Centenary Square Is A Low-Rise Trend Setter For Brisbane

Location:	Fortitude Valley, Queensland
Country:	Australia
Construction Date:	March 2007
Builder:	Laing O'Rourke
Formworkers:	Wideform Queensland
Products Used:	LYSAGHT BONDEK®

The new Centenary Square project in Brisbane's Fortitude Valley is attracting wide interest because of a floorplate size that's one of the largest available in Brisbane.

This design and construct project by builder Laing O'Rourke is located on the Brisbane Central Business District fringe and adds a new office building of 10,000 square metres with additional ground floor retail of 1,663 square metres.

On a site adjacent to an existing 13 storey commercial building, the development creates campus style accommodation with extensive landscaped courtyard and terrace areas between the two buildings.

Australia's largest formwork contractor, Wideform (Queensland) has just completed work on the project, including the installation of 9,000 square metres of LYSAGHT BONDEK® structural steel formwork.

Centenary Square is designed to achieve a minimum 5 star ABGR (Australian Building Greenhouse Rating) rating.

The recyclability of steel building products was one of the key reasons for the decision to incorporate BONDEK® in the building's structural design.

Asked to comment on the reasons for the decision to select LYSAGHT BONDEK®, Wideform Queensland Site Supervisor Ricardo Cardoso said: "It's also a time saving decision."

"We know material costs for us may increase a bit, but you are saving stripping time and you are gaining time on the program."

"In some instances BONDEK® sheeting can be spread from underneath so that it serves as fall protection, eliminating the need for catch platforms."

"It is ideal because you can co-ordinate with BlueScope Lysaght so that the BONDEK® is delivered to site by truck and craned directly up onto the working deck."

"It's then just a matter of laying out all the sheets and that does save us on our own transport and material handling."

Ricardo said the fast cover provided by the 590mm wide BONDEK® sheets was an advantage, particularly in lengths up to 7 metres.

"In those lengths it can give you a major speed advantage over narrower alternatives," he said.

Wideform Queensland Site Supervisor Manuel Costa was able to vary the number of formworkers on the Centenary Square site to take advantage of BONDEK® characteristics.

"They are very large floor plates on this project," Manuel said. "We have had up to 35 in our crew, but of course you only need a very small number of them to lay the BONDEK® sheeting."

"As the building program has progressed, I've just calculated my requirements and then called BlueScope Lysaght to organise delivery of the sheeting as we've needed it."

"We've needed various lengths and quantities, because there are always variations on each deck, but we've never had any supply problems. The BONDEK® sheeting has always turned up as requested."

Manuel's attitude is that getting the best out of BONDEK® sheeting is simply a matter of being prepared.

"When you are ready for it you can lay out and shoot down a thousand square metres in just a couple of hours," he said. "It has worked out great on this project."

LYSAGHT BONDEK® decking is the original steel formwork system that revolutionised concrete construction. It replaces bottom reinforcement in most applications, resulting in significant savings in labour, time and cost.

It is made from DECKFORM® zinc coated high tensile steel which was developed by BlueScope Steel specifically for the steel decking market. It delivers excellent durability and is backed by a BlueScope Steel warranty and nationwide technical support.

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