BENCHMARK Evolution Axis, a sleek range of insulated panels from
Kingspan played a major role in the completion of the new Clinical Services
Building at Sydney’s Royal North Shore Hospital.
Established in 1885, Sydney’s Royal North Shore Hospital (RNSH) services
the health needs of the city’s Lower North Shore area. The new Clinical
Services Building, which was unveiled late last year, completed the redesign of
the site as a united, one-campus hospital.
BENCHMARK Evolution Axis insulated facade panels from the BENCHMARK
Design Wall Series provided a high performance, aesthetically pleasing solution
for the eight-storey complex.
A highly streamlined, sleek, un-profiled insulated panel within the
BENCHMARK range of facade and roof systems, BENCHMARK Evolution Axis was chosen
for the large-scale project to enable project stakeholders to meet their
client’s expectations while providing the ultimate contemporary finish.
BENCHMARK Evolution Axis panels were specified for their structural
properties, durability and thermal performance. Gerard Outram, the founding
director of Building Studio Architects explained that BENCHMARK Evolution Axis
provided an excellent solution for the Royal North Shore Hospital by
successfully balancing the needs of the given brief in terms of quality and
cost efficiency, while providing an aesthetically pleasing appearance to a
prominent site.
BENCHMARK Evolution Axis panels can be mixed and matched, allowing their
use on any new build development or refurbishment projects on existing
structures. BENCHMARK Evolution Axis is finished with the sleek simplicity of a
completely flat facade with Kingspan’s unique fibre-free and fire-resistant
proprietary polyisocyanurate (PIR) insulation core.
Available in different cover widths and lengths, BENCHMARK Evolution
Axis also met one of the core requirements of the project, which was to enable future
expansion. BENCHMARK Evolution Axis panels provide the flexibility to allow for
later facade refurbishments, and ensure adaptability when moving hospital
windows and interiors.
George Lu, General Manager of Foxville Projects Group commented that the
availability of BENCHMARK Evolution Axis in various lengths allowed them to
cover a greater surface area quickly. BENCHMARK’s thermal performance also eliminated
the need for external wall insulation, helping them meet project completion
deadlines.
Since early 2015, the BENCHMARK Evolution Axis panel has been available
in lengths of up to 12 metres, effectively providing greater design flexibility
and increasing installation speed.
All healthcare projects require a high standard of wind, water and fire
resistance, while meeting all aspects of the General Conventions 21 (GC21)
contract. Being a pre-finished product manufactured in a controlled
environment, BENCHMARK Evolution Axis enables a defect-free hand-over that
meets all required project criteria, while also fulfilling industry
specification demanded by GC21 standards.
BENCHMARK by Kingspan also provides free ongoing technical support and
periods of supervision on request. Builders can select from a range of
qualified installers at the best price possible. Mr Lu said that the free
pre-installation training was invaluable to their understanding of the unique
qualities of the BENCHMARK range while the onsite support from Kingspan’s
technical team enabled them to work through the engineering and design elements
of the project with greater speed and ease.
The facade on the Clinical Services Building was finished with BENCHMARK
Evolution Axis panels in different lengths and cover widths with complementary
high-sheen urban colours including Monolith, Alliance Grey, Metallic Silver City
and Silver Coin. The adaptable patchwork design and colour layout not only
added new character to the traditional hospital ‘look’, but also fast-tracked
progress on works to the exterior shell without compromising the interior
design that had not yet been decided at the time of construction.
Through innovative construction methods and
products, BENCHMARK adds flexibility to facade schemes, enhances design, and
reduces build times, enabling architects and builders to meet and exceed their
client’s expectations.
