Grocon came to GRC Environments wanting us to put the finishing touches on the impressive AXA Building in the Docklands.
They needed a variety of panels to slot into tight spaces on the exterior of the building that didn’t put too much pressure on the structure – and they needed a team that could make it happen.
How we answered the brief
The client sought a concrete alternative that wasn’t as heavy or inflexible as the real thing. The idea was to give the new AXA headquarters a smooth, cement-like finish that contrasted against vertical panel work while remaining aesthetically pleasing. GRC Environments created intricate GRC panels of different shapes and sizes for the lower levels of the building to fulfill the brief. We then installed them ourselves to make sure each one fitted neatly where it was supposed to.
How and why GRC was used
GRC was used because it is lightweight – concrete would have strained the building, possibly causing damage. We made five moulds and crafted 300 varying panels using different parts of the moulds to create each one. Using the same moulds also made the exercise more cost effective. MDF templates were then taken to the site to install as a test run as the 5mm gap allowance between GRC panels meant that precision was essential.
The team involved
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Steve Fennell
Managing Director
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Gino Giacobbe
Director
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Paul Dennis
Supervisor and Mould Maker
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Luke Giacobbe
Robot Guru
Our principals have worked in the building industry since 1995 and are leaders in GRC/GFRC use in Australia. Meet the crew
Our project partners
Thanks to our partners, Cox Architecture for their help in this project.