2020 Awards

Increasing functionality, ensuring adequate natural lighting, and maintaining a sleek, elegant appearance was our challenge for this stunning project. San Kai restaurant needed an all-weather solution to increase the usability of their outdoor dining area. The lightweight awnings they previously installed were prone to water leaks, pooling and an overall messy appearance, so our brief was simple: smooth, sleek, white, waterproof and no posts, please. The structure consisted of two penetrations, one for the main building support column and one for a support cable to limit self-weight deflection of the supporting framework. Due to the body corporate requirements for a streamlined and smooth finish, we custom routed aluminium infill panels to close in the gaps between the individual fabric frames, which we modelled 3 Dimensionally with the frame to ensure a perfect fit to the existing infrastructure with a tolerance of 1-2mm. Precision at its best. This allowed us to not only achieve a smooth appearance but also adequate waterproofing requirements to ensure no leaks underneath the structure. The installation had to be done over multiple days in four-hour timeslots to fall outside of the restaurant’s opening hours and not disturb the residential properties above. The installation was staged to ensure that the progress made within the timeslot did not leave unfinished items or safety hazards – needless to say, it was a scheduling nightmare but worth it as both our client and the body corporate were ecstatic to see their vision realised. The restaurant is now able to function with increased capacity during rainy conditions, thus increasing profitability. Fabric: Mehler FR580

Our client, Phil needed a multi-solution: firstly, waterproof shade protection for his pool and deck, privacy from neighbouring high-rise apartments and also to keep leaves from overhanging neighbouring trees out of the pool. Phil envisaged a vertical panel to shed the leaves back into the neighbours’ side. Our 3D survey of the area took each of these needs into consideration and we also took care of all engineering and building approvals to ensure it was constructed under relevant building codes. After the set out was finalised, the real challenges started.  The pool and deck area is at the back of the property. All materials had to be manually moved in and out of the area and with only one access point down the side of the property, with over 30 steps down to our vehicles, the team had a great workout at the same time.  Also, plywood protection boards had to be installed on the access stairs to prevent damage. To excavate the piers, a high-powered vacuum excavation truck with 60 meters of line needed to be ordered. The same goes for pouring the concrete. The width of the access gate did not allow for us to walk a wheelbarrow into the area – so instead, the line pump had to push concrete uphill into the footings, and we had to organise a special mix to prevent the concrete curing in the pump line. To install the shade membrane, we had to work over the top of the pool off ladders and scaffold. The most challenging part of the install was tensioning and fastening of the middle sections of the sail track to the structure, as 60% of this area was directly over the pool. Although this project needed many genius solutions, the results speak for themselves. Fabric: Ferrari 502

Our client’s East facing apartment needed cover from the sun, rain and when entertaining guests. Being a rooftop apartment, they were concerned about how an awning would be affected by high winds and if there was a solution to solving their challenge. A site visit identified sun angles that projected into their living room and also made their time on the veranda uncomfortable. Our recommendation was a motorised awning with a sun/wind vibration sensor that automatically retracts and expands at the push of a button. Our challenge was not the sunshade, but how to access their rooftop property as the awning’s two folding arms needed to be at least 4.5m long. We did a walkthrough of the fire escape stairwells and investigated all possible access routes to get the folding arm awnings into the area of works but had to break the news that building access was not possible to achieve a practical and safe installation. The awning was too big and too heavy to navigate through the tight stairwell. Our team do not give up easily and we decided to install the awning with the help of a crane. The 80-tonne crane however needed to be set up in soft sand near a busy public beach which meant we needed to get Council approval. Our application which included detailed project drawings, workplace health and safety plans got the build approved. Our client was so grateful that we were able to overcome so many obstacles and delivered the project on budget, without any variations and most importantly, in the timeframe that we promised – even though installation fell on the week of the worse storms on record in years.  Fabric: Fire Resistant SPARK U150 120 – Blanc

Client Australia Zoo Timeframe to complete shade structure 15 Days Location of shade structure Beerwah in Queensland Shade structure Challenges Short turn around period The site is publicly accessible The shade structure needed to look like a makeshift camp Limited access meant digging by hand Crocodiles being released and had to help with carrying the reptiles Materials used Bullduct Canvas 120z galvanised steel Concrete During the last stages of a vast landscaping upgrade, Australia Zoo had the inspiration for a themed structure that represents an Australian outback camping scene. Our team had only 15 days to turn the project around from initial site inspection to design. manufacture and install, which meant we are going the extra mile to not let our client down. After numerous site inspections, hand sketches and many discussions, a basic design intent was established. From there we spent a good deal of time in CAD to create an irregular and asymmetrical design that enhanced the appearance of a makeshift camp. The concept was also brought to life with a 3D model to ensure we can accurately realise our client’s vision. To add to our deadline challenge, the site had limited access – we had to excavate the footings by hand and wheelbarrow concrete in 75m from where our truck was parked. There was also no time to adjust the fabric, so the post-install had to be perfect. The angles on the posts were all digitally set and measured against the 3D model, set into foundations, and temporarily braced and adjusted to ensure they would meet the fabric form when it arrived on-site. To top it, the final installation coincided with the crocodiles being introduced to their new enclosure. Our team needed to pause works multiple times to keep noise levels down and even assisted with carrying the largest crocodile into the enclosure! Although not fabric related, this is not out of the ordinary, as no job is too big or complicated for our champion team. Fabric: Bullduct Canvas 120z

2020 Award for Excellence Winner –Blinds and Awnings – Domestic