Ultra High Rise Project 1 of 2

Introduction                                                                                                                   

Owing to the fame of Australian Complex Constructions Sydney P/L in the Asia-Pacific region the project client has invited us to tender for the construction of Como Towers (the building has a great name) and at the same time provide some basic information. What an opportunity it is!

 Project Concept                                                                                                            

An ultra-high rise [UHR] project of 80 storeys is a city in the sky and basically a self-contained community in this our fine emerald city Sydney. Potentially due to our experienced team’s efforts and honing in on the decades of the worldwide experience of other companies like ours, the end result building will successfully achieve worldwide acclaim and cater for more than 60,000 humans on a daily basis. The design will address all the planning, development, management, architecture, urban systems, design load criteria, and extensive use of fire-rated structural steel and reinforced concrete.

It is situated on a block of prime CBD real estate bounded by four streets of Sydney NSW Australia approximately 5,000 square metres with its physical address yet to be determined by the Council. The size of the land lends itself to being a great base for the tower. The exciting towering building as represented in the  Lego model photograph juxtapositioned here is to be mixed-use with the first storey being shop facilities, the next 29 storeys office space, the next 30 storeys e residential space, and the remaining 20 storeys are reserved as a hotel. No doubt after the construction of the iconic structure is completed many more Lego models (such as shown below) will be built in the future five decades to come.

Construction is programmed to start in early 2020 and the economic conditions for this exciting project are favourable because: vacancy rates are falling, completion rates are falling, absorption rates are rising, rental rates are rising, capitalisation is falling, and the economy is poised for a boom.

The State  Government has provided their stamp of approval for the project providing immense economic benefits to NSW. The international consortium of owners is willing to go ahead with the multi-billion dollar investment because the feasibility study generates healthy statistics in relation to the future twenty-year period of gross income (from rent and naming rights), relatively minor expenses related to income generation, relatively minor expenses related to financing and taxation, strong growth in rent and capital values. They want the tallest building in Australia here in Sydney and are braced for the humongous AUD$ cost.

Population Management

The projections are that more than 60,000 humans will be in the mini-city daily. All these people will demand a building designed and managed for clockwork arrival, movement and departure.

The building must meet all the health and safety requirements of the NCC BCA Volume 1 and offer the very latest essential and non-essential modern comforts and features. The very latest communication systems, high-speed vertical lifts and horizontal lifts are design features that are to be incorporated into the building. It is envisaged the mini-city will have in its shopping level banking facilities to service the population. The building is designed to facilitate services upgrade and flexible space use to suit the needs of the mini-city and its surroundings.

In view of the sheer size of the mini city’s population, emergency medical facilities are to be included to cater for the inhabitants and just in case a major emergency scenario may eventuate such as a terrorist attack or an earthquake. So long as the electrical supply system remains protected and the lift network remains intact the inclusion of evacuation lifts complying with the Performance Requirements of the NCC BCA Volume 1 will expeditiously evacuate disabled people, pregnant ladies, mothers with a pram/small child,  elderly people, injured or sick people and assist in the rapid retreat/evacuation of the firefighters. The evacuation lifts are to have a higher degree of in-built safety – i.e. fire isolation, and pressurisation and the brigades will have more confidence in their use in an event of a fire in the 80-storey building with a possible fire on the 63rd level.

Building Systems

The cutting-edge technologies that are to be incorporated into the building are:

• high-speed vertical lifts and horizontal lifts
• fire engineering solutions approved by Fire Engineers and ultimately by the Fire Brigade representatives
• BIPV cladding, sealing and making the building energy-efficient integrating with the rest of the structure
• An integrated system of construction distributing the wind loads designed and certified by the selected team of engineers.

The inventor of the ropeless lift ThyssenKrupp has lifts that travel along the same lines as a train travelling on a track, the lift is to move vertically up a building riding an electromagnetic field. With this technology, by reaching a transfer station the lift could change travel mode to horizontal. A building as such would have a complex network of lift shafts. What a wonderful system to incorporate into this ultra-modern iconic building (ThyssenKrupp 2017).

Construction Methods

In reality, the developers already know the significant costs of the project lie in the temporary works, accommodation, permanent cranes, lifting appliances, plant items, shoring,  scaffolding, falsework, formwork, flying formwork, slip form for lifts and columns, building materials and labour.

Geotechnical reports indicate sandstone bedrock at a depth of 10 metres preceded by shale. At the moment, more than likely, the construction of the retaining structure is to be as per the example in Figure 8, with drilled-out 600 mm diameter shoring piles around the perimeter, reinforced and concreted but supervised and checked by the Geotechnical engineer. After extensive excavation, the retaining structure is to be filled in by way of reinforced concrete walls between piles whilst connected to the shoring piles with hot-dip galvanised epoxied into the shoring pile. Once the bedrock is reached there will a transition to a system of precast panels anchored into the bedrock. In accordance with standard construction industry practice, the installation of vertical factory-made plastic strip drains dressed in a white sock, will be incorporated behind the wall facings turning back under the future ground floor slabs. The dewatering strip drains will be connected to a system of drainage pipes, pits and an onsite detention system pumped out as required into the Council’s stormwater system.

 

It is envisaged, at the moment, the proven millennia-old column and beam construction combined with the plate grid system of construction will be the backbone of the iconic building. The building materials will be a combination of structural steel and reinforced concrete columns, beams and slabs.

The utilisation of flying formwork systems for the wide floor bays between the beams and standard patented slip form system to construct the core lift walls and fire stairs is paramount.

The chosen formwork specialist will pre-assemble the falsework and formwork units into a bay of supports for a suspended slab in their work yards and transport them to the construction site.

Adverse Impact

Well as per the typical scenario with this type of development, potential changes to the micro-climates, and projected disruption to the public and adjoining neighbours will trigger objections. Obviously, the excavation of the basement levels will result in millions of cubic metres of spoil that have to be tipped at a variety of places including recyclers. Despite the objections and hurdles, owing to the economic benefit of the project by all accounts the State Liberal Government will approve the project as a state significant project.

Conclusion

Exciting times ahead are anticipated with the Como Towers project which will be endorsed by the State Government as a state significant project. It is a great opportunity for Australian Complex Constructions Sydney P/L to further cement our reputation in the Asia-Pacific region and set the stage as leaders in the worldwide construction of UHR. [pls note this was a uni assignment] Images source- author.

Como Building P/L, Michael Como provides in SYDNEY, an NSW Building Regulations Consultancy service that comprises, Interpretation of NSW legislation relevant to the construction of Class 1 and 10; Issuing: Complying Development Certificates (CDC), Construction Certificates (CC) [after a local council has approved a development], Occupation certificates (OC), Compliance Certificates, NCC Building Code Australia Reports. Engagement for the certification work is on a contract basis.

Also, a pre-purchase property inspection or building inspection by Michael Como may empower you with knowledge about the condition of a property currently or before you buy it and help you avoid future problems and unexpected costs. However, this service can only be conducted if the insurer is on-side, and currently, they are not and as a result, we do not conduct it.

Michael Como is Your Custom Home Builder in Sydney with over 46 years of construction experience, a Master Craftsman sharing innovative Restoration/renovation Ideas. Licensed since 1988. At this stage, I will only carry out building work at a contracted agreed hourly rate.

Let your imagination soar as you enjoy Building Green Homes or Straw houses or Hemp Homes or Heritage Style Restoration or Bathroom renovations or UHR or Digital twin or Sealing…. Etc.

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