Perspective on Albatross

Project Brief and Challenges

The Perspective on Albatross development required Trend to deliver glazing solutions for a nine unit residential complex, with two units per floor, positioned directly across from Mermaid Beach. The project's defining feature was a series of custom 90-degree external corner stacking doors that would become the centrepiece of each unit, creating seamless indoor-outdoor living experiences while maximising ocean views.

Travis Rudken, Trend's Technical Commercial Project Manager, says of the project's distinctive requirements, "We did some large corner doors on this job which were on a 90-degree corner and that was on both sides all the way up the building. On one side they actually stacked back into a cavity pocket, and on the opposing side, the doors actually stacked back on the outside wall of the building."

The beachfront location presented additional technical considerations that would influence the material and hardware chosen for the project.

Custom engineering solutions

The project's most technically demanding aspect involved the design and manufacture of the 90-degree corner stacking doors. These weren't standard products that could be sourced from existing inventory. Working closely with Ron Kliendienst, Trend's senior project manager, Travis developed the custom engineering solutions required for the challenging coastal environment.

"These doors were site measured, drawn using CAD, and custom made to suit the specific opening sizes," notes Travis. "You can't walk into Bunnings and buy these doors. So there's a lot of thought that goes into them, and that included the measuring through to the CAD drawings, and being clear with our communication back to the builder as to how things needed to be for us to achieve what they wanted."

The unique configuration also meant that on one elevation, door panels disappeared into cavity pockets within the building structure, while on the opposing elevation, panels stacked externally against the building facade. This asymmetric design required different engineering solutions for each side while maintaining visual consistency across the façade of the building.

Installation and logistics challenges

Each door panel weighed approximately 160-170 kilograms, creating significant installation challenges that required specialised handling to get them from the factory to their final position on site. Despite the building being fully scaffolded, the panel dimensions created additional constraints. The door panels were so tall that they only just fit under the scaffolding bars. Travis explains, "We had to put a lot of guys on it to physically handle the doors once we got them craned up into the building."

The installation process involved craning panels up in lifting cages to reach each floor level, followed by precise manoeuvring to navigate the restricted vertical clearances. Multiple people were required to safely position each panel once delivered to the appropriate floor.

Despite these challenges, Trend's team successfully completed the installation of all doors without damage.  Trend also coordinated glass protection services to safeguard the substantial glazed areas during construction, ensuring the significant investment in custom glazing remained pristine through to project completion. This demonstrated the importance of thorough planning and experience when dealing with non-standard, heavy glazing components.

Coastal environment considerations

Successfully installing the doors was only part of the challenge. Ensuring their long-term performance in the harsh coastal environment required careful material selection. Standard hardware would quickly deteriorate under the salt laden air conditions, potentially compromising both function and appearance.

Travis notes, "We changed the hardware out to a Doric product that has shown to be better for the salt resistance." This attention to detail demonstrates Trend's understanding of how location specific challenges can impact product performance over time. The hardware selection process considered not just immediate functionality, but long term durability and maintenance.