SIG Design & Technology have designed and supplied red coloured elZinc® cladding for the The Adelaide Convention Centre ACC.
The design of the East Building has emerged from the constraints of the site – including the panoramic views, circulation and the environment of the river Torrens. Its external shape and red coloured elZinc® cladding were inspired by the granite rock formations known as The Remarkables found on Kangaroo Island, near Adelaide.
The design of the East Building results from the constraints of the site and has been “moulded” by the panoramic views, circulation and the environment of the river Torrens. Its external shape and red coloured elZinc® cladding were inspired by the granite rock formations known as The Remarkables found on Kangaroo Island, near Adelaide.
The building is divided in two levels, with an effective area of 8.700m² equipped with a new Plenary Hall with capacity for 3,500 guests. A series of features enhance its flexibility, and it can change into 15 different configurations to adapt to the needs of each event.
The building’s sculptural exterior shape was made using a series of triangular faces, emulating the many crystals of a geode. To create an envelope which would fit over such complex shapes, a high-tech multi-layered system was chosen that guarantees the waterproofing and insulation required for the building to function efficiently. This includes sandwich panels of Kingspan PIR with foam joints and nodes sealed with a weather-resistant wrapping, covered in a self-adhesive rubberised asphalt waterproof membrane, followed by air mesh mat (a structural underlay) and pigmented elZinc® cladding which adapts perfectly to the multiple folds of the building’s exterior.
One of the major cladding challenge was addressing the transition between different triangular surfaces. These edges are formed into a slight curve which needed to be formed without creating creases or kinks in the zinc sheets. To further complicate things, the curvature in some of these transitions is gradually reduced from one end of the edge to the other.
As well as properly preparing the base with an appropriate curvature, a decision was made to pre-curve the zinc shingles before their fitting, in order to avoid any buckling along the edges and guarantee a smooth transition from surface to surface.
The outer skin of the East Building was clad with red coloured zinc shingles manufactured by elZinc®, chosen to best evoking the rocky formations of Kangaroo Island.
The 0.7mm elZinc Rainbow® Red used for exterior cladding was supplied by Zinc Ibérico in 600mm wide coils that were used to manufacture the more than 10,000 handmade elements which were fitted on site. elZinc Rainbow® is a titanium zinc rolled in accordance with the European EN988 and American ASTM B-69 standards, manufactured from pre-weathered zinc elZinc Slate®, treated with mineral pigments. Its 35 µm of organic coating provides it with additional anticorrosion protection turning it into an exceptionally durable and aesthetically attractive product.
The fitting of the zinc elements was undertaken using the flat lock technique, also known as shingle cladding, in a vertical orientation. The cladding is secret fixed, using stainless Steel clips that hook into the hemmed edges of each shingle, that are then secured back to the substrate by corrosion resistant rivets. This creates a very subtle jump of 5mm or so between the shingles, ideal for surfaces with multiple folds.
The flat lock is achieved by forming a 180 degree return fold along the perimeter of each panel. The dimensions of the fold tend to vary between 23mm and 30mm.
Zinc is a long-lasting light-weight constructive solution that is almost maintenance free. The sheets can be arranged in many directions and geometric shapes, offering multiple design possibilities adaptable to the desired architectural intent.