Suspended reality Claudelands - aluminium joinery by Wight Aluminium

The colourful horizontal louvres that enliven the exterior of Claudelands in Hamilton may look as though they float in front of the windows. Behind the scenes, however, there is an innovative fixing system.

Aluminium joinery specialist Wight Aluminium worked closely with the architect at the design stage to ensure it was possible for the structure behind the louvres to carry the load.

Project manager for the job, Gavin Madsen says Chow:Hill Architects wanted the louvres suspended from the windows in a random pattern. "We needed to find an easy way to secure them to the powdercoated aluminium joinery, which features the 150mm flush-glazed suite from Architectural Profiles. The solution involved fabricating steel posts that were installed inside the window mullions. The louvres were then bolted onto tabs welded onto these posts."

Madsen says one of the most challenging aspects of the project was the fact that every steel post required different tabs in different places. "Because the positioning of the louvres needed to appear random, the manufacture of every window panel and the steel post inside was different."

The company also put strips of coloured film on the glass, in a separate random pattern.

Wight Aluminium specialises in manufacturing aluminium joinery for commercial and residential projects throughout the country.

WIGHT ALUMINIUM

PO Box 4101, Wanganui 4541Phone (06) 345 3195 Fax (06) 345 3263admin@wightaluminium.co.nz

Story by: Trendsideas