A striking range of premium and luxury apartments have hit the Auckland market at 59 France St, Auckland. The team at Paul Brown & Associates (PB&A) and Rondo Building Services collaborated to facilitate a detailed design that addressed several complex design issues for the façade and external soffits, as well internal walls and ceilings. Rondo’s focus was on providing design solutions that combined compliance to Seismic and Wind Codes while offering construction efficiencies for the Contractor, Livefirm Construction. Rondo partnered with external engineers BVT Engineering Services to provide PS1-PS4 design certifications.
For the façade, Rondo engineers focused on leveraging the capabilities of Rondo MAXIframe® External Wall Framing System as it could accommodate the oversize openings in the façade and offer the benefits of both strength and build efficiency whilst addressing the non-combustibility requirement from council.
The external soffits were constructed using Rondo Top Hats which are often used in a higher wind load scenarios or where heavy-duty sheeting is to be installed. A range of Rondo components were used as a solution for the loaded walls and to create, bulkheads, blind boxes, and lighting tracks, thus minimising the range of different material required on site by the contractor.
When it came to the internal walls, a combination of 64mm and 92mm Steel Studs, and GIB® Rondo QUIET STUD® Acoustic Studs were designed and installed with a view to maximising internal floor space in each apartment without compromising performance. A standard stud section conducts vibration across its web, promoting sound transmission across spaces.
Due to the proprietary shape of GIB® Rondo QUIET STUD® sound (vibration) is discouraged from travelling in a direct path from flange to flange, hence drastically =increasing the STC performance of the wall. By
offering a single stud & track framing arrangement, GIB® Rondo QUIET STUD® is a much more effective
solution to install on site, when compared to typical staggered stud framing arrangements. Ceiling design and application included Rondo KEYLOCK® Suspended Ceiling System to meet Seismic, Wind and Gravity requirements and included both ‘Fix & Float’ and Braced engineered.
Rondo’s Technical Sales Team in partnership with BVT Engineering Services provided onsite assistance to Paul Brown & Associates, Livefirm and CMP Construction for the duration of the project, accommodating design changes and effectively deal with onsite issues which required adaptations. The result is a statement building in a much sought-after zone of Auckland and a key part of the Urban Collective property portfolio.