Article Review

'Southern Cross Station wins construction prize',

The Age,

May 5, 2007

The article explains how the controvesial redevelopment of Spencer St Station has beaten five other finalists to be declared 'Australia's most outsatnding example of construction excellence'.

The $420 million development was awarded the 2007 Australian Construction Achievment Award last night.

In 2005 it had been described as a 'world-class mess' due to the construction delays and cost blowouts, delaying the development by 16 months.

However construction took place around a fully operational station, servicing 60,000 commuters and 940 trains every weekday.

The main feature of the new station is the wave-form roof which covers 37,000 sq metres and rises to 24 metres above the platform level.

Found this photo I took a while ago, close up of the roof from above.

Site Visit #6

Renzo Piano's Aurora Place in Sydney.



Corner elevation


Front elevation showing the residential building, in front, and the commercial tower behind.


The glass facade of the building is cleaned every two months, by means of cherry picker, see above, and absailing down the face.

Detail of the glass panel connection

One of the many motors that controls the movement of the glass louvers.

The structure behind part of the facade.

The inovative and stylish downpipe to drain water off the glass ceiling.

The steel supports that suspend the glazing over the courtyard.

Site Visit #5

On the weekend I was lucky enough to go to Sydney. Didn’t have a lot of time there but I did manage to get around and have a look at a few buildings.

I made it to Renzo Piano’s Aurora Place, Denton Corker and Marshall’s Governor Phillip and Macquarie Towers, Jorn Utzon’s Sydney Opera House and of course the ‘Coathanger’ which just celebrated its 75th Anniversary.

One building of great interest was something a little more modest, the Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre, which is Harry Seidler’s latest public building. The $40 million facility isn’t due to be completed until mid year, but I was able to get inside for a sneak peek at the beautiful and complex form.



South facade.
North facade.
Looking along the main facade (West).

Inside looking South.

Inside looking East.

Looking into the pool for kids and those that are aquatically challenged.

A close up of the structural glazing used on both end walls (North and South).

Looking up through the glazing in the roof, allows natural lighting and expresses the structural elements supporting the roof.

Looking down to the floor below the pool deck.

There is a bit a bit more information on the building and its progress, if your interested follow the link below.

www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/Residents/SwimmingPools/IanThorpeAquaticCentre.asp

Article Review

'Tunnel sparks Gaudi cathedral fears’

The Age,
27 April, 2007


The Sagrada Familia Cathedral in Barcelona is under threat from a planed bullet train that is to pass just 2 metres from Gaudi’s unfinished masterpiece.

A high speed link between Madrid and Barcelona has been approved by the Mayor of Barcelona, the Catalan Premier and the public works ministry, but is still waiting approval from the national government.

Gaudi started his cathedral 120 years ago which is now a UNESCO world heritage site. The tunnel would pass 10 metres below the cathedral; however it is the underground protective barrier that comes within 2 metres of the buildings foundations.

The worry is that the 200,000 tonne cathedral could cause the excavated ground to compress or shift, resulting in a movement in the foundations causing the cathedral to crack and eventually crumble.

Architects and engineers from around the world are up in arms about the proposal, some describing it as a ‘thoughtless act of vandalism’.

Weekly Tutorial Sketches

Gutter Section.Gutter section to lower roof.


Box gutter section.




Parapet section.

Major Assignment

For the major assignment I've chosen design the warehouse and office complex as Santiago Calatrava. He combines his knowledge and experience of architecture and structural engineering to create dynamic structures.

He was born 1951 in Valencia, Spain. He studied architecture at the Architecture School and Arts and Crafts School, Valencia, Spain and graduated in 1975. after completing his degree he went onto study Civil Engineering at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zürich, Switzerland. Santiago set up practice in 1981.

His first two projects were in fact warehouse type structures; Jakem Steel Warehouse, Munchwilen, Switzerland1983-84 and the Ernsting Warehouse, Coesfeld, Germany 1983-85.

Some quick key facts on Calatrava's designs;

• express understanding of structure


• makes rigid materials look flexible


• conflicts different materials


• suggests movement.

Ernsting Warehouse

Jakem Steel Warehouse

Site Visit #4

After investigating what the cranes were doing at the Waurn Ponds shopping village, I came across the new extension into which Target is relocating along with approximately 17 new smaller independent stores. I was unable to speak with the site foreman, therefore not much else is known about the project. It looks to be a composite of a portal frame structure and also uses tilt up prefabricated concrete panels.

View from the car park

The damp proof membrane, trench mesh and deformed bars, between the concrete tilt up panels and a previously poured concrete slab.

Struts temporarily supporting the concrete panels

Bracing between purlins, safety mesh, UB rafters and columns.

An interesting conection between pre-fabricated concrete panels

Connection between panels and steel framing.

Close up of box gutter down-pipe connection.

Apex of roof, suspended cieling framework hanging from the z-purlins.

Timber stud frame wall attached to the concrete panels for inner skin. The building services are hung from the roof.