Smart meets art

Alongside its modern construction, use of ecologically friendly materials and built-in smart technology, the Waitakere Central civic centre allows the skills of specialist craftsmen and the aesthetic appeal of traditional building materials to be showcased.

Approaching the centre from a distance it is hard to miss its distinctive roof structure, detailed as it is with a copper-clad crown of complex geometry. To realise the potential of this design feature, Architectus approached Metal Design Solutions. With highly-specialised sheet metal skills formed and tested at the highest level in Switzerland, Metal Design Solutions' expertise lies in the crafting of distinctive metals, such as zinc and copper, says Jan Alberts, the company's sales manager.

"The structure has a three-dimensional curve that required precision building to create the shape the architect wanted," he says.

"Following construction, copper sheets were custom fitted to the form using a hidden fixing technique. One sheet is fixed to the form with another panel fitted over the top. However, it was challenging as no two pieces were exactly the same."

As with every project completed by Metal Design Solutions, ensuring a leak-free structure is part of its commitment to quality and performance.

For further information, contact Jan Alberts, Metal Design Solutions, phone (09) 294 9134 or 0274 828 752. Email: mds@metal-d-s.co.nz, or visit the website: www.metal-d-s.co.nz.

Story by: Trendsideas