Facade access systems provide a long-term access solution for varied architectural structures, serving buildings for decades at a time. While routine maintenance can extend the life of facade access equipment, natural wear over time might compromise the system’s dependability. When a building maintenance system becomes uneconomical to repair or approaches the end of its useful life, it may be necessary to replace it.
We take a look below at some innovative replacement projects provided in Australia.
385 Bourke Street, also known as the State Bank Centre, is a 169-metre-tall office building initially constructed in 1983. CoxGomyl delivered a replacement facade access solution for the structure comprising a single Building Maintenance Unit to replace the original EW COX system that had been in service for 40 years. With the BMU located 135 metres above ground and the building situated on a major city street, a crane was unavailable for installation. Therefore, it was decided that the Building Maintenance Unit would be transported via the service elevator.
The goods elevator had a weight capacity of only 2,000 kg and tight dimensional restrictions, which meant the standard BMU design required customisation to ensure it would fit. Most components were transported using this method, except for the BMU cradle, which was lifted to the third-level podium roof with a small crane and then pulled upwards using the existing BMU wire ropes.
The Quadrant is a 20-storey office building located in the heart of Perth. Constructed in 1991, the tower underwent a major refurbishment in 2014. As part of this renovation, CoxGomyl delivered a replacement facade access system to ensure that tenants could continue to take advantage of the building’s views of the local river and quay.
As a low-rise building, the replacement unit was delivered using a mobile crane. This method was ideal due to its efficiency, with the entire delivery requiring only one day, thanks to the local team’s careful planning to ensure that street closures and relevant permits were organised well in advance.
Sydney’s Darling Park precinct is home to some of the city’s most prominent commercial tenants. With three mixed-use towers ranging from 93 to 126 metres constructed between 1992 and 2005, CoxGomyl was asked to deliver three replacement BMUs for the precinct.
Each replacement facade access system was delivered using only the goods lifts for installation, which required the Building Maintenance Unit to be broken into components due to the three buildings’ varying capacity and size limitations. The installation team considered pinch points and floor capacities to ensure a seamless transportation process before combining the components on site.
CoxGomyl works with building owners to provide fit-for-purpose replacement facade access solutions that preserve the pristine condition of existing structures while also meeting the facility’s current requirements. Learn more about our replacement capabilities or browse our range of projects.
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