Architect and Builder April 2017 | Page 40

NORTH WEST ELEVATION and adheres to a mini precinct Master Plan that was designed for the two buildings. This Master Plan dictates that pedestrian flow in, around and between the two buildings, should be encouraged. As such, there is continuity with the principles enforced in the design for the Novartis Head Office. The result is that pedestrians can enter the building from four sides and it is truly integrated with the Urban Fabric of the broader City. There is also a strong pedestrian arterial link between the Allandale Building and Novartis that encourages shared amenities and closer interaction between people. Materials The building façades are made up of unitised curtain walls that are a combination of glass and aluminium. The 5m cantilevering aluminium portal frames are supported by a steel truss sub-structure 40 and the roof is a combination of concrete, roof sheeting and sky-lights. In the atrium, the floors have received a bespoke combination of marble-pattern porcelain tiles and durable patterned carpets. The balustrades are a combination of dry-wall, glass and molded Corian coping. The planters are made up of molded Corian seats with LED strip lights below each one. All soft furnishings in the atrium were either specifically selected or custom-made to compliment the aesthetic of the building. Challenges With the atrium of the building being such a major and visible feature of the building, the quality expectations were extremely high. The size of the space was substantial and – as architects and Principle Agents – Aevitas and Empowered Spaces had to meet these expectations from an aesthetic Allandale