Sector
Residential / Adaptive Reuse
Location
Spring Hill, QLD
This remarkable redevelopment project at 383 Wickham Terrace, Spring Hill, QLD, called for a customised fire safety strategy to accommodate the unique challenges of transforming an existing office building into a modern residential development.
Our fire engineering approach was meticulously developed to ensure compliance with fire safety requirements while supporting the innovative design and a pragmatic approach.
The Challenges
- Mixed-use adaptation: Conversion of an 8-storey office building into a residential building (Class 2), with a carpark (Class 7a) and additional penthouse storeys.
- Complex site conditions: Existing building elements, structure and exits coupled with limited floor area to accommodate building infrastructure.
- Performance deviations: Addressing existing construction and innovative design, including timber framing for penthouse levels, trellis vegetation, EV Charging Stations and extended egress travel distances.
The Solutions
- Fire Services: Custom solutions to support rationalised and modified fire services with a keen consideration of spatial limitations in the existing building.
- Enhanced safety for EV chargers: Special provisions for carpark safety, including measures for electric vehicle charging stations to mitigate fire hazards.
- Innovative design flexibility: Allowing the inclusion of non-combustible trellises with climbing vegetation and timber-framed penthouse walls while maintaining safety.
The Outcomes
- Future-ready design: A building that seamlessly integrates modern residential amenities while prioritising fire safety.
- Compliance achieved: All performance solutions meet the performance requirements of the National Construction Code (NCC) 2022.
- Safety without compromise: Retention of the existing building through a considered adaptive reuse strategy where fire safety is central
