Balustrades and Battens For Nicholas Street Precinct in Ipswich
Aluminium Balustrades had the fantastic opportunity to contribute to the beautiful Nicholas Street Precinct in Ipswich, Queensland, which features a new specially designed and constructed Council office building and chambers. In addition to the central structure, a brand-new, state-of-the-art public library, retail establishments, water play areas, civic plaza, and a sizable underground parking structure have transformed the space into a new heart for the surrounding community.
The $128-million project, built by contractors Hutchinson Builders, required a few finishing touches in the form of balustrades, railings and facades.
Being the trusted and respected balustrade supplier and installer that we are, Hutchinson called on us to get the job done. In the end, our work provided an invaluable finishing touch to the wonderful project.
The Work That We Did
Crowd Loaded Balustrades
The 12 mm thick clear tempered glass on the balustrades that we installed was designed and tested to withstand the forces and pressures generated by crowds of people leaning or pressing against it without breaking or shattering.
To further enhance the safety of the balustrade, the glass was heat soaked. This process helps to identify and eliminate any portions of glass that might break due to inherent flaws called nickel sulphide inclusions. Heat soaking helps reduce the likelihood of spontaneous breakage.
Glass Stair Rails
The glass stair rails that we provided gave the project a modern and open aesthetic while also maintaining safety. The glass rails were made from clear glass laminated with a 11.52 mm polyvinyl butyral (PVB) interlayer to increase strength and durability. This kind of laminated glass is created by bonding multiple layers of glass with the PVB interlayer, resulting in a safer type of glass that tends to hold together if shattered.
To finish the rails off, they were equipped with grab rails made of stainless steel. These grab rails provide additional support and stability for patrons ascending or descending the stairs. Stainless steel was chosen due to its durability, corrosion resistance, and aesthetic appeal.
Timber Look Battens and Access Gates
We also installed vertical battens with a wood look affixed to a horizontal backing in the pavilion area. This served as a privacy screen along the boundary of the area while also providing an aesthetically pleasing finish for the space. In other areas, similar battens were used as facades to complete the look.
In addition to the battens, we also installed access gates to simultaneously ensure continuity of the aesthetics as well as adequate security.
This is just one of many incredible projects we’ve worked on. Contact the team at Aluminium Balustrades for your commercial, industrial or residential aluminium balustrade needs.
