Big wide world

Glass and aluminium are commonly used materials

in modern buildings. At the Auckland Business School, however, these materials were taken to a new level. A distinctive facade was created using stainless steel spandrels, projecting striped glass sunscreens, aluminium aerofoil sunscreens, conical glass walls and exposed structural steel sunscreen fingers.

This work was contracted to window and curtainwall experts Thermosash Commercial. Managing director David Hayes says that within two years of being awarded the contract, the company was able to design, manufacture and install over 100 tonnes of structural steel for sunscreen trusses and the three-dimensional main entry, as well as designing, manufacturing and installing over 12,000m² of facade elements.

"The 12,000m² facade comprises some 2500 interlocking weatherproof aluminium, stainless steel and glass panels, in 767 configurations. Meeting the sequencing requirements of the main contractor's programme required honed logistical skills," says Hayes.

Similarly, 182 different configurations of sunscreens were structurally glazed at Thermosash and delivered on time to meet the requirements of the assembly and installation sequence for the curtainwall.

"These glass sunscreens are suspended from the curtainwall via slender brackets and aerofoil transoms, to which the screens are structurally siliconed. The design and coating used for these sunscreens is a world first."

Also innovative are the blade-wall trusses, which are cantilevered from steel stanchions within the curtain wall. The steel trusses, at a maximum of 13m long, were delivered to the site pre-painted, clad with glass sunscreens, then hoisted and bolted into position with bespoke fixings.

The geometrically offset main entry required complex 3D modelling, and machining of aluminium extrusions, all of which was carried out by Thermosash.

For further information, contact Thermosash Commercial, 41 Poland Street, Glenfield, Auckland, phone (09) 444 4944, fax (09) 444 4886. Email: david.hayes@thermosash.co.nz, or visit the website: www.thermosash.co.nz.

Working closely alongside Thermosash in the construction of the facade was Woods Glass.

The company worked with rigid material specifications in the design, development and lost-wax casting of stainless steel for the tension trusses throughout the atrium structure. The Auckland Business School contains the largest tension truss of its kind in New Zealand, says general manager Matthew Harris.

"We designed and developed the methodology for creating the trusses in-house. A New Zealand-owned and operated casting facility was used."

In the atrium, Woods Glass used toughened and laminated clear safety glass with a Low-E (low-emissivity) coating. Harris says the floating sunscreens with horizontal translucent metallic strips are a world first.

"Woods Glass developed the process for the application and computer cutting of the masking agent required for the metallic coating. The screens were individually masked to achieve a 6 pattern variation. The clear glass has a metallic coating, which is applied through an eco-chamber, prior to the sheets being laminated together. This produces the dramatic appearance and functionality of solar shading."

Woods Glass sent representatives to Asia to set up this new process and manage the QC and QA procedures for the manufacture of the glass.

For more information, contact Woods Glass, PO Box 112-048, Penrose, Auckland, phone (09) 525 3379, fax (09) 525 8200. Email: manager@woodsglass.co.nz, or visit the website: www.woodsglass.co.nz.

Story by: Trendsideas