"concrete framed systems"

7000m² of SAS310 helped Qantas Airways overcome acoustic challenges, controling reverberation time and meeting a very high acoustic performance target. Qantas Airways Limited, nicknamed ‘The Flying Kangaroo’, is Australia’s largest airline. The new headquarters is the largest property project undertaken by Qantas Airways in the last 10 years. The project aims to rejuvenate the existing campus, consolidating and upgrading four existing office buildings and joining them together with an interconnecting hub. Selected areas of the existing building floorplate have been extended into the new atrium space creating balconies and office pods. These improved physical and visual connections aim to encourage interaction and engagement between workers. With a brief for high acoustic performance, SAS International were an obvious choice for Hassell architects, due to our vast portfolio of high acoustic rated metal ceiling tiles. SAS provided 7000m² of SAS310. The acoustic challenge was to control the reverberation time in a large volume space accommodating a PA system and a very high acoustic performance target. The reverberation time was significantly reduced with the addition of absorptive material and purposed designed acoustic ceiling panels. Qantas Headquarters was constructed with longevity in mind so the durability of the tiles was key, an advantage of using metal. The finish completely meets the performance demands, is extremely functional and cost effective, an A Grade corporate campus that incorporates the latest developments in sustainability and energy efficiency.

Warwick Hotel Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia, PA, is quite satisfied with the functioning and cost savings of their Boon Edam Tournex revolving door. The Tournex is an example of a classic automatic revolving door and is designed to handle high capacity applications. The historic building housing the Warwick Hotel Rittenhouse Square originally had a manual revolving door flush with the building’s facade. Somewhere along the way, it was decided to remove the relatively smaller gauge revolving door and replace the entrance with a double set of sliding doors. “Our HVAC system was designed for a revolving door entrance,” said Ray Hewitt, the hotel’s Director of Engineering, “we wanted to put a revolving door back in to address the negative pressure we were experiencing in the lobby.” That negative pressure was pulling in cold air during the winter months, and cooled, conditioned air was escaping out the double doors in the summer. During a complete lobby renovation project a few years back, designers worked to return to a revolving door lobby entrance. Because the Warwick is in a historic building, they could not change the facade of the building, so they pushed the entire entrance into the lobby itself. The architects and the designer chose a 12’ diameter Boon Edam Tournex automatic revolving door, with three door wings and a highly polished (mirror) stainless steel finish. The Boon Edam door is enclosed in a stylish glass cube, accented with purple neon lighting. Now, those entering the hotel first pass through a double set of sliding doors at the building envelope, leading to the revolving door. Swing doors are also available on either side of the revolving door to enter the lobby itself. The effect of the sliding doors and the revolving door in a cube is to virtually eliminate air flow from outside in, and vice versa. The Warwick has 301 hotel rooms and 106 permanent residents. On any given day, between guests, residents, staff, and visitors, up to 1000 people are passing through the entrance. Since the installation of the new entrance, the effect has been night and day—guest and visitors utilise the lobby space longer and in greater numbers. A big community table is usually filled all day long and the lobby is accented with attractive fireplaces. The hotel lobby also offers two full service food and beverage outlets (Bluestone Lane & Prime Rib Steakhouse), with a third to be announced sometime this year. In addition to a now grand sense of arrival and more useable, comfortable space, the new entrance is also paying dividends on energy savings. “With the old entrance, our HVAC was running constantly, it could not keep up. Now, the unit can shut down periodically; that’s good for the health of the system, and we’re seeing substantial savings on energy bills,” said Hewitt. The Boon Edam revolving door has an important feature for installations like a hotel or large office building—in the event of an emergency, the doors stop and the wings can be “book folded” to create wide open ingress and egress. The hotel has a maintenance contract with Advanced Door, but since installation the Boon Edam revolving door has been virtually trouble free.

Leading Australian community bank, IMB Bank, has installed a series of Boon Edam entrances, including all glass revolving doors, slimline speedgates and a swing access gate at its new building in Wollongong, NSW.IMB moved into the new building in early 2021, and immediately sought to make the entrance open and welcoming to visitors, with entrance security inside to protect valuable data, intellectual property and people.The Boon Edam technology selected is among the most stylish and efficient of the Boon Edam range used by major banks locally, Fortune 500 companies globally, and corporate HQs in 27 countries.The exterior of the building has two Boon Edam Crystal Tourniket all-glass revolving doors, which create a striking first impression. Inside, there are three Speedlane Lifeline Swing speedgates, including one wide lane suitable for disabled access. In one section, there is also a Winglock Swing access gate that separates off a designated meeting space.“After reviewing a range of product proposals, we found that Boon Edam’s range had the ideal combination of aesthetics and security that IMB was seeking,” said IMB Head of Facilities, Greg Dowd.“The security speedgates give us greater control over access to the building, and they alert us to any tailgating or access breaches. Limiting access to only authorised personnel not only protects our staff, but it also protects the data of our customers, which we always store securely,” he said.“As a further advantage, the Boon Edam team integrated the access control system with our RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) system. This was a big help, because it meant the speedgates were sending data directly to our existing system.”Boon Edam Managing Director, Michael Fisher, says this impressive project will serve as a new benchmark for local financial institutions. “IMB has set the bar high with it’s new Wollongong facility. Every design element has been carefully thought out to be welcoming to visitors and intuitive to employees. We are delighted to have been selected to contribute to the success of this project.”“Boon Edam is a family-owned organisation with a history extending back nearly 150 years, so it is particularly satisfying to work with a community-minded company like IMB, with a similarly long and successful history,” said Mr Fisher.Responsive serviceIn addition to elegant aesthetics and intelligent security, IMB sought an entrance security partner with attentive service throughout the entire project, and then into after-sales service too.“The Boon Edam team was highly professional to work with, and responded adaptively to our needs. Early mornings were the best time for installation work, and their service team accommodated this need right from the start, without a hassle,” said Mr Dowd.“It was clear that Boon Edam takes great care in its products, and that its values as a company were aligned with IMB’s, which are strongly focused on community, family and quality.”Elegant aestheticsBoon Edam’s Speedlane Lifeline series is one of the slimmest on the market, with the cabinet housing measuring as little as 106mm. The slim nature of the speedgate makes it ideal for narrow entrances, lobbies and foyers, where sometimes an extra lane can be added due to its compact size.“The slim design and finishes of the speedgates was what attracted us to the Boon Edam product in the first place. Their overall designs are sleek, modern and in keeping with our foyer design. We could also customise the materials and colours to suit our foyer, and that really sealed the deal,” said Mr Dowd.“For the front entrance, we couldn’t look past an all-glass revolving door. It lets in an abundance of natural light, making the entire foyer a welcoming space for visitors and employees,” he said.Boon Edam’s Crystal Tourniket doors – available in single and multiple entrance options up to 3.5m diameter and height – are being introduced to Australasia after being proven internationally.The Crystal Tourniket is fully compliant with Australian Standard AS1288 (Glass in Buildings), which specifies safe glazing and installation practices when using glass in buildings.“The other Boon Edam product, the Winglock Swing, provides the ideal separation for our meeting space, without needing a full length Speedlane. It’s finishes and design also perfectly match the rest of our foyer,” said Mr Dowd.Boon Edam’s Winglock Swing is constructed from stainless steel and a single glass panel, creating an access gate that is elegant and unobtrusive in nature and design. Winglock is designed to manage bi-directional traffic with effortless ease, using smart, intuitive technology to guide each visitor through to their destination without delay or inconvenience.

SAS International's bespoke waveform acoustic baffle ceiling solution was used as a feature in the new Skype Headquarters. An SAS International bespoke waveform acoustic baffle ceiling solution incorporating luminaires by Zumtobel, was specified by Walker and Martin Architects (WAM) for the new Skype Headquarters. Situated in Luxembourg, the new building forms part of the regeneration works to an existing brewery located in Clausen, the old quarter of Luxembourg City. The challenge set by the client was to provide an interior that would inspire innovation in the daily workplace of Skype employees whilst retaining an element of corporate sophistication. The solution helped create a dynamic and flexible office space. In the design, development and installation of the system, WAM worked closely with SAS International, to ensure the baffles integrated seamlessly with the luminaires to suit the ceiling and building shape. WAM designed the acoustic baffle ceiling solution with technical help from SAS International, then developed the layout to achieve the ‘wave’ and ‘fluid’ affect. Stuart Walker adds, “The ceiling design gives an uplifting ambience to the space, people ‘look up’ when they enter and immediately know they are in a space that challenges office convention with innovative thinking.” Another consideration that WAM took when selecting materials for the fit out process was the impact on the environment. SAS International metal ceilings have a lifespan in excess of 25 years with only very basic maintenance. These products withhold a residual value and can be recycled at end of life into new virgin steel or aluminium without any loss of properties; this ensures products do not end up in costly and unsustainable landfill sites.

SAS International bespoke metalwork comprising of a striking waveform shaped ceiling was designed by architects Arup Associates to feature in the construction of Ropemaker Place, London EC2 for British Land. Simon Anson, architect at Arup Associates comments; “The purpose of the ceiling was to provide the 10.5m tall entrance foyer with an acoustic performance, and create a lighting source providing both uplight and downlight. The illuminated ceiling provides the entrance foyer with visual impact from views of City Point Plaza, Ropemaker Street and The City.” Simon Anson continues, “The appearance of the ceiling is that of a series of illuminated vaulted waves flowing into the interior, the volume of the space perceptually expanded by the uplit waveform surfaces. The vaulted ceiling with its flowing contours provides a visually stunning focal point as well as a practical solution to the acoustic requirements of the interior of the building.” Specialist bespoke wave ceilings were installed in the atrium, main reception area, lift lobbies and main external canopy. The waveform panel, although elegant in appearance, had to have the required strength to support the light fitting. The extra weight posed a significant design challenge of how to integrate and support the light fitting into the waveform panel. The complex design required all fixings to be concealed, as a large proportion of the face and rear of the waveform tiles are visible. In the design development and installation of the system, Arup Associates worked closely with SAS International and the specified lighting manufacturer, Zumtobel, to ensure the panels integrated seamlessly with the luminaires to produce the optimum installation.

The £70 million project saw SAS International design and manufacture bespoke spun alum­inium profiled discs, acoustic metal wall panelling and System 600 rafts in the new terminal. The architects 3D Reid had to make the building light, airy and modern yet the façade and various materials used within the terminal had to withstand potential of a security breach. All products installed ‘land-side’ were required to meet the requirements of Aviation Security in Airport Development (ASIAD). The result answers aesthetic demands, yet provides the highest level of performance for the requirements of the building. For the design to be realised, square aluminium sheets were cut by the manufacturer into a circle and spun into a dome. Installation in such an environment means safety cables had to be attached to each disc, wall panel, tile and raft to ensure they do not fall and cause injury. Allowance for safety cables to be attached had to be taken into consideration during the design phase. Large vertical wall panels with an ultra-micro perforation were also specified to provide the necessary acoustic properties required for this vast open space. The very fine 0.7mm perforation, with 1% open area, helps to manage acoustics within the large open spaced terminal. The off-site modular manufacture of the architectural metalwork products meant installation was quicker, which causes less disruption to such a busy environment, and in addition there is no waste on site. Aesthetic versatility can be achieved using SAS International Architectural Metalwork throughout projects. It also allows for inte­gration of M&E services into the building design while meeting design demands and durability requirements. The range includes acoustic baffles, acoustic wall panels, air handling units, bespoke ceilings, and column casings.

APPLICATION: Road CellPROJECT LOCATION: Chan Chan PeruPROJECT DETAILS: Protecting Walkways and Preventing erosionPROJECT COMPLETION: Sep 2016Chan Chan, the largest City of the pre-Columbian era in South America is now an archaeological site in La Libertad Region, 5 kilometres west of Trujillo Peru. Chan Chan is located in the mouth of the Moche Valley and was the capital of the historical empire of the Chimor from 900 to1470, when they were defeated and incorporated into the Inca Empire. The city Chan Chan spanned 20km2 and had a dense urban centre of 6 km2.The increasing popularity of the site forced the authorities to consider how to protect the walkways and to provide drainage, to remove rain water from the site to prevent erosion. The solution was to use the Atlantis® Road CellTM 53mm drainage cell. This installation made Chan Chan the second World Heritage site in all of Peru to have a highly technical system of protection of the original pavement installed and it covered almost the entire tourist circuit with the exception of the funeral zone.A layer of water proof membrane was laid down on the walkway and the the Atlantis® Road CellTM 53mm drainage cells were clipped together on the water proof membrane and filled with gravel. Thus providing protection for the walkway and also providing a drain for directing rain water away from the archaeological site to ameliorate erosion. Also it facilitated the access of visitors, especially those with disabilities, by providing a firm stable walk way.In all 1,700 m2 of the Atlantis® Road CellTM 53mm drainage cell were laid, and filled with gravel.

Part of a vast regeneration programme to improve student amenities, the UoB invested £60m in a state-of-the-art academic library. The project aimed to celebrate the wider campus architectural styles and improve access to new resources like e-journals and wireless charging stations. Associated Architects chose SAS International to provide the high acoustic and finishing touches to the academic interior fit-out. In order to create an effective library environment, acoustic performance must also be carefully considered. With the aim to create a space suited for thousands of scholars, bespoke acoustic metal wall panels were supplied to the library. Depending on the location of each tile, the panels were finished in white and black-grey PPC or anodised in regency gold. Specified with a 23% or 50% open area, the panels act as acoustic absorbers with an oblong perforation. Each panel is fitted with a black, fleece-wrapped acoustic pad for high performance. The architects specified three additional acoustic treatments for open soffit areas over computer clusters and lounge spaces. SAS500 baffles and bespoke ring shaped and circular rafts were created by SAS International to fulfil this requirement. The discs and raft-halos are an SAS150 hybrid designed to fulfil acoustic and service requirements while contributing to the contemporary look. Consisting of multiple panels, the concealed grid system creates a smooth finish enclosed using a steel perimeter trim. Long 3m baffles were also installed in a continuous sequence along walkways and group study areas. These options provide durable acoustic solution, minimising maintenance and improving access to the soffit and services.

About the ProjectSea Temple is unrivalled as THE 5-star resort in Port Douglas. The beautifully manicured grounds, stylish accommodation, world class facilities and spectacular 3000m2 central swimming lagoon, places Sea Temple in another league when compared with other resorts in the region. Sea Temple Luxury Apartments is a collection of 6 stunning 2 and 3 bedroom Swim-out and Penthouse apartments within the Pullman Sea Temple resort complex. The apartments have been selected for their ideal positions within the resort, relaxed atmosphere and unparralled quality facilities set the scene for pure enjoyment.The ChallengeWhen you are working with one of the most prestigious resorts in Port Douglas where the highest quality of facilities, services and experiences are expected, you need to provide unparalled results. Also when your guests are paying a premium price, your solution needs to be low odour so as to not disrupt the experience of paying guests whilst the work is being completed. The harsh North Queensland conditions demand a high quality product strong enough to withstand all types of weathering. So when Sea Temple Apartments discovered a problem with their waterproofing a high quality but aesthetically pleasing solution was the only option.Tremco SolutionWith the contractor previously using liquid membranes, a more robust and durable solution was needed which would also provide the warranty, demanded of a high quality building such as Sea Temple.Having previously completed many other successful projects with Tremco Systems, the applicator had trust in the Tremco solution, and a dual layer of Tremproof Torch 3000 seemed the logical choice for this end high development. The low VOC and odour levels of Tremproof Torch 3000 helped seal the deal in the built up 5 star accommodation to reduce neighbourhood discomfort.

Birmingham New Street Station was originally re-built in 1967 to accommodate 650 trains carrying 60,000 passengers per day. By 2010 it had become the busiest station outside of London, operating at more than twice its intended capacity. The first half of the refurbishment was completed in 2013. The station’s recently updated configuration should now accommodate a yearly 8.3% rise in passenger numbers. SAS International commenced work on the three-phase project in June 2012. NG Bailey and main contractor Mace installed SAS systems across the platforms, the shopping centre and the concourse. Full scale, physical mock-ups of the bespoke ceiling solutions were built on-site to ensure design intent prior to installation. The integration of fans for smoke extraction and complex wind loads had to be considered to guarantee passenger safety. The wind loads were a concern as trains passing platforms at speed can cause considerable negative loads. Bespoke ceilings comprising fixed angle bulkheads were installed in line with the curving platforms. The typically trapezoidal bulkheads were bolted end to end in order to form a faceted layout to follow these curves. Using shared data from the project’s BIM model, SAS International used a point cloud to measure the platforms and 3D model the panels. The model’s geometry revealed that the platforms were all non-uniform. This posed a significant design challenge. The data required careful analysis in order to achieve a smooth curved line within the platform edge. This was essential to provide train drivers with an unobstructed view coming into and out of the station. The SAS International design team was able to rationalise the number of unique panel types down to four. This overcame the driver visibility issue, ensured uncompromised aesthetics and brought costs within budget. Electronic Total Station setting-out techniques were then used to set out the panels along the curve.