Building history
Land reclamation, bold architecture and innovative construction methods have made the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre an iconic building with high public exposure
Atop the pedestrian bridge is a tensioned membrane to keep visitors safe from wind, rain and direct sun. This was designed, fabricated and installed by Taiyo Membrane Corporation.
Project director Ray White says the biggest hurdle in manufacture was that, due to time constraints, all 26 separate membranes had to be fabricated before the bridge was built.
"Some would consider that a risk, as we did not have an opportunity to check measurements before fabrication," he says.
The solution was to build a set of complex 3-D models from which to take measurements. By the time the first of the rafters was erected, all the membrane sections were complete and waiting to be installed. Only minor adjustments were needed.
"The end result was 1900m² of PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) and not one wrinkle. That was a remarkable effort considering the small tolerances required for the fabric and the complex 3-D geometry of the curved walkway," he says.
The company also fabricated 20 sunshades off site to attach to the building during construction.
For more, contact Taiyo Membrane Corporation, 570 Curtin Ave East, Eagle Farm, Qld 4099, phone 1800 777 727. Email: info@taiyomc.com.
Story by: Trendsideas
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