Architectural Solutions

When a client wishes to express their imagination and artistic flair in creating a truly stimulating or unique flavour,  Stresscrete is able to offer an outstanding range of quality, durable, building components. From the simplicity of various colours, shades and textures of exposed aggregate finishes  to curved panels and intricate inlays, Stresscrete’s experience is second to none. Panels can be  created in virtually any shape with axis on different planes, irregular cut-outs or sophisticated curves, designs and textures. Almost anything is possible, limited only by your imagination.

glass reinforcement

Glass fibre reinforced cement (GRC) is the generic term for a new composite material which consists of a matrix of cement and fine aggregate reinforced with alkali resistant glass fibres. GRC has already found many applications in the construction and allied industries, where it has been used as an alternative material to precast concrete, sheet metal, cast iron, timber and plastics. Many existing products make use of the inherent advantages and manufacturing flexibility which, combined with the fact that GRC is noncombustible, rot, corrosion and fire resistant, make it an ideal material for many engineering applications.

The properties of GRC are influenced by factors such as fibre content and distribution, type of matrix and method of manufacture, the properties can therefore be tailored to meet the design requirements of particular components.

On a tiny site in downtown Wellington, an 18-storey apartment building was erected in just 16 weeks. This includes everything from piling to finish painting and cladding. And all it took was just six men on site. The use of GRC panels for the cladding played a major part in the achievement. The size of the site and its narrow frontage onto a busy inner city street dictated the form of construction. A small crane had to be used to avoid any illegal intrusion into the airspace of the adjacent building. Hence the need for lightweight panels which could be lifted by a small crane.

Modular design and construction processes were developed that simplified panel production and standardised frames. Key to reducing the on-site time was the careful planning, which took longer than the actual construction. The building consists of a steel frame clad in GRC panels with precast concrete floor slabs and steel fibre reinforced concrete topping. The floor area is 240m2 per level.

Glazed windows were installed and sealed at the precaster’s yard, and panels received an undercoat and first coat of paint before arriving on site. Spanners and wrenches were then used to bolt and fix the panels into position on the building. Unnecessary scaffolding and craneage charges were eliminated, and the requirements of other trades did not have to be accommodated, resulting in significant advantages in cost and time, as well as quality. The mould may have intricate patterns and shapes, to give a wide range of options for architects. Stresscrete incorporated deep reveals and chases within the GRC panels to create shade lines to break up the smooth expansive surface. The finish quality far exceeded code requirements, and minimal preparation was needed prior to final painting.