The LCF building operates like a vertical campus bringing together a diverse range of functions across 17 floors. In a central circulation route – ‘The Heart’ – are the building’s fixed elements: vertical circulation, lifts and WCs. In cross-section, The Heart is a singular interconnected vertical space that links the building’s entrance hall and public functions at its lower levels – the auditorium, gallery, cafe and library – to the workshop and teaching floors at its middle and on upper levels, the refectory, drawings studios and roof terraces.
X
The Staircase
The most visually stunning feature of The Heart is the staircase and space around it. At the publicly accessible lower levels the stairs are generous and sculptural with a concrete, timber and glass balustrades framing the void space, separating it from the outer walkways and galleries.
It is both practical and spectacular, twisting, overlapping and utilising a wide variety of materials. As one of the main thoroughfares of the finished building it was also one of the busiest during its construction. We employed a variety of innovations to ensure our work didn’t inconvenience other trades progress, contributing to the timely delivery of the finished building.
We installed maple hardwood treads on the concrete stairs from level 4-10 and the black metal staircase from levels 11-13. Perhaps the biggest challenge and one demanding the most innovative approach was the installation of 250 balustrade panels.
X
The Balustrades
Installation of the balustrades presented a significant challenge as it runs around the edge of The Heart’s void space, surrounding the elegantly curving stairs at the lower levels and steel stairs on the upper floors. Traditionally, scaffolding would have been placed in the central atrium to allow linear installation. However, this would mean delaying other construction throughout the entire building. Instead, we used specially designed machinery to install the balustrade sections from each floor’s walkway. In all, 10 different methods of installation were devised as each of the first four floors demanded a unique solution, several of which involved abseil training and full medical checks for safety-critical activities of 50 specialists, enabling them to access the outer side of the balustrade panels without the need for scaffolding.
Each of the 250 panels was designed using BIM and manufactured with a strong steel core and lined with maple plywood, the first time both methods had ever been utilised for this type of infrastructure fit-out. By installing them from the ‘safe’ internal side, we also facilitated easier access for future maintenance.
The balustrades’ primary function is ensuring the safety of building users, but they also had further capability built in, including display cases, teaching aids and breakout zones.
X
02
Next project
higher-education
