Building a legacy with Educational Infrastructure

Building a legacy with Educational Infrastructure

Having delivered over 400 education buildings across the public, private and tertiary sectors, we thrive on seeing the impact educational infrastructure has on students and communities. What drives us is the ability to deliver something new on every job and witness how it enhances the learning environment. Our partnerships with architects, designers and engineers are fundamental, as we work together to make our clients’ vision a reality.

Understanding for the future

As new technologies and pedagogies emerge, the physical form of schools support this evolution. We approach each unique building with the mindset to ‘create a better environment for teachers and students’, as well as increase the efficiency of investments in educational infrastructure. To do this, we look at education precincts through a lens that extends beyond the realms of brick and mortar.

Collaborating with teachers and students allows us to understand them and take this awareness into our planning. We can engage school-aged children to the process of construction, which will have a real impact on the diversity in our industry in 10 years’ time.

Our Senior Project Engineer, Isabella Spinolo, has been delivering the Student Engagement Program during the Monte Sant’ Angelo Mercy College Scientia project. This involves developing learning modules and taking students on site walks to show the inner workings of a construction project, as well as highlighting the myriad of career opportunities women can pursue in the industry.

A shared vision with our partners

Innovative construction only becomes a reality when a collaborative team comes together and works hard to do something new. This is often fostered in the tertiary space, where universities invest heavily in planning and design to deliver student-centric, blended learning environments that attract the best professors and students from across the world.

The development of 6 Hassall Street (6HSL) is a prime example of these components in action. Coupled with dynamic university showcase spaces, user experience labs and technology-rich installations, the aim of 6HSL was to stimulate the best ideas in the brightest minds.

One aspect we love, is the building’s engineering being on display, providing an inspirational teaching tool to enhance student experiences. As a result, students can have an immersive, hands-on experience with real-life engineering that helped create the building they are learning in.

Space is the greatest asset

With the changing population densities and land values increasing across the state, now more than ever, we are focused on leveraging spatial elements to create the best possible learning experience. Accommodating students within a small CBD precinct whilst retaining access to outdoor play spaces is key.

Due to the heavy residential concentration surrounding Alexandria Park Community School, leveraging the spatial elements was critical when delivering the school. We developed multiple school buildings and a sports hall with rooftop COLAs. We identified additional places for break out teaching spaces, storage and increased play space. Our team also understood the requisite compliance and consultation processes that facilitated a smooth transition from design into construction in this environment.

Leaving a lasting legacy

From the iconic UTS Central building, the Modular Schools Program – the first modular school projects in NSW – and Armidale Secondary College, we know that educational infrastructure has a huge impact on the communities where they reside.

Working with the industry’s best architects, consultants and engineers, we value bringing good design to life.

Our job is to carry these designs through by building durable, resilient and adaptable precincts that will last for generations.

Celebrating Michael Ensor

Celebrating Michael Ensor on his retirement

After 45 years in the industry, Our General Manager – ACT, Michael Ensor, has departed from RCC.

At the helm of the ACT Business Unit for the past 10 years, we have enormous gratitude for Michael’s exceptional contribution to creating a long-lasting legacy in the region.

An ACT veteran, Michael has helped build RCC’s strong reputation for delivery certainty and has set the business unit up for success going forward.

Scott Waller, who is well known to the ACT construction industry, will be stepping into the acting General Manager role for the region. Scott and the 70 local team members will continue to deliver community focused projects for the ACT and surrounding regions.

We want to express our sincere thanks to Michael for everything he’s brought to RCC and wish him all the best as he embarks on his next chapter.

Here are a few examples of Michael’s contribution to our communities and the construction industry through his delivery of these outstanding projects:

ANU SA6 Student Accommodation

Tumut Hospital

Canberra District Rugby League Centre of Excellence

Shaping the Future of Educational Infrastructure

Shaping the future of educational infrastructure

RCC is leading the push to future-proof education facilities across private, public and tertiary education infrastructure. Taking a holistic approach, we focus on delivering outcomes that create sustainable learning outcomes for current and future generations.

Educational spaces and surroundings enhance learning and teaching outcomes. When users of the built environment feel inspired, comfortable and safe in a space – wellbeing, interest, and performance follow. At RCC, we collaborate with stakeholders to produce educational spaces that create teaching opportunities and optimal features for learning.

The different drivers for public, private, and tertiary

When planning, designing and delivering educational infrastructure, we factor in the different drivers for each faction.

The private education sector focuses on purposeful, custom architectural design that expresses individual school ethos, messaging and culture. Creating ‘spatial experiences’ that enhance learning for students and teachers is fundamental for this sector.

On the other hand, the public education sector is experiencing a paradigm shift to accommodate the current and forecast student influx into the state.

In the tertiary space, the physical environment and facilities are integral to bring students, teachers and academics together in the interest of knowledge. University campuses need classrooms, libraries, laboratories and lecture theatres equipped with the most modern and properly maintained buildings to provide quality higher education.

Regardless of the driving forces behind each sector, for all education providers, the equation is simple: better facilities equal better education.

While escalation continues, budgets are buying less, and maintenance costs are increasing, adopting blended building models allows us to meet industry demands. To foster in-person and remote learning, these models incorporate elements of bespoke design, modular construction and adaptable spaces. This generates more efficient project delivery, more flexibility for end-users, and creates the best learning experiences for primary, secondary and tertiary students.

Future-proofing educational facilities

As new technologies continue to evolve, buildings need to keep pace. The days of rickety desk rows and blackboards are long gone. Classrooms, lecture rooms, and research labs are now purpose-built to promote student growth and advance teaching. Moreover, digital tools and platforms are transitioning from a standard, one-size-fits-all to individual personalisation, based on each student’s needs which can be accessed anywhere, anytime.

The implication for infrastructure is the allocation of budgets to deliver solutions equipped with the tools and digital hardware that enhance the end-user experience. The bottom lines need to allow for collaborative, secure environments; smart, flexible spaces that can be configured to each task.

To increase the efficiency in educational construction investment, we look at the differing details each sector demands to deliver value for clients and end-users.

Optimisation opportunities

 Features like light, air quality, temperature, acoustic environment and facility design all influence the quality of infrastructure. We consult with teachers, parents, students and community stakeholders early in the decision-making process. Our distinctive blank-page collaboration means we have the scope to design solutions specific to each learning environment. There’s no one-size-fits-all template for building educational infrastructure – each project requires a customised approach.

The public sector

This construction sector is motivated to create productive spaces that prioritise community, cost-efficiency and sustainability and seeks the best ways to deliver reliable, safe education environments. With this arm of educational infrastructure under the microscope, attitudes towards planning and maintenance are also shifting.

Sydney’s population looks to double in the next 40 years, with people moving from rural communities to regional and urban areas. At the same time, the number of students is expected to grow by 21% by 2031. Beyond numbers, this translates to an influx of 164,000 students, bringing the total up to nearly one million. To meet this market, the public education sector needs to deliver 7,200 new classrooms.

Overseeing the successful delivery of RCC’s portfolio of projects in the public education sector, our Project Director, Andrew Buchanan emphasises the importance of delivering infrastructure projects to accommodate the increasing intake of students.

“The new normal involves learning beyond the confines of traditional teaching spaces, structures and material resources. This means we must remain agile and work with our clients to deliver future focused learning spaces on time, on budget, with the best quality educational facilities.”

Andrew Buchanan – Project Director, RCC

Our track record of partnering with Government bodies to plan, build and deliver innovative, collaborative, efficient solutions place us in the perfect position to drive change. We’re looking to build on this to support the State’s mission of creating a sustainable market in modern methods of construction.

During his recent visit to Jordan Springs Public School, NSW Premier, Dominic Perrottet, echoed how our collaborative approach to delivering school infrastructure has impacted the education industry.

“It’s remiss of me not to mention Richard Crookes. We are very blessed in this state, as we’re going through this major infrastructure investment across New South Wales, to have the best builders in the business doing this work. Despite COVID and despite the poor weather that we’ve had in Sydney over this period, these guys are building these schools on time, on budget and it’s great to see.”

Dom Perrottet – NSW Premier

Public sector focus factors

RCC approaches each new public infrastructure project by taking their following drivers into consideration:

Design standardisation

Design tools are more sophisticated than ever, allowing us to advance quality, consistency and efficiency. With these proactive tools, we can adapt quickly to the distinct demands of the application for each school.

Asset management and resilience

Given the recent rise of climate chaos, the idea of asset resilience is critical. In every design, we factor in extreme events such as fire and floods, so should these events occur, the school can continue operating.

Modern methods of construction (MMC)

The public education sector is steadily moving to modular construction, where new buildings are ‘manufactured’ off-site as modules. Public education clients are turning towards MMC, as it’s a faster and cost-effective way to build classrooms that cater to the expected increase of students.

Schools at the heart of communities

The state government initiative, Share Our Space, seeks to place schools as community hubs. This philosophy focuses on joint use, giving the public access to the ovals, playgrounds, sports courts and gardens during the school holidays.

Sustainability

School infrastructure NSW is embracing sustainable practices across all building projects. Assigning $15,000 in funding for hands-on sustainability projects that conserve energy or water, reduce waste, or improve biodiversity.

Local Trades Scheme

This measure makes school maintenance easy by allowing schools to source and manage local tradies, up to $50k, via the hipages platform. This supports local economies and makes upkeep more autonomous.

To help public education providers meet these objectives, we work closely with a multitude of local government and community stakeholders. Our key focus is to improve their education infrastructure in the smartest, most sustainable and cost-efficient ways. As a result, our facilities bring community and education together, catering to their current needs whilst preparing them for future intakes of students.

The private sector

 Here, attention is on the purposeful, custom-tailored design of colleges, buildings, social spaces and classrooms. By approaching every build as a distinct project, rather than a cut-and-paste design, our building outcomes help facilitate greater learning, social connectivity and a more authentic identity realisation between school culture and architecture.

Rather than viewing these spaces as static buildings and rooms, we view them as ‘spatial experiences’ with a focus on quality of facilities, discipline and academic results. We collaborate with consultants and clients to give private school projects a firm framework that heroes best-practice architectural design principles.

For the private sector, our facilities need to emulate a school’s unique identity, whilst enhancing its educational process so students can achieve optimum learning outcomes. This requires a sound understanding of the school’s history, its current situation, the expectations of stakeholders, and the best possible path to meet these expectations. By having a clear vision and consistent alignment between all parties, we can set the roadmap for how bring our client’s vision to life through our projects.

As a result, we deliver outcomes that embrace a ‘whole-campus’ outlook, giving our clients a competitive edge in the market. Our building spaces are also designed to tap into current students’ aspirations, whilst attracting future pupils that reflect the school’s cultural philosophies.

Needs-based solutions

Having delivered over 400 education projects in the public, private and tertiary spheres, we know educational design and construction inside out. Prime examples in each sector include:

  • Alexandria Park Community School – Demolition of the existing school and construction of a new school suitable for 1,000 primary and 1,200 secondary students.

  • St Catherine’s School – Demolition of existing structures, as well as the construction of a new multi-storey building comprising a basement-level carpark, aquatic centre, performing arts auditorium and multipurpose hall.

  • UTS Central – Demolition of the existing building and the construction of a new teaching building, including a new UTS Library, Faculty of Engineering, learning commons and research labs.

In each case, we worked closely with our clients to understand their drivers and project vision. This determined the project journey we created, as well as the outcomes we delivered that ultimately enhanced learning and teaching outcomes.

At RCC, our educational facilitates are built to enable world-class learning contexts. We move with innovative research to create future-proof spaces that have the flexibility and forethought to evolve with the ever-emerging needs of students and educators.

Together, we’re delivering infrastructure that’s shaping the future of education.

17th year as Principal Sponsor for Rugby Long Lunch

Celebrating our 17th year as Principal Sponsor for Rugby Long Lunch

As the Principal Sponsor of the Rugby Long Lunch, we’re celebrating our 17th year and are proud of what we’ve achieved.

Festivities were in order on Friday 24 June as we celebrated our 17th year as the Principal Sponsor for Sydney Breast Cancer Foundation’s Rugby Long Lunch. The event raised over $340,000, with funds going towards breast cancer specialist staff and services, to support breast cancer patients and their families through diagnosis, treatment and recovery.

Our partnership with Sydney Breast Cancer Foundation is one of our longest standing and most rewarding relationships. Over the years, we have worked to raise awareness and funding for a much-needed cause… sometimes in unconventional ways.

As a private, family-owned business, we are committed to leaving a legacy by delivering projects that enhance education, research and healthcare for our communities. That’s why supporting Sydney Breast Foundation and the work they do means so much to us.

We look forward to continuing our partnership and working together to change the lives of those affected by breast cancer.

Here’s a snapshot of our journey together.

Optimising Client Outcomes with Digital Design

Optimising Client Outcomes with Digital Design

As the construction industry rides the rise in digital technologies, our in-house digital design team is evolving the way we operate. Driven by tech evolution, industry push, and the desire for smarter builds, technology is propelling practices to optimise construction and achieve greater value, efficiency and lower lifecycle costs.

At RCC, we’re continually innovating to stay competitive in this highly ambitious marketplace. Here’s how digital design is changing the way we work, from inception to completion.

THE NEW TECH-SAVVY LANDSCAPE

Responding to the latest regulatory changes, we are fine-tuning our processes and training to ensure we’re digitally deft to seize future opportunities. This will enable us to stay ahead of the game, given that 57% of class 2 builders and 48% of designers are currently in a basic stage of digitalisation. The industry is set to take ten years to reach digital maturity.

Our Head of Design and Innovation, Samantha Kuiper, emphasises the importance of integrating digital design into current delivery methodologies to boost programme outcomes for the future.

“We believe in embracing technology and industry change. We’re not waiting until digitalisation is a directive – we see the opportunities in technological innovation and are taking a proactive approach to embedding digital design into our processes.”

Sam Kuiper, RCC’s General Manager – Design & Innovation

As digital design makes its macro mark on large-scale infrastructure projects, we integrate it into the company’s actions, so when regulation is a reality, RCC is ahead of the game. To complement traditional design, we embed technologies like 3D modelling, training and development.

BIM AND DIGITAL ENGINEERING

A Building Information Model (BIM) management process allows us to oversee graphic and non-graphical information from end to end on each construction project. It is the core conduit that connects multiple disciplines and different digital design principles together. In other words, BIM is the project bible; the go-to for driving efficiency, value for money, productivity and innovation. Australia’s BIM strategic framework outlines building delivery and management to create standardisation and drive the industry forward.

INTERNAL DRIVERS

Why do we employ digital design? Simply put – to stay competitive and relevant. We test and confirm existing and future designs to get more precise and predictable project information and reusable structures and insights. Investigating cross-function data generates more extensive understanding, which results in superior delivery and commercial decision making. Digital design also improves aspects of communication and visibility between our stakeholders, enabling us to overcome challenges prior to works commencing.

EXTERNAL DRIVERS

Outside RCC, digital design has a three-fold drive: growing client demand, the industry’s need for driving efficiencies and the ANZ Compliances, ISO/AS 19650 Parts 1-6.

Digital design also helps increase accuracy, boost project delivery time, detect discrepancies and work around contingencies such as rain events. With better project visibility, reliability and control, it allows for greater accuracy, integration and better client outcomes. Allowing oversight of the concept, construction and commissioning stages, digital design assists in investigating obstacles to mitigate risk and keeps projects aligned to the original scope.

OUR APPLICATION OF DIGITAL DESIGN WITH SIRIUS

The Sirius building is a Sydney icon, a stalwart of the city’s skyline. Designed to counterpoint the iconic presence of the Sydney Opera House across Circular Quay, the Sirius apartments were conceived in a period when the Brutalist idiom dominated architectural thinking and practice internationally.

JDH Capital engaged us to evolve this piece of history and harmonise the Brutalist origins with new additions and materials. Using various programs, we produced the digital components of the Sirius Project.

DURING ECI PHASE

Using digital design, we created visualisations to communicate how the project will redefine modern living. By combining the architectural, structural and services models, teams analysed the design geometry to understand the overall design, and the constructability of the proposed works.

Sirius Design ModelWe used Navisworks Manage to run an object clash detection between the consultant’s designs. The Revizto cloud platform was used to track and resolve any design issues before site installation, whilst streamlining digital coordination between our teams.

DURING DELIVERY

We used a BIM federated model to amalgamate the architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, hydraulics and fire models. This was viewed by our team members using Navisworks Freedom. We then ran clash tests and progressed issues through Revizto, where relevant team were assigned the clashes.

Point cloud scans lined into the federated model allowed us to pinpoint existing building elements and optimise the design. With the Revizto Mark Ups tool, we flew through the model in 3D. When we came across an area to review, we pinned a ‘Mark up issue,’ which we then turned into a report and distributed to teams to consolidate their models.

DURING CONSTRUCTION

With the Sirius project in the construction stage, we will implement Augmented Reality (AR) and Smart Reality capturing technologies. AR will facilitate a pre-install Q&A between the RCC team and trades to manage and mitigate on-site risk. Improved reality capturing through remote devices (Revizto) and computer vision (Build AI) will continue to optimise compliance checks through post-install and build recording.

Using a 4D model, we will track any materials procured, as well as monitor the installation of specific elements and scenario testing methodologies to prove viability. This will help us visualise our construction sequencing, identify errors and optimise the path of our works.

INTERNAL BENEFITS OF DIGITAL ENGINEERING AND BIM

These technologies allow us to make better decisions quickly, optimise design, automate engineering and reduce the risk involved in off-site and on-site construction. These functions make us more innovative across all projects and within our team, consultant and stakeholder collaborations. They promote more efficient delivery time, proactive risk management through early recognition and minimise rework by finding coordination challenges before fabrication and installation.

Digital simulation allows more forethought and implementation to optimise health and safety. Virtual site simulation facilitates better planning and site logistics and gets all stakeholders on the same page. These technologies also encourage pinpoint accuracy in estimating the costs of supply orders and staging trades.

CLIENT BENEFITS OF DIGITAL ENGINEERING AND BIM

Outside RCC, superior client satisfaction and end-user results are crucial benefits of executing these technologies. Visualisation and simulation help clients fully comprehend their project’s design and construction process, as well as mitigate risks early. This provides an efficient way of gathering data and managing their assets, which boosts confidence and offers more certainty.

After we complete projects, BIM and digital engineering assist us in better systemising data for asset and facilities management and quality maintenance records. We ensure excellence by using ‘Next Gen’ digital technologies like Cloud tech, Augmented Reality and AI to design and build. A win: win.

BARRIERS TO GOING DIGITAL

Making digital design second nature involves ironing out a few kinks. When our supply chains are at different stages of digital aptitude, our subcontractors can’t match the digital capabilities for delivery. We bridge this gap by sourcing expertise and training our project partners.

The Digitisation of Construction Report shows cost impedes the adoption rate. 67% of builders and designers claim that the expense of buying and licensing software is a barrier. This explains the reluctance of builders and consultants to purchase the software and upskill their workers.

Like any significant shift, there’s always resistance. Age demographics and cultural norms within the construction industry contribute to slow tech adoption. At RCC, we know that in the face of new ideas, complacency and scepticism are common. That’s why we adopt patience, communication and education to work around this.

The construction industry has clear delineation between disciplines, so unified workflows linking engineers, subcontracting firms, designers, and general contractors can be challenging.

We navigate all obstacles by allaying fears to arrive at digital acceptance and adaptation. Having already transformed countless industries, the evolution of digital design in the construction sector will revolutionise project outcomes for clients.

IN-HOUSE DIGITAL LEARNING

Our tiered training in digital design training informs our actions business-wide. Our Digital Engineering 101 Fundamentals & Concepts course gives all our people an entry-level understanding of BIM and digital engineering and how we use them. Digital Engineering 102 Project BIM Use covers the basics, and Digital Engineering 103 for Project BIM Management is our advanced module. Both teach the software skills required to competently coordinate the digital aspects of a project and manage the BIM data efficiently and effectively.

“Our training is tiered to build robust understanding. The tiers tailor to the level of detail needed for each position and each person’s familiarity with the software. We also factor in the nature of the project they’re looking to support.”

– Dean James, RCC’s Digital Design Manager

 

At RCC, these training initiatives bring global digital design trends in-house. They help us shape our people, so they’re poised to further the future of digital construction.

FORDING THE DIGITAL FRONTIER

At RCC, we’re seizing the digital reins – initiating a proactive approach to an increasingly tech-led and data-driven shift. As digital design continues to evolve in the construction space, we’re developing new skills; training, educating and implementing technology functions to achieve the best results for our clients.

To stay ahead of trends and strengthen our innovation, we empower our people with cutting-edge digital design tools to ensure our end-users occupy safe, cost-effective and reliable buildings. We’re digitally designing a smarter way to build.

Share our digital design innovation in The Urban Developer.

RCC’s Big Day Out at Sydney Zoo

Bringing our families out at Sydney Zoo

This year RCC families took over the Sydney Zoo for our annual Big Day Out!

As a family business, we love any opportunity to spend a fun filled afternoon catching up with our colleagues and their loved ones. Our outing at Sydney Zoo on the weekend was the perfect chance to make this happen.

The Big Day Out is part of our Staff Appreciation Program; an annual program of events and initiatives focused on giving back to our employees and ensuring everyone enjoys the journey at RCC.

Supporting the Starlight Express Room

Shining a light on the Starlight Children’s Foundation

At RCC, we feel privileged to do what we love – especially for incredible causes like the Starlight Children’s Foundation. Our recent refurbishment of the Starlight Express Room at John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle transformed this vibrant community recreational area for brave children and their families.

Uniting with talented industry partners at cost price, our aim was to enhance the experiences of children, families and the Starlight team with a collaborative, modern environment.

 

Starlight staff and families now enjoy abundant natural light from new windows, plus updated interiors, a new kitchen, recording & broadcasting studio, entertainment stations including video games and arts & crafts, and a stage for performers and movie screenings.

The Starlight Express Room is situated off a main corridor leading into the Children’s Ward at John Hunter Hospital. Complying with hospital infection control requirements during construction in the live hospital environment, our team also maintained clear and unobstructed access to the Children’s Ward and implemented strict procedures around waste and dust control.

Thank you to all the generous and talented local contractors and consultants who we proudly worked with to deliver this rewarding project.

Newcastle Knights Centre of Excellence Opened

Newcastle Knights Centre of Excellence Opened

We were delighted to see the official opening of Newcastle Knights’ new $20 million Centre of Excellence in March.

The Centre provides an integrated world-class high-performance training, administration and community facility for the identification, development and fostering of rugby league talent in the Hunter.

It includes three full-sized training fields, a state-of-the-art gym, multipurpose community and function area, theatrette and players’ lounge, rehabilitation space and office areas, and precinct walking and cycle path.

Scope of work included design & construction of a new purpose-built training facility and administration hub, including:

  • Gym & Pools (heated, ice, recovery)
  • Player locker rooms
  • Amenities
  • Office spaces
  • Physiotherapy rooms
  • Doctors consult rooms
  • High performance training offices
  • Commercial kitchen
  • Front-of-house facilities

 

 

 

Delivering this project has created 80 local jobs, providing a major boost to the Hunter construction industry. This is a prime example of how we are building future-focused social infrastructure that sets our communities up for generations to come.

“Rugby League is such a big part of the social fabric of regional communities and investing in projects like this will benefit the game for generations to come.”

Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole

Akin to Minister for Regional NSW, Paul Toole’s commentary, we know that sports like Rugby League is a significant part of the social fabric of regional communities.

Learn more about this project here.

WBAP Pier 2/3 Completion

Walsh Bay Arts Precinct Construction Complete

After the completion of major construction works in December 2021 on Pier 2/3 at the Walsh Bay Precinct, some of the nation’s leading performing arts companies are beginning to move into their new premises.

The Walsh Bay Arts Precinct redevelopment has been a complex and rewarding journey for RCC and our project partners. Refurbishing these historic wharves over Sydney Harbour has been challenging, however we have been privileged to work with the NSW Government and a talented team of contractors and consultants to deliver these state-of-the-art facilities.

Protecting and honouring the heritage of Pier 2/3 required significant structural repairs and retaining as many heritage features as possible. We also designed bespoke acoustic solutions to meet the performance and rehearsal standards required by each resident art company, whilst maintaining the intended design aesthetic.

ACOUSTIC SOLUTIONS:

Constructing within a 100-year-old timber pier on Sydney Harbour meant that acoustic solutions had to be well-planned and constructed.

  • A solid steel plate floor was installed in the ACO auditorium, instead of the more traditional concrete slab floor, to meet height restrictions whilst maintaining the mass required for low frequency acoustic performance.
  • All walls, ceilings and equipment in theatre and rehearsal spaces were installed on acoustic mounts, reducing the impact of vibrations through the structure from passing harbour traffic and other activities in the precinct.
  • Bespoke acoustic timber cladding has been installed in all performance and rehearsal spaces, not only achieving acoustic outcomes but adding to the interior design.
  • The ACO Performance space is fitted with a state-of-the-art Yamaha Active Architecture System, called Active Field Control (AFC) Enhance, creating a full sound experience within this space. AFC Enhance controls the acoustic environment via 16 microphones and 79 loudspeakers which are strategically located throughout the ceiling space.

STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITIES:

Construction challenges were turned around to deliver high-standard facilities with innovative features.

  • Large sections of the roof in the central valleys were raised to facilitate more room for lighting and sound equipment inside the ACO and ATYP performance spaces, increasing the usable space.
  • The roof was also raised in common areas to allow space to install the major equipment for services including air-conditioning and water heating.
  • To lessen the extent of exposed ductwork on the roof, large open-air rooms were constructed in the major plant rooms with custom perforated roof sheets to match the existing roof profile and colour to allow air into and out of the building for air conditioning.
  • Retractable seating banks have been installed in the ACO and Bell Shakespeare performance spaces to allow for multiple seating arrangements for flexibility in performances.
  • The design has considered the operational needs of theatre staff improving the safety by providing a wire mesh ‘floor’ above the ATYP performance space to allow complex rigging and lighting setups.

HERITAGE AND SUSTAINABILITY:

The heritage value was carefully protected during construction with substantial remedial works undertaken to repair the heritage structures.

  • We worked with Tropman and Tropman to identify heritage items to retain. Prior to internal works, items were carefully labelled and tagged for retention.
  • Some of the superfluous hardwood floorboards were recycled into joinery units in common spaces and used by tenants.
  • Over 230 heritage light fittings were refurbished and reused throughout the pier.
  • The heritage nature of the pier was honoured as much as possible in the large event area, ensuring any new installations reflect the previous industrial use of the wharf.
  • Being over water has allowed the installation of a seawater cooling system for air conditioning services, rather than a traditional rooftop air-conditioning unit. This system reduces power usage and noise levels, whilst maintaining the visual impact of the building.
  • Nearly 300 state-of the-art solar panels have been installed on the roof, making it a more sustainable precinct.

INNOVATION IN CONSTRUCTION:

Working over water on an over 100-year-old pier presented unique challenges which were overcome in a variety of ways.

  • The majority of essential services have been fed from a central plant room in the Wharf 4/5 Shore Sheds, meaning services were installed from a boat, under the wharf in special trays and pipes for proximity to the sea.
  • Strict load limits on the old timber structure meant that deliveries had to be broken down into multiple small loads and barges were utilised to deliver important features such as whole lift shafts and the 21-tonne shared stairway.
  • The old timber members required extensive rectification including the replacement of 24 storey posts, new steel piles, strengthening or replacement of deteriorated beams and joists and the shifting of existing piles, all while the building remained a live construction site.

In an opening media event in February 2022, Minister for Infrastructure, Cities, and Active Transport, Rob Stokes thanked Richard Crookes Constructions for our work on the redevelopment.

“This is a pivotal project for Sydney and an amazing achievement to have a public arts and cultural hub right on Sydney’s famous waterfront with new state-of-the art facilities, while still having its iconic heritage preserved.”

Rob Stokes – Minister for Infrastructure, Cities, and Active Transport

 

Ben Franklin, Minister for the Arts reflected on the delivery of the precinct;

“After two years of carefully transforming an empty wool store into a premium 21st century space for the arts, Pier 2/3 welcomes the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Australian Theatre for Young People and Bell Shakespeare as its new resident companies.

Ben Franklin – Minister for the Arts

Mr Franklin also said that the evolving story of the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct now shifts to the hands of the many artists who will transform this precinct in new and unforgettable ways. He looks forward to seeing the reactivation of the Precinct from March when the resident arts companies on Pier 2/3 welcome audiences and participants into their new spaces.

WHAT’S NEXT

Having completed the refurbishment of neighbouring Wharf 4/5 in 2020, we are now honoured to announce the completion of major constructions works at Pier 2/3 and looking forward to seeing the precinct come to life as the resident art companies start to operate in their new spaces.

Over the coming months, the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Australian Theatre for Young People and Bell Shakespeare will move in and refine their theatre and rehearsal spaces, and visitors will be able to attend events at Pier 2/3 early this year.