Wexford Apartments

Project snapshot

Designed by Eames Architects, Wexford Apartments is a large mixed-use development spread across two separate sites. We won the project through a competitive tender process.

Overcoming challenges

• Civil works on the project were dominated by the level of excavation needed on the site (approx. 45,000m³) to achieve two levels of basement. All excavated material had to be removed due to the restrictive nature of the site. Located within a busy suburban thoroughfare, we were required to develop smart pedestrian and traffic management strategies.
• The constricted site was located directly next to another large, active building site. This ongoing challenge required both teams to share an access road and craneage air rights. As each site utilised a tower crane, communication systems were put in place so that both crane drivers and dogmen could contact each other.
• The basement levels were built using both contiguous piling and ICW piled walls to enable the battering back of the existing ground – a methodology that remains fairly uncommon in the Australian building industry. The decision to use this technique was made because of the excavation site being shallow, and also to create the sub-basement as cost-effectively as possible. The downside was that there was only one subcontractor in Perth licensed to undertake the work, which negated our ability to tender the works.

Highlights

•  Feature façade elements: Highlights include artwork backlit by a perforated screen / glass panel and patterned metal fins.
•  The curved pedestrian metal awning features a structural steel support frame plus a louvred awning and outriggers.Features of development Stage 2 (Lot 2) has two basement levels of car parking, along with 750 square metres of office space and 120 square metres of ground floor retail space, crowned by 63 luxury apartments located over the first, second and third floors. The façade is comprised of glass balustrading, face brick, rendered brick and movable louvred balcony screens. There is stone tiling to lobby areas.

Features of development

Stage 2 (Lot 2) has two basement levels of car parking, along with 750 square metres of office space and 120 square metres of ground floor retail space, crowned by 63 luxury apartments located over the first, second and third floors.

The façade is comprised of glass balustrading, face brick, rendered brick and movable louvred balcony screens. There is stone tiling to lobby areas.