FESTIVAL VAUNTS OFF-GRID OFFSITE SOLUTION
A PAVILION STRUCTURE DESIGNED AND CONSTRUCTED BY BROOKFIELD SCIENTIFIC SOLUTIONS GROUP (BSSG) FOR THE 2017 OFF THE GRID FESTIVAL DEMONSTRATED THE EFFICIENCIES OF OFFSITE CONSTRUCTION PAIRED WITH SUSTAINABILITY ENHANCING FEATURES. JAMES MURRAY-PARKES SHARED THE PROCESS WITH BUILT OFFSITE.
The Off The Grid Festival was held on 22 December at the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art in Southbank, Melbourne. Billed as an environmentally-conscious arts, music and ideas festival, the event is designed as combination of dance, music, food and fun, and an opportunity for Melburnians to gain exposure to environmentally aware thinking and envision an alternative future.
Two separate framed structures were designed by BSSG to house the stage and facilities. Solar panels were fitted to these and paired with batteries to power the festival, ensuring it was indeed off the grid.
“The concept design was undertaken by BSSG in-house, and structural certification was provided by a prominent structural engineering firm and managed by BSSG engineers to ensure design remained true to the initial concept,” confirms James Murray-Parkes, Professor of Practice at Monash University and Science & Engineering Director at Brookfield Scientific Solutions Group (BSSG).
“Conventional design certification approaches resulted in excessive ballast being required to hold the structure down due to wind resistivity requirements. BSSG approached expert wind engineer Graeme Wood in order to obtain a refined wind load, which halved the ballast initially prescribed by consultants.” James Murray-Parkes
“Conventional design certification approaches resulted in excessive ballast being required to hold the structure down due to wind resistivity requirements. BSSG approached expert wind engineer Graeme Wood in order to obtain a refined wind load, which halved the ballast initially prescribed by consultants.”
“Along with the design and actual construction, BSSG also oversaw the entire procurement and prefabrication process in the lead up to erection on site.”
“Timber frames were connected using steel plates, and the frames were placed on a locating rail, which was held down using hired concrete block ballast.”
“Time constraints meant delays in the engineering certification and steel fabrication reduced the time available for off-site preparation. This meant installation of LVL battens on site required more work than would have been optimal and was made significantly more difficult.”
“With materials having been sourced via BSSG contacts and donated where possible, the final pavilion structure was constructed from timber donated by Dindas.”
“Timber was pre-cut and drilled off-site to suit steel connections, enabling fast erection and minimising works on site, and an external erection/install team was engaged to provide and operate a crane onsite. Both structures were erected and installed in 1.5 days.”
“Timber was pre-cut and drilled off-site to suit steel connections, enabling fast erection and minimising works on site, and an external erection/install team was engaged to provide and operate a crane onsite. Both structures were erected and installed in 1.5 days.” James Murray-Parkes
“BSSG managed the external erection team throughout the construction process, as well as being involved directly hands-on during all stages, with BSSG staff and luminaries participating in talks for festival attendees, focusing on the festival’s theme of sustainability and minimising environmental impact.”
“Both structures were dismantled by the same team after the festival in just over half a day, and loaded into a shipping container for future reuse.■
James Murray-Parkes is the co-founder of the Modular Construction Codes Board (MCCB) based at Monash University. Professor of Practice in the Faculty of Engineering at Monash University and head of the Brookfield Multiplex Engineering Innovations Group.
