Composite construction in an office development

Baptist Union of Victoria

This project by Atelier Wagner Architects for the Baptist Union of Victoria is located on the corner of High St and Blackburn Rd with a total estimated cost of $5,000,000.

The projects structure consists mainly of pre-cast and in-situ concrete, heavy steel and light aluminum.  The floor slab and internal columns are made in-situ, while the external skeleton is pre-cast.  To brace the metal skeleton that will hold the glass cladding in place, a metal bracing strip has been cast into the external concrete columns allowing for the bolts and fixings to be rendered over, thus hiding them and creating a smooth line between the concrete and glass.

While heavy steel has been used for the window frames, a lighter aluminum has been used for fascia framework, allowing for tighter curves and minimal cost.

Also, the detail of the stairs show how grooves have been left in the edge of the stairs allowing for a metal frame to be inlaid, ultimately melding the two, minimizing the need for a supporting frame for the metal frame; this system also makes for a slender profile of the wall when clad over.

End Wall of Concrete Factory Detail

Here we have a detail of the end wall in a typical concrete framed factory.  The end walls are a bit simpler than the side walls as a gutter does not need to be included.  

Pre-fabricated concrete is an excellent material for building with as construction time is minimal.

Concrete portal construction

The concrete portal frame is much like the fixed portal frame however the single-skin concrete wall acts as a load-bearing frame and weather retardant in one, doing away with the need for complex combinations typical of steel frame buildings.