Project Profile: Melbourne Convention Centre

Project Profile: Melbourne Convention Centre

Heritage Glass supplied the glass walls and roofing as featured above

Melbourne: Open For Business 44 | Award Magazine

By David Said

Image courtesy of Woods Bagot and NHArchitecture

There are striking features of the new Melbourne Convention Centre at South Wharf that make it a stand out project.

F

irst, an innovative design concept by NHArchitects and Woods Bagot that deliberately sets out to turn traditional convention centre design inside out and deliver a building that is distinctive in its own right and worthy of its prime riverfront location in the South Wharf precinct, not just a venue for large conventions.

Second, it is the first convention centre in the world to be awarded a six star green star environmental rating, making it one of the

greenest large structures in the the world.

And third, its revolutionary internal design and advanced technology makes it one of the first convention centres of this scale to have its primary meeting space equipped to accomodate flat to tiered seating at the touch of a button or subdivide into two or three separate meeting spaces.

The State Government regards the new Melbourne Convention Centre, which will open for business in mid-2009, as a major

investment in its own right, with the power to generate millions of dollars in interstate and overseas income for Victoria.

This PPP (public-private partnership), between the State Government and the Plenary Group, will deliver a $1.4 billion revitalised precinct that will give community access to a new landmark featuring the convention centre, a new Hilton Hotel, an office tower, a 60,000 square metre shopping precinct and renewed public realm.

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Project Profile: Melbourne Convention Centre It is situated on the banks of the Yarra and will be fully integrated with the adjoining exhibition centre through a glassed walkway to become the largest exhibition and convention facility in the southern hemisphere.

Ground breaking design

“Before starting this project”, recalls Hamish Lyon of NH Architects “Nik Karalis of Woods Baggot and I took a tour of convention centres in the USA, Asia and Europe and decided that most convention centres had the aesthetic quality of a football stadium”. In other words, the average convention centre was a box-like structure that quarantined attendees in a dark, unstimulating interior with the only access to the outside world (aside from the front door) being reserved for trucks bumping in exhibits and catering equipment or delivering supplies.

In contrast, they wanted to design not just a multi-functional meeting space, but a major public building that would be filled with light and integrate with the waterfront, the city and the Docklands to become a feature of the urban landscape in its own right.

The design of the new convention centre is certainly anything but box-like – it is designed in a fan shape, with a long, curved glass facade that overlooks the Yarra and allows the people of Melbourne to look into the structure from the other side of the river and enjoy the spectacle while admitting light and a superb view into the foyer of the centre itself.

The fan shape also maximises the impact of the contoured steel roof, which visually integrates the new convention centre with the steel roofed exhibition centre next door.

In yet another innovative move, all delivery

and logistic services are diverted underground and unload at the core of the building, eliminating the traffic jam of trucks around the perimeter and public access.

Inside the foyer, the major design feature is the rear feature wall, a three-dimensional mosaic of angled wooden panels arranged in an organic patchwork pattern that sweeps its full length like an avant-garde sculpture.

This feature delivers one of the centre’s environmental credentials, since all the wood veneer for the 8,400 square metres of

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A challenge to build.

Arthur Williams, who leads the Brookfield Multiplex team who are building the new centre, says that one of the biggest challenges the builders had to face was the location of the site itself – an island surrounded by water at the front and existing developments on every other side. There was only one entrance to the site for deliveries and removals and this made construction planning and staging much more difficult.

The people of Victoria are gaining a $1.4 billion urban renewal project.

Plenary Group

panelling was harvested sustainably from only 56 Australian Spotted Gum trees.

Behind this wooden feature wall lies the heart of this convention centre. The fanshaped 5,000 seat Plenary Hall that can change format to suit a range of events. The seats can be configured as a flat floor venue, but will also tier themselves automatically rising off the floor and unfolding themselves. Alternatively, all the seating can fold away, leaving a large bare floor area for use as a conference banqueting hall, large exhibition space or ballroom. This is not only one of the world’s biggest halls with automatic seating, it also combines this feature with the ability to subdivide into three separate theatres, each capable of differently configured seating and each with its own stage (the room dividers are moved by hand by being rolled in on a monorail system).

The riverfront location also meant that Golder Associates, who undertook the geotechnical investigation and foundation design, had to ensure that the site would be sealed off from the river and adjacent dock and that the piled foundation system would support the structure on the soft silt substrata common in this area (a design task complicated by intermittent layers of basalt).

The pressure was also on civil engineers Winward Structures, who had to cope with high floor loads and long span floor and roof structures. Winward established two separate design teams – one for reinforced concrete and the other for structural steel – to ensure they would meet the extremely short design and construction programmes that will see the facility ready for the first convention in mid 2009.

Artist Impression | Every seat in the self-tiering, 5,000 seat plenary hall has a clear view of the stage

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It is also worth noting that each of the three design features that give the Centre its unique identity – the distinctive roof, the variable seating in the plenary hall and the glass facade fronting the river – created its own share of construction headaches.

At 20,000 square metres, the roof was the largest long span steel roof ever built in Australia. An on-site rolling mill was required to produce the 8 metre long roof sections because they were too long to be transported to the site, while the installation of the 52-tonne steel roof trusses required the use of the tallest free standing crane in Australia to lift and position them. (To add to the complexity of this operation, this 90 metre crane, already in use elsewhere on the site, had to be dropped, moved and rebuilt to accomplish this task).

The glass facade overlooking the Yarra presented yet another challenge. It is more than 200 metres long by 18 metres tall and since the architects specified a vertical striped effect which adds to the imposing height of the facade, each drop consists of only three 6.3 metre x 2 .1 metre silicone jointed sheets of glass, with no horizontal supporting members.

The cassette system, to which the large sheets of glass are attached only at the sides, was a one-off solution from Arup Facades and was manufactured by Clipfit, who also installed it at a rate of 50 large glass panels per day. (No doubt the experience both companies had gained while working together on the Southern Cross Station project proved useful).

The third identifying feature, the tiered seating system, is based on a patented lifting mechanism owned by Gala Systems of Canada which is used throughout Europe and North America in theatres and small auditoria, but had never been used on this scale before.

The Melbourne system requires three separate lifting mechanisms, (one for each of the three divisible sections of the hall), with the added demand that the flat floor resulting when the seating was stowed beneath it had to be reinforced to support heavy trucks carrying banqueting and exhibition supplies driving over it without damaging the complex hydraulic lifting screws and folded seating beneath. Gala designed the prototype for the system and trained employees from Metaltech in Melbourne to work on the system so that they were qualified to fabricate, test and install the components.

Environmental challenges

The State Government specified that a minimum environmenal rating of 4 stars must be achieved. The convention centre's third claim to fame - it's six star green star environmental rating - was achieved by Plenary Group who believed that it would not only score approval points with the Victorian Government, but would also be a marketing tool which would attract future conference organisers and act as an additional drawcard for the operators of the hotel and tenants in the retail complex and office tower.

At the same time, achieving this standard

Artist Impression | The distinctive main foyer has a glass curtain façade overlooking the Yarra river was no easy task. The Green Building Council of Australia developed a rigorous new set of criteria for evaluating conference centres in response to the Plenary Group design and these covered areas from site excavation to specification of construction materials, fittings, finishes and post construction operating systems. Some of the measures prescribed by environmental engineering consultants Lincolne Scott to win the first six star green star rating ever granted to a conference facility include recycling of grey and black water for non-potable on site use, solar panels to deliver all public amenity hot water requirements, natural light and energy-saving controls on installed lighting, including fixtures that adjust dependent on the amount of daylight detected in the room and building materials from renewable and sustainable sources.

Outcome – a major asset for Victoria.

There were many sound business reasons for building a new convention centre for Melbourne, since economic modelling estimated that over the next 25 years, the convention centre will stimulate Victoria's economy in excess of $197 million each year and create 2500 jobs, plus another 1000 jobs during the construction phase.

There is also no doubt that the PPP model is working exceptionally well in delivering value for Victorian tax payers. As a Plenary spokesman put it “the people of Victoria are gaining a $1.4 billion urban renewal project for South Wharf for the price of the convention

centre alone –with more than two thirds of the cost of the total project being met by the private sector.”

The new development is also a fascinating marketing case history in its own right. By basing their bid on a radical new design that would add aesthetic value and interest to South Wharf, giving the project the unique identity of being the world's greenest convention centre and adding the technical flexibility of a fully automated and individually configurable Plenary Hall, Plenary Group has created a facility that conference organisers want to use and tenants want to be part of. Hilton Hotels have already signed up as the operator of the new hotel and there is no shortage of future conference bookings either – with more than 43 major international conventions booked from the time the centre opens for business in July 2009, including the 2009 Parliament of the World's Religions which will attract 10,000 delegates.

Above all, the new centre is a triumph for good design and bold thinking. By breaking the rules of convention centre design, Melbourne gets itself a fine new public building that revitalises a previously unused area and provides a visual attraction that both locals and visitors to Melbourne will enjoy for many years to come. A

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• SlabDrain/Membrane Drain – shallow drainage, ideal for suspended slabs where waterproofing is critical • Brickslot/MiniKlassik – discrete slot drainage, ideal for brick pavements and other high profile applications

Project directory | Melbourne Convention Centre FLOORING CONTRACTOR

ACO Polycrete Products

www.acoaus.com.au/drain

Contact: John Sordo PO Box 470 Emu Plains, NSW 2750 P: 02 4747 4042 F: 03 4747 4040 www.acoaus.com.au

A variety of ACO products were installed at the Melbourne Convention Centre. Inside the building, at various locations along its expansive floor areas, stainless steel HEELGUARDTM Anti-Slip floor ventilation grilles were fitted. These were specified by NH Architecture and Woods Bagot for their strength and versatility. The grille was made up of a system of grates of various sizes and shapes built to adapt to the staggered shape of the designated floor area. Various grille profiles were selected to meet the design requirements for the building’s permissible air dispersement. These systems were also located in the Plenary.

For the external areas, John Mullen Partners (JMP) specified ACO Drain (trench and pit drainage) with Ductile Iron, Galvanised and Stainless Steel HEELGUARDTM grates. URBANFIL® access covers were also selected by Aspect Melbourne Pty Ltd above various utilities to ensure that the visual continuity of the floor paver pattern is preserved.

GENERAL CONTRACTOR

Brookfield Multiplex

Contact: Arthur Williams 32 Lincoln Square North Carlton, VIC 3053 P: 03 8341 4500 F: 03 9347 0031 www.brookfieldmultiplex.com

The Melbourne Convention Centre Development and Hilton Hotel South Wharf combined are $550M of new construction delivered over a 2.5 year duration. The project team at peak time had in excess of 1200 Construction Workers and more than 100 Brookfield Multiplex staff and labour on site. The project has been built in record time with turnover exceeding $1M per day every working day during 2008. The project is the world's first 6 star green star rated convention centre incorporating many design initiatives including displacement air conditioning to the Plenary Hall and foyer, Chilled Beam conditioning to the office space and under floor heating and cooling to the main foyer.

GLASS

Heritage Glass Products

Contact: Bob Taylor 91 Cook Street Port Melbourne, VIC 3207 P: 03 9251 2888 F: 03 9251 2899 www.heritageglass.com.au

Innovative designs often require similarly innovative solutions. The history of Heritage glass is one of taking on projects which require more than just the supply and installation of glass to a project. With the Melbourne Convention Centre project Heritage Glass was commissioned to supply a special patterned mirror glass type for the project which required the designing of the pattern and sourcing of a manufacturer to complete the project to architectural approval. The project is one of the more detailed projects Heritage has been involved in.

The finish required by the Architects and Builder has been achieved due to Heritage’s long association within the glazing industry and the relationships built up over a long period of time with suppliers and manufacturers, which help achieve the more complex requirements of designers in today’s building environment. As always the hard work and good will of all concerned in the project are the key elements for a good outcome. Our thanks go to the teams at Woods Bagot and Brookfield Multiplex for their support through the project.

Victorian State Government

Level 35 121 Exhibition Street Melbourne, VIC 3000 www.diird.vic.gov.au

Plenary Group

Contact: Steve Wise Level 29, 140 William Street Melbourne VIC 3000 P: 03 8888 7700 F: 03 8888 7701 www.plenarygroup.com

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GOVERNMENT BODY

The Melbourne Convention Centre Development is being delivered as a public private partnership project under the Partnerships Victoria framework. The Victorian Government's investment of $370 million will deliver a $1.4 billion development at South Wharf creating a new waterfront precinct for people to enjoy.

The Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development is the lead department for the project and Major Projects Victoria are responsible for construction of the new centre.

The centre and adjacent commercial precinct is being developed on the Government’s behalf by a consortium led by Plenary Group.

Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Trust will operate the new centre and are working with Melbourne Convention + Vistors Bureau to attract new convention business.

PROJECT SPONSOR Plenary Group is an independent public private partnership business; an investor, developer and operator of public infrastructure over the long term. A ‘plenary’ approach is absolute - comprehensive and complete.

These are the qualities we bring to the delivery and management of public private partnerships. On the MCCD project, we worked hand-in-glove with our consortium partners. Our direct engagement with the builders and service providers from the very start of the project has enabled us to anticipate issues as they arise and ensure all of the stakeholders’ interests in the project are addressed. Plenary believes it is this integrated approach that best delivers value for money for the Victorian Government and the highest quality facility for the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre Trust. By bringing dedicated expertise, resources and experience across all aspects of the project to generate a highly effective infrastructure solution, we believe we have contributed to lasting tourism and economic benefits for Victoria.

Architect

Food Service Consultant

• J-V Woods Bagot and NHArchitecture Contact: Marieke Vaughan Level 7, 12-20 Flinders Lane Melbourne, VIC 3000 P: 03 9654 4955 F: 03 9654 4938 www.nharchitecture.net www.woodsbagot.com.au The new Melbourne Convention Centre, under construction on the southern banks of the Yarra River, due to open next year, will be the largest combined facility of its kind in Australia. The sixth project and first convention centre in Australia to be awarded a 6 Star Green Star environmental rating by the Green Building Council of Australia, this world class building will revitalise the Yarra precinct, providing a link between South Wharf and the Docklands.

• McCartney Taylor Dimitroff P/L (MTD Group) Contact: Wasko Dimitroff Suite 208/12 Cato Street Hawthorn, VIC 3122 P: 03 9822 0544 F: 03 9822 0577 www.mtdkitchens.com Independent Certification • Donald Cant Watts Corke Contact: Tim Hogg L3, GPO Building - 350 Bourke Street Melbourne, VIC 3000 P: 03 8662 1111 F: 03 8662 1122 www.dcwc.com.au

Architect (Bridge) • Grimshaw Contact: Keith Brewis 494 La Trobe Street Melbourne, VIC 3000 P: 03 9321 2600 F: 03 9321 2611 www.grimshaw-architects.com Acoustics Door Systems • dB Acoustics Pty Ltd Contact: Keith Porter 17 Green Street Doveton, VIC 3177 P: 03 9793 2390 F: 03 9794 5192 www.dbacoustics.com.au Responsible for the design, manufacture and installation of 5 large multiple leaf hinged metal acoustic truck entry doors to rear stage and wing walls of the Plenary Hall. Weighing some 3500kgs each and employing a triple edge scaling system the doors provide Rw 55 acoustic rating. dB Acoustics has established an enviable reputation based on experience and high quality workmanship in the manufacture of high performance acoustic metal doors for studios, theatres and industrial plant rooms.

Ceramic Tiling • Metz Pty Ltd 6 University Place Clayton, VIC 3168 P: 03 9561 6144

Independent Cost Advice • Donald Cant Watts Corke Contact: Tim Hogg L3, GPO Building - 350 Bourke Street Melbourne, VIC 3000 P: 03 8662 1111 F: 03 8662 1122 www.dcwc.com.au DCWC provided independent cost advice to the project team through the bid phase and provided independent certification services during the construction phase. The independent certification services comprised cost, progress and design certification and reporting to Planary Group, Brookfield Multiplex and the project financiers.

Mechanical Engineering • Metaltec Precision Engineering Contact: Paul Hudson 292-298 Bay Road Cheltenham, VIC 3192 P: 03 9584 9876 F: 03 9583 9057 www.metaltec.com.au Metaltec was responsible for the various elements of design, configuration, prototyping and ultimately the manufacture and installation of the mechanical seating arrangement.

Planning Management Engineer

F: 03 9561 6944

• JMP Consulting Engineers 250 Queen Street Melbourne, VIC 3000 P: 03 9600 0366 F: 03 9600 0300

SIGNAGE DESIGN • R-Co Contact: Richard Henderson Level 3, 141 Flinders Lane Melbourne, VIC 3000 P: 03 9654 5522 F: 03 9654 7422 www.r-co.com.au The R-Co is responsible for the strategic brand development of the MCEC identity which has been implemented across all communications. The identity graphically expresses the purpose of the MCEC as "Melbourne's Meeting Place" using bold colour and composition to create a playful three-dimensional shape.

R-Co designed the master brand standards, the wayfinding theory and designed and managed all signage outcomes. The interface between the identity, the architecture and operations has created a seamless integration and a significant destination brand statement.

Structural Engineer • Winward Structures Contact: David Doolan, Rob Dibiasi 488 La Trobe Street Melbourne, VIC 3000 P: 03 8327 8600 F: 03 8327 8699 www.winstruc.com Tiling • Prime Ceramics Property Services P/L Contact: Chris Shellie 38/148 Chesterville Road Moorabin, VIC 3189 P: 03 9555 3055 F: 03 9553 2791 Prime Ceramics, in its 25th year, has completed one of its most prestigious tiling installations.

We have supplied and installed over 15,000m2 of porcelain and ceramic tiles to the main Foyer and Amenities areas. Our professional teams have delivered Brookfield Multiplex a high quality installation to their program requirements.

Wind Consultants • Vipac Engineers and Scientists Contact: Craig Skipsey 279 Normanby Road Port Melbourne, VIC 3207 P: 03 9647 9700 F: 03 9646 4370 www.vipac.com.au

Consulting Engineer • PSV Consulting Engineers 6 Westbrook Street Kew East, VIC 3150 P: 03 9859 3541 F: 03 9859 3413

Grimshaw’s Yarra Bridge will become a significant civic landmark to Melbourne. Built as part of the Melbourne Convention Centre project, the bridge is structurally expressive and supports the crescendo of the processional approach across the Yarra River towards the Plenary Hall.

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