Sydney Airport recently unveiled its new lifestyle precinct at Domestic Terminal 2 (T2), featuring new brands, food and drink concepts hand-picked to create a fresh, relaxing pre and post-flight experience.
In addition to the retail precinct, a new loading bay was also completed. This is all part of the airport’s approach to sustainability and incorporates planning and design for future expansion.
Design Inc was the contracted architect for the first stage of T2 upgrades. Senior Associate Architect Voytek Trzebiatowski, says his team reached to European thinking for inspiration, where pre-made insulated panels were commonly used.
“The mindset of our team was not designing something that was typically Australian, but to think outside the box,” says Voytek.
The loading bay area was the first stage, and although designed as a temporary building, it could be used for more than ten years and was required to perform, be simple, and meet stringent requirements in aviation.
Voytek says when searching for the right supplier, they had limited knowledge of panel product suppliers, but in the end, choosing ASKIN Performance Panels was ‘a no-brainer’.
Design Inc Architects required performance certificates, particularly a non-combustibility certificate, and competitors of ASKIN were unable to provide this, ‘in the time frame they needed’.
“The team at ASKIN were responsive and helpful with supplying performance certificates and design solutions. The performance of the ASKIN panel product stood out compared to other products on the market and looked good. For us, it was a no-brainer.”
ASKIN Panel was used extensively in the loading dock. Voytek explains that the panel is pretty much the entire building, minus the roof, and a small area on the wall.
The second part of the T2 upgrades was the retail expansion for travelling aviation passengers.
This part of the project was driven by an interior design company that created the look and feel for Sydney Airport. The design included a mezzanine, rotunda, a round skylight, with the retail precinct located around this.
Voytek explains that the interior design company came up with a range of difficulties for architects, that they managed to overcome.
“This was due to the shape and how it would intersect with each other,” he says.
The space included a mezzanine floor, with high-level office space, overlooking the airfield.
“The difficulty of the shape was challenging as it was round, and initially, we thought we would make those panels curved to some extent. We ended up with that wall being fully faceted, and the steelwork was slightly tweaked to allow for the curved-looking shapes. I think it was a success”, Voytek says.
To be fully compliant with the building code, an external temporary wall that was non-combustible and had thermal performance to meet Section J was required. Although not part of the initial scope of works, ASKIN panel was used as an exterior partition/hoarding while construction took place.
When asked about the final results, Voytek says that “although cautious to begin, the final feedback was positive and the final look is great”.
