ca s e st u dy
australia
towers:
maximising
views without
compromising
safety
B
reezway Altair Louvre Windows
were recently specified into the
Australia Towers project, located in
the heart of Sydney, New South Wales. The
project was designed by renowned leading
architectural firm, Bates Smart, who have
been established in the industry since 1853
(originally named Reed and Barnes), making
them Australia’s second oldest architectural
firm and amongst the oldest in the world.
Bates Smart take great pride in their work
and the Australia Towers project at Sydney
Olympic Park is a reflection of this. The
building environment is characterised
by a tension between traditional urban
planning imperatives and the construction
and celebration of monumental sporting
structures.
This competition winning design for two
new residential towers provides a sense of
connection between the massive scale of
sporting infrastructure and the human scale
of life on the street. The towers are linked
by a low podium, comprised of commercial
office and retail tenancies that create a lively
street frontage for residents and passers-by.
Breezway Altair Louvre Windows with the
Stronghold System have been incorporated
into the facades of this multi-level building enclosing balconies and using a wintergarden
14 Australian Window Association Autumn 2016
approach to help maximise views and create
additional year-round living space. Residents
can enjoy the winter sun in a protected
spot or take advantage of fresh breezes
through the apartments and communal
spaces. When closed, Altair Louvres will
withstand the harshest weather and act as a
primary seal against outdoor noise filtering
into the main living areas. The towers have
been positioned to ensure that privacy and
overshadowing requirements have also been
satisfied.
In addition to unobstructed views and
airflow, another important reason for the
specification of the Stronghold System was
to ensure rail corporation compliance was
satisfied. The anti-throw legislation requires
certain restrictions be in place to avoid
items being projected onto the track or
pedestrians below. Altair Louvres with the
Stronghold System are designed to achieve
higher blade retention - providing residents
with the benefit of full ventilation for
comfort, whilst restricting the opening of the
entire window for safety.
The architects at Bates Smart leveraged off
their experience with Altair Louvres and the
Stronghold System after their inclusion in
the Iglu Student Accommodation project at
Chatswood, New South Wales (completed
in 2015; Winner of the 2015 Design Awards
category Best Use of Windows and Doors:
Commercial New Construction over
$5Million). With frameless, unimpeded glass
views, their ability to provide large openable
areas to maximise ventilation, and with
restricted blades that are fully compliant
with fall prevention standards, Bates Smart
felt confident installing the product again
for a similar high profile project. “We are
delighted with the results of improved
airflow, noise reduction and the aesthetics
provided by Altair Louvre Windows over the
first six months of the life of the building,”
stated Jonathan Gliksten, Director of Iglu.
Altair Louvres with the Stronghold System
have passed extensive testing to AS 2047
‘Windows in Buildings’ and ICP005
‘Protection of Openable Windows’ to prove
its ability to safely retain blades within the
clips even when subjected to heavy loads.
With the louvre open, a pneumatic ram,
powered by compressed air, is used to apply
loads of up to 163 kg to the edge of the
toughened Stronghold glass blade without
breakage.
For more information on the Australia Towers
project or to obtain a copy of the Stronghold
System test results, please contact Breezway on
1800 777 758 or visit www.breezway.com.au