Work it out

A regular conundrum that occurs in projects of the scale of Les Mills Hutt City is the architects' specification of European products that are difficult to source in New Zealand. Part of the challenge for Freear Philip was to find alternative, local products that would fulfil the requirements of the design brief.

The specified changing room shower screens were one such example. Freear Philip suggested a locally-made solution here, through Capital Glass.

"Pilkington Glass provided the coloured shower screens. Metro Glasstech supplied the frameless doors, balustrades and mirrors. It was the Capital Glass team's responsibility to install all of these," says Capital Glass general manager Steve De La Haye.

"The shower screens had to appear as if floating off the floor," he says. "Our brief was to install glass with a frameless appearance using patch fittings and structural glue joints to hold it in place."

Toughened safety glass, designed to withstand the knocks inherent in a gym environment, was used throughout. The shower cubicles are fitted with green Pilkington Armourclad laminated glass in the men's changing room, and red in the ladies'. The RPM Studio, where spinning classes are held, has a double frameless door, held with patchfittings and structural glue. It is lit by angled, gullwing sidelights.

"The shower cubicles were our biggest challenge, because both the product and installation technique were new to us. Our team adapted the locks and hinges to suit," says Steve De La Haye. Freear Philip's professionalism meant the project went well, he adds.

For details, contact Capital Glass, 129 Adelaide Road, Newtown, Wellington. Phone (04) 384 4824, fax (04) 384 2839. Email: enquiries@capitalglass.co.nz. Website: www.capitalglass.co.nz.

Metro Glasstech, 18 Jamaica Drive, Grenada North, Wellington. Phone 0800 272 754, fax 0800 372 754.

Pilkington (New Zealand) Limited, 41 Pirie Crescent, Lower Hutt, Wellington. Phone 0800 804 870, fax 0800 804 880.

Story by: Trendsideas