team had prepared preliminary documentation based on advice from specialist consultants and Architects. The design was then proposed for sale to the market as a complete delivery vehicle.

The project is a residential building built on the side of hill with an impressive vantage point. The main goal of the design is to maximise transparency to optimise the view.