Prefabrication

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In today's piece, Hayball Director David Tweedie provides Urban.com.au with insight and commentary on the (r)evolutionary journey of prefabrication within the education sector - including benefits for schools, design professionals and the planet.

According to Tweedie, the advantages associated with a swift on-site build time, minimal disruption to school environments and unprecedented sustainability benefits, is providing prefabrication with the impetus to rebuild the education sector.

Though the term itself can often conjure images of badly-ventilated, non code-compliant, aesthetically-challenging temporary classrooms to which previous generations were subjected, thankfully, says Tweedie, portable and demountable classrooms are only one expression of prefabrication.

<blockquote>
We’re entering a new era of permanent, and inarguably sustainable, high-quality buildings constructed with prefabrication methodology – a new era, ripe with benefits for intelligent school design, construction and regeneration. 
Prefabrication itself, refers to the design of elements or significant volumes of a building for offsite construction. It comes in many different forms – from accurately-constructed 2D elements reminiscent of large-scale IKEA flatpacks, through to shipping container-scale unitised building systems that consist of entire prefabricated units.

It’s already becoming a default technique for many small-scale residential projects and for facade construction. But its sophisticated design, material and construction techniques are gaining new traction in education projects, from kindergarten to tertiary, thanks to a number of factors.

- David Tweedie, Director Hayball
</blockquote>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/pre-fabulous.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Pre-fabrication has many benefits and applications says David Tweedie."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="332" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/pre-fabulous.jpg?itok=lh-O_RLV" title="Pre-fabrication has many benefits and applications says David Tweedie." width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Prefabrication has many benefits and applications says David Tweedie.</figcaption></figure>Speaking from his own experiences at Hayball David Tweedie outlines, in his own words, the many advantages of adopting prefabrication methods and technology in greater detail below;

<h2>1. Lightning-fast delivery times, with minimal onsite disruption</h2>

From kindergartens to universities, development projects pose major disruptions in the lives of the school community. These concerns aren’t confined to noise pollution or safety: if we’re master-planning a new science centre, current learning activities must be moved somewhere else while the new facility is built – a resource-intensive, time-heavy and highly-inconvenient endeavour.

With prefabrication, a lot of the groundwork – both in design and construction – is done before it reaches the school.

For example, we designed <a href="http://www.hayball.com.au/projects/caulfield-grammar-school-learning-project/">The Learning Project at Caulfield Grammar</a> for offsite construction - and the finished building was installed on campus in an unprecedented single day’s work on-site. Further interior work was required, but the bulk of the project was completed without significant interruption to student and staff routines.

Similarly, in our hybrid design of the <a href="http://www.hayball.com.au/projects/la-trobe-street-student-accommodation/">La Trobe St Student Accommodation</a> project in Melbourne’s CBD, construction was completed during extended hours due to the low levels of noise disruption – realising unparalleled productivity on-site, and an overall reduction in the construction timeframe.

<h2>2. Flexibility to meet future learning requirements</h2>

Fast turnaround also enables quick delivery of innovative learning programs, as seen at The Learning Project at Caulfield Grammar. An accelerated prefabrication construction process allowed the institution to roll-out a new learning program to students without having to stall or work around construction sites for months awaiting facility completion.

This outcome is a sure marker on the road to an industry where new education techniques, trends and environments can be implemented and, more importantly, tested – with almost-immediate effect (instead of embarking on long disruptive developments to enable learning spaces or programs that, by the time the facilities are finished, are considered outdated).

Prefabrication is impacting the very way we think about modern learning environments, too. Certain design manifestations (2D in particular) lend themselves to mass customisation with infinite configuration options, and more modular, plug-and-play designs help to adapt school environments to meet inevitably changing needs.

Furthermore, with quick demolition, removal and replacement possibilities, we can implement a considered, customised school design or replace legacy buildings with relative ease – a benefit that government and private education institutions are currently exploring to help replace old facilities in various locations around Australia.

<h2>3. Value for money and quality control</h2>

Challenges for the prefabrication industry include the capacity to deliver at scale, and adapting to the inflationary roller coaster of busy or quiet times. As the industry matures, fast site build time will begin to equate to unparalleled savings, especially in first world countries where on-site labour is costly and safety regulations are stringent.

In Australia, a large share of development risk lies on-site, especially when unpredictable weather conditions and industrial environments pose hindrances. Taking unnecessary variables out of the equation by executing designs in a safe and controlled environment means that with increased design involvement in early stages, we have complete control over the process and its outcomes.

Because of this added control when constructing prefabricated buildings within a factory, designs can be brought to life with the highest quality materials, construction methods and compliance. The repetitive nature of prefabrication also enables specialist personnel to perfect the uniformity of all elements, with clear oversight of the entire project without on-site distractions.

<h2>4. Ultimate sustainability objectives</h2>

There are two core reasons why prefabrication is better for the planet (and burgeoning institutional sustainability objectives). The first is its use of sustainable materials: high-tech innovations like cross-laminated timber (CLT) save tonnes of carbon compared to concrete, make use of renewable timber sources and are as (if not more) strong and effective as traditional materials.

Projects like the <a href="http://www.hayball.com.au/projects/docklands-library/">Library at the Dock</a> (Clare Design / Hayball) in Melbourne’s Docklands are joining the global portfolio of best practice prefabrication examples, using innovative materials like CLT to become this country’s first public building awarded 6-Star Green Star. 
Secondly, reduction in waste is integral for sustainability: it’s natural for a prefabricated design to exploit standardised material sizes, coordinating with the prefabricated ‘module’ and minimising offcuts. 
We’re still learning

There’s no doubt prefabrication has had an image problem in the past—but times are changing. Thanks to improved technologies, a greater interest in sustainable building practices and growing demand for rapid builds and flexible structure, prefabricated learning environments should definitely be considered for any learning environment undergoing a renovation or masterplan.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/library_at_the_dock_01_1500x1000-1.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Library at the Dock utilised CLT to become Australia’s first public building awarded 6-Star Green Star. Image: Hayball"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/library_at_the_dock_01_1500x1000-1.jpg?itok=vtxV9g9n" title="Library at the Dock utilised CLT to become Australia’s first public building awarded 6-Star Green Star. Image: Hayball" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Library at the Dock utilised CLT to become Australia’s first public building awarded 6-Star Green Star. Image: Hayball</figcaption></figure>
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Laurence Dragomir

Hayball's David Tweedie on the evolution of prefabrication in schools

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The recent release of the State Government's discussion paper has provoked a strong response from the industry and here on Urban.com.au. Rather than focusing on a general overview of the <a href="http://delwp.vic.gov.au/planning/policy-and-strategy/better-apartments">Better Apartments discussion paper</a> and the questions it raises, I have instead decided to focus on one particular aspect of the debate: apartment sizes.

There would appear to be a number of negative connotations generally associated with smaller apartments being built all over Melbourne at present, stemming largely as the result of poor design and build quality, thus impacting the quality of living of the resident. Speaking broadly, the worst of these apartments suffer from a lack of quality outlook, extending to poor natural light and ventilation due to bedrooms requiring borrowed light from other rooms or in some instances narrow light-wells, low ceiling heights and bulkheads, lack of storage space, etc.

Now these are all factors that aren't necessarily limited to small apartments and clever design can overcome them. It could be argued that well-designed smaller apartments are the missing piece of the housing diversity puzzle in Melbourne. Areas that are well serviced by public transport, retail, community and recreational facilities (and other necessary services) in close proximity of the city would be ideal for such housing stock, and would present an easier entry into home ownership for those in their 20s.

A smaller well designed, flexible and affordable apartment would definitely be an appealing prospect for me: I'm 28, single, work four days a week in a city office, and one day at home in Richmond. I otherwise spend very little time at home and the greatest amount is spent sleeping. I can cook and cook regularly, but also like to eat out (due to the convenience of having so many options in the area) and get out of the house.

Now, not everyone shares the same circumstances as me, but I'd hazard a guess that I'm not alone. So who's to tell me I couldn't live quite comfortably in an apartment less than 30sqm in size? Which brings us to…

<h2>Micro Apartments</h2>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/8404837889_d7921f5bb9_h.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="New York Micro apartment. © Business Insider"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="222" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/8404837889_d7921f5bb9_h.jpg?itok=N_Pp_tdO" title="New York Micro apartment. © Business Insider" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>New York Micro apartment. © Business Insider</figcaption></figure>In 2013, a project called My Micro NY won a design competition for New York’s first “micro apartments”, an initiative for the development of affordable housing for singles in New York City, by way of small prefabricated units. The city’s first “micro” building will have 55 rental apartments ranging in size from approximately 25sqm up to 34sqm with quality natural light and ventilation, adequate storage space, and Juliet balconies.

The greatest appeal of these micro apartments is in their flexibility with elements that fold away when not required. Additionally, because the architects believed amenities were important to residents, the building will have a public meeting space, café, common rooftop garden for residents, as well as a laundry room, residential storage space, a bike room, and fitness space. The project is due for completion this year.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/micro_apt_kit_of_parts.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="New York Micro apartment: kit of parts diagram. © Business Insider"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="456" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/micro_apt_kit_of_parts.jpg?itok=G3tRk_tJ" title="New York Micro apartment: kit of parts diagram. © Business Insider" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>New York Micro apartment: kit of parts diagram. © Business Insider</figcaption></figure>There are great examples of that locally, most notably Cairo flats in Fitzroy. Located on Nicholson Street, the U-shaped building built in 1938 and designed by Best Overend features 28 'bachelor flats' and is widely considered an icon of early Melbourne modernism.

<blockquote>
The flats sought a distinctive type of accommodation, the custom designed bachelor flat, providing maximum amenity in minimum space for minimum rent. The minimal units were supported by a communal dining room, an in-house meal and laundry service, communal flat to roof space and lockable garages. Cairo established a major break with earlier types of flats in Australia and is significant for introducing the flat to the modernist programme in Australia and for its acknowledgement of the existence of a new, modern way of living.
<cite>National Trust Register</cite>
</blockquote>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/cairo4.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Cairo Flats Fitzroy. © Assemble Papers"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="366" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/cairo4.jpg?itok=u7mdA4cp" title="Cairo Flats Fitzroy. © Assemble Papers" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Cairo Flats Fitzroy. © Assemble Papers</figcaption></figure>More recently, Melbourne firm Architecture Architecture have completed a fit-out of one of the studio apartments within Cairo (24sqm!) for director Michael Roper. The project has received a number of architectural award commendations for "making more with less."

<blockquote>
Embracing the philosophy of making more with less, Architecture Architecture have created a simple space with maximum flexibility to address contemporary living needs within a minimum floor area.

In an era when people are increasingly opting to live in cities and our urban fringes are forever expanding outwards, Architecture Architecture understand the imperative to make more with less, opting for high quality flexible space rather than inflexible specialised spaces – quality over quantity.
<cite><a href="http://architecturearchitecture.com.au/blog/index.php/2012/11/14/cairo-apartment-fitout/">Architecture Architecture: The Purple Rose of Cairo</a></cite>
</blockquote>

When I was at <a href="http://www.kerstinthompson.com/">KTA</a> and we were working on the <a href="http://churchonnapier.com/">Church on Napier</a> project at 124 Napier Street, Fitzroy, we looked at a number of ways of providing a decent setback from Napier street to the new three-level apartment building while maintaining the same yield of residences. One option that we conceived was three bachelor flats of around 28sqm + a 4sqm balcony based on the NY model of micro apartments and these were well received by the agents providing feedback.

The apartments featured flexible living areas that could be adjusted to suit the needs of the resident. These apartments would have benefited from being a part of a larger residential complex and community within the site that also featured a large communal outdoor garden. This would have added greater housing diversity within the area that was relatively affordable in comparison to much larger apartments in Fitzroy. Additionally, the location meant that they were only a two minute walk to Gertrude Street and a five minute walk in either direction to Brunswick and Smith Streets.

With careful consideration given to outlook, amenity, privacy, storage and flexibility, with generous floor to ceiling heights I'm of the opinion that well designed smaller or 'micro' apartments do have a place in Melbourne and while the minimum apartment size guidelines may have the best interest of residents at heart ultimately the market will dictate and prove whether or not there is demand for them.

If the apartment ticks all the right boxes in terms of natural light and ventilation and adequate storage among a raft of other criteria, the minimum size of the apartment should be a secondary consideration not the driving factor in the design.

As <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/news/better-apartments-yes-but-not-at-the-expense-of-innovation">Colleen Peterson wrote in her piece yesterday</a>, any guidelines should not impede design innovation nor should it drive up housing affordability. If done right any potential design guidelines for apartments should create opportunities rather than place unnecessary and stifling constraints.

Lead image credit: The Purple Rose of Cairo, Architecture Architecture. Image: Tom Ross of Brilliant Creek.
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Better Apartments? Says who?

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Urban.com.au recently had a chat with <a href="http://harwyn.com.au/">Harwyn</a> Managing Director Jason Fremder about their prefabricated studio pods and the company's ambitions and aspirations for the future.

Laurence Dragomir: What were some of the driving factors in the development of the Harwyn pods? What made you decide there was a niche or gap in the market?

Jason Fremder: I came to the conclusion that there was a need for a compact professional space combined with function and style. Now where that came from, and I'm jumping slightly ahead, I'd worked from home, I had a home office for many years ­ in fact probably the majority of my professional life. I've spent more time at my home office than my office desk and then I had a daughter and when she was born I still had my home office but it just wasn't quite the same.

One day I was in the back seat of my car, working in the driveway and it sort of occurred to me that this is what I wanted; I want to be at home but I want to be just that little bit separated from the noise, maybe not so much in those words but the experience and so I had this idea and it was very quick because I was performing due diligence on another business. I was already looking for something to do with the business and now I'm not the most stylish person on the planet, I don't want to paint that impression but I'm a modern guy with a modern car and apple equipment. So all of these things are what I wanted the office to be. Any of the things that I looked at on the market that were easy to access seemed like they were left overs from the 70's.

They just didn't seem to have that professional look ­ if I wanted to do something in my house I'd want it to be up to date and I didn't feel like there was anything out there. On top of that any of the things I thought that were not bad, I thought it was a bit hard because they were asking me to get planning permits and start becoming a builder to get involved.

Now you know when I go to buy a car I don't have to understand the mechanics of the car if I don't want to, I don't need to understand the legal system, I can go to a dealer, they can give me the price, I write the cheque and we're done! I've got my car! Now with this I felt this should be a similar experience; why can't you just get one of these units and whatever problems there might be, let's pay someone to solve them. How involved do I want to be? Let's say I'm not an involved person and I was trying to think these are the barriers to me pulling the trigger on any of the companies. It just all looked too hard. I thought it can't be that hard! So I felt like there's got to be people out there like me.

It's the times as well ­ 5 or 10 years ago this might not have worked but today working from home and with technology giving you the ability to move desks so easily, to hot desk, I thought there was a real opportunity in the market place and I was willing after performing some due diligence, we did a bit of research and look a business like this there's an element of risk but I had a very strong sense that there were plenty of like­ minded people out there in undertaking market research. So what it came down to in the end was designing the right product that met the needs of other potential professionals or hobbyists out there. The combination of we all need space and if we can make the process easy enough and accessible enough to people you'll probably find there's people out there who will respond to what we're doing.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/professional_reduced.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Professional pod © Harwyns"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/professional_reduced.jpg?itok=corNN8f1" title="Professional pod © Harwyns" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Professional pod © Harwyns</figcaption></figure>LD: Speaking of accessibility and convenience what is the turn around time for one of the pods?

JF: The easiest way to answer that is... a client came to us, and this is the shortest one we've had, they came to us before Christmas ­ it was the 11th of November and she wanted it in before Christmas. The first she had heard of us was on the 10th of November, so she comes into the showroom, she loves the product, picks the colours and says "I need it by the 23rd of December, what can you do?"

I obviously checked that the colours she picked were available in the time that we needed and we said sure. So from the 11th of November to the 23rd of December she had a pod fully installed and ready to go, she was sitting working in the pod. So 6 weeks is generally the norm but we can do it on a short turn around time­ we can technically do it in 10 days if it was absolutely essential, all the guys would have to be available and we'd have to make sure that our backlog wasn't too large. I think going forward into the future, 5 maybe 7 years from now I'd like to be able to buy one like you would buy a car. If they have one on the lot, you buy it and you take it home.

LD: So why do you think someone would choose a Harwyn pod?

JF: I think first of all, before any of that discussion even begins i.e. "why choose a Harwyn?" it's important to understand that like everything, a Harwyn is not for everyone. Who it's not for is people after a cheap fix. Because really you could go to Bunnings and I guess for $300 you could get a shed, put some ribbons on it and drop a desk in. A Harwyn would appeal to people such as yourself, otherwise you wouldn't be talking to me, someone that appreciates quality, the value of great design, a customer service focused company. This is a product that let's say you dropped it in the yard and it was sitting there for 10 years untouched. After 10 years you brushed it off, brushed off the webs it would still be in mint condition. This is effectively a commercial building, the build quality of it, it's the products we have chosen and specified and it's fully portable.

It's for people who want to work from home and I think that's a range of people. At the moment we're actually designing one for someone who wants a studio in her mother's backyard. It's 35sqm so two Harwyn maxi's joined together with an ensuite. So where we are and where we're going, I think we're going to be in that range of micro living. But also office space, playrooms/hobby rooms for children who I think are going to extract a lot of value out of them as they grow and in turn their needs grow.

So from a play room to a place they can have fun and not be on top of the parents, then as they grow older and they don't want the parents in their space so they now have their own private room and as they move through to VCE and their final year at school it becomes then a place where they can do their study and work without the whole house having to be silenced. The house can go on with what they do while the kids get to study.

So I think there's a lot of potential uses of which we know which exist but then there's others that we're still learning about, like the one you would have seen on the video on the website. When we started the business we never anticipated that someone with a pilates studio would require extra office space on top of a balcony! It's phenomenal, it's fantastic! And she is just ecstatic. I speak with her from time to time and she just loves it.

So some of the benefits from that sort of work/life balance include commute times, it's environmentally friendly because you're only heating or cooling small space when it needs to be heated or cooled, it's obstruction free, there are cost savings, flexibility, increased productivity, improved health. I'm sort of brushing over them, they're the benefits in point form and I could go on and on and elaborate but those are some of the benefits derived from this sort of setup.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/img_6531.jpeg" rel="gallery-all" title="A pod being craned into place © Harwyns"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="435" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_6531.jpeg?itok=7GT_nNnq" title="A pod being craned into place © Harwyns" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>A pod being craned into place © Harwyn</figcaption></figure>LD: The next question relates to materials. The pods are manufactured in Melbourne but with European materials – any scope in future to source local and/or recycled materials – use of timbers, fiber cement, colorbond etc? ie really localising it to an Australian context?

JF: That's a great question and I'd like to address what you're asking about in terms of the local content. The Harwyn pod is made of mostly 100% Australian product. The components that we're talking about, for example the steel base and the steel portal frames is all Australian steel, 100% welded and fabricated here in Melbourne. Then the next element is our structure ­ PIR (polyisocyanurate) panels are used predominantly in commercial and industrial cooling rooms and the advantage of the panels is the R rating is significantly higher than a EPS foam ­ at 50mm you're effectively getting the equivalent of 120mm of foam.

But more importantly it doesn't draw in any moisture so you don't have a build up of mould. It's also used in medical so it's a sterile medical product and also a good sound insulator and it's made right here in Australia, it's manufactured in Sydney from all local materials. The doors, windows and glass are all local.

If we turn our attention to the cabinets, they're all local, custom made to the pods so as you can see there's already a whole lot of local content within it. Now there's obviously a couple of elements like, for example, the carpet which isn't local for various reasons. A lot of considerations were made when choosing the materials so if we could be 100% local we would. Quality is our number one consideration and priority ­ not just how it looks today but how it's going to look in 15,20 years.

Because it can look great out of the showroom, people talk about sustainability but for me sustainability starts and ends with are we going to put it in landfill in a year or two or is this going to be something that we can use and re­use because these pods are so easily portable when someone finishes there use with it unlike a house which may get bulldozed this does not get bulldozed with it.

The reason we've gone with the ACM (Aluminum Composite Material) panels for the European component, there's a local product which we looked at... well actually it's an Australian company that imports it but we went with ACM for two reasons: an incredible style to the look of the product, we can manufacture we can fabricate them. The way the pods look today we're going to be able to redesign them shortly, which we will do, they'll come with a brand new look, completely fabricated in the new look. The ACM also gives an incredible protection. As well as solar radiation protection it comes with a 10 years manufacturer's guarantee, it doesn't deteriorate. You see the photos and the look of it, this is something important to us.

With timbers, for example, there's a huge responsibility passed back onto the client, if you do not maintain it then it's going to deteriorate and the economic cost of redoing a product like this, today whatever the labour costs are they're only going to increase. We would all love to mow the lawn and clean the car and in good faith we say that but it rarely happens. That's one of the considerations with this ­ what to do to make sure that we aren't giving the client a problem, that we're giving them a complete solution. We're not increasing workloads, we're not increasing responsibilities, we've done all the hard work in deciding the materials, the finishes, the details, all you need to do is enjoy.

That's why we've gone with the ACM but it's not to say that moving forwards we aren't open to new materials and finishes. I don't see anyway that some point over the next few years we're not going to be having 100% Australian sourced product. Not to say we would stop using ACM, because we're huge fans of it. With the way technology is progressing there's things going on that a rep could come knocking on the door tomorrow with a product we haven't heard of or seen. Chances are it'll be local with the way manufacturing is going and modernisation, 3D printing, some technology's going to come and it's just around the corner, no doubt.

In fairness to us I think we have done well with the way manufacturing and local products in Australia are, we've really looked to open up production. I've told this story before but I was hugely inspired by Jayco caravans. I don't use caravans but I went out to have a look at their factory after a friend suggested to go look at manufacturing in Australia. So I went and had a look and they produce 100% Australian made caravans. It's incredible to see the possibilities of what we can do. They pump out 10,000 caravans a year from a local factory...an unbelievable operation. I'm personally really proud that we have local guys and we're giving them work.

LD: Just to finish off. With an eye towards the future where do you see the greatest opportunity for its application? Where are you hoping to take it moving forward? How easy is it to combine pods and do you see that becoming more common?

JF: It's always difficult to predict what's going to happen, we're we plan on going forwards and where we're actually heading, we don't know. But as an example with the client that put two pods together ­ to clarify we designed it so as to put two of our super maxis together. We've engineered it so that we can add any amount together be it 3, 4, 6 etc. no problem. In the future we'll also have double story pods, we'll be able to stack them one on top of the other. We're actually working on that as we speak.

The potential then for business hubs ­ a cluster of 10 pods connected by little decks where various professions are working ­ we've started exploring that with a range of clients and no doubt we'll have one up and running in the very near future. It's these kind of directions that we might head in. We receive enquiries from various types of industries; from corporates, education etc. There's no shortage of industries contacting us. Everyone needs space. As the need for space grows and as we know real estate has become increasingly valuable, how to utilise space cleverly? That's what we're in the business of. I think there are a lot of possibilities going forward.

LD: Thanks for your time Jason and I look forward to chatting again in the not-too-distant future.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/meeting_higher.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Meeting pod © Harwyns"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/meeting_higher.jpg?itok=QZ5_pTkp" title="Meeting pod © Harwyns" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Meeting pod © Harwyns</figcaption></figure>
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Harwyn's designer pods for creation and recreation

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The Hickory Group announced plans to expand its Brooklyn manufacturing site to ramp up production of its popular modular Sync Bathroom Pods by 200%. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, Minister for Employment Jacinta Allan and Footscray MLA Marsha Thomson were on hand for the announcement which is set to create a further 100 jobs.

Financial support and facilitation for the expansion of Hickory Group's operations in Brooklyn was provided through the Department of Economic Development's Investment Support program and the local Victorian Government Business Office.

<blockquote>
We want to attract more investment like this, to create high-skill jobs for local workers and boost Victoria's competitiveness.
<cite>Premier Daniel Andrews</cite>
</blockquote>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/andrews_hickory_1.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Inside Hickory Group's Brooklyn site - image: supplied"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="435" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/andrews_hickory_1.jpg?itok=z03z-2ru" title="Inside Hickory Group's Brooklyn site - image: supplied" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Inside Hickory Group's Brooklyn site - image: supplied</figcaption></figure>At present Hickory is producing roughly 2,000 Sync Bathrooms per year and is aiming to ramp production capacity up to 8,000 per year over a five year timeframe, creating a projected 100 new jobs on site.

A spokesperson for Hickory Group said as well as housing manufacturing facilities for the Sync Bathroom line, shed D at its Brooklyn site currently houses other conventional construction equipment, which will be moved out to make room for extra fixed Sync Bathroom stations.

Sync Bathrooms pods, as Urban.com.au witnessed on a site visit as part of the <a href="/tag/prefabaus-conference-2014">PrefabAUS conference in August 2014</a>, are built from the ground up at a fixed station, with different tradespeople progressing from station to station as each module is put through the motions.

According to <a href="http://www.hickory.com.au/projects/filter-modular-bathrooms-456/">Hickory's website</a>, the Sync Bathroom pods are being shipped and installed in eight different projects in Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia. 568 Collins Street and Central South Yarra, where Hickory are undergoing a conventional build, and 3 East are the Victorian projects.

Back in September 2014, Urban.com.au witnessed Sync Bathroom pod installation into 568 Collins Street, <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/news/innovation-key-to-hickorys-568-collins-street-build">a myriad of photos</a> from the site visit are available.
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Alastair Taylor

Hickory expands its Brooklyn manufacturing site

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Against the backdrop of a bustling Melbourne skyline heavy with cranes carrying the logo of many a builder, <a href="http://www.hickory.com.au/">Hickory Group</a> has forged ahead with <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/buildings/568-collins-street-melbourne">568 Collins Street</a> while simultaneously introducing new technology into the build process. With a construction value of $161 million and sited over some 1,200 square metres, 568 Collins Street is one of a new generation of towers riding the popular wave of apartment living within Melbourne's CBD.

<blockquote>
One of the tallest towers to grace the Melbourne CBD, the 65 level tower of 568 Collins St posed serious challenges due to its compact 30m by 40m site and height. Hickory worked closely on design buildability with the client, design engineers and architects, collaborating on a solution that is viable from a cost and design perspective while delivering a ‘transfer-free’ structure.

Featuring first class amenities befitting the cosmopolitan location, residents will enjoy access to a pool, spa, sauna, gym, an entertainment room and business centre.
<cite>Hickory Group</cite>
</blockquote>

Designed by <a href="http://www.bh-architects.com/">Bruce Henderson Architects</a> for Stamoulis Property Group, the design/build team was headed by Hickory Group and <a href="http://www.meinhardt.com.au/">Meinhardt</a> who acted as structural and civil engineers.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image9sync.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Sync pods from factory floor to site. Image courtesy Hickory Group"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="291" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image9sync.jpg?itok=Ui8Xk582" title="Sync pods from factory floor to site. Image courtesy Hickory Group" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Sync Pods from factory floor to construction site. Image courtesy Hickory Group</figcaption></figure>Urban.com.au toured the site recently and was given access to all areas in order to understand the complexities involved in such a demanding build. From engineering innovations to tower stability and wind mitigation it was a fascinating insight into how towers are constructed and a snapshot into the amount of effort required behind the scenes to turn a vision into reality.

Pioneering the use of construction methods such as BubbleDeck and Unitised Building in Melbourne, Hickory have innovated once more with the use of <a href="http://www.syncbuildingsystems.com.au/">Sync Building Systems</a> within 568 Collins Street. The method sees all 794 bathrooms manufactured offsite in suburban Brooklyn; each bathroom pod is complete with tiling, joinery, finishes and fittings.

This parallel construction method merely requires the bathroom pods to be trucked to site, lifted to the necessary level and positioned in place. Weighing approximately 700kgs, each pod is simply maneuvered into position with only caulking required around the base.

<blockquote>
Sync’s off-site subassembly process removes multiple trades from a construction project’s critical path, and reduces the head contractor’s contact points from up to a dozen trades to just one. Sync fast-tracks the traditional, linear construction sequence by creating a parallel off-site and on-site programme.

Using Sync Bathroom Pods on a multi-unit project provides our customers with a faster delivery, lower cost, superior quality installation that produces less waste and is more environmentally sustainable than traditional bathroom construction. It also creates a safer, cleaner and less disruptive on-site environment.
<cite>Sync Building Systems</cite>
</blockquote>

With minimal trades and roughing-in required, the process has already proven its worth, so much so Hickory Group are now exploring the merits of Sync kitchen, laundry and building services pods.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image10sync.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Et voilà, the Sync system before and after."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="274" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image10sync.jpg?itok=HG9jmWu-" title="Et voilà, the Sync system before and after." width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Et voilà, the Sync system in situ before and after additional framing.</figcaption></figure>With 65 levels to navigate materials and labour going up and down, Hickory has implemented two external high-speed hoists, one internal hoist within the lift core and a jump lift, as well as providing amenities at various levels. An espresso machine on the very top formwork level has been dubbed ‘Brunettis Collins Street’, and can boast one of the best views for a coffee in Melbourne.

Safety has been an important issue for the project, with both adjoining neighbour rooftops occupied by childcare centres. Mutually agreed access times to these rooftops have allowed Hickory to coordinate lifting above those elevations during non-access times.

As an added safety measure six level safety screens were developed to allow external works, such as curtain wall installation, to occur behind them, providing a barrier between the buildings. These also enable Hickory to perform structures and façade work concurrently behind the same screen, gaining on time and optimising sequence.

Hickory have advanced the tower floorplate to level 40, progressing past the transitional slabs over levels 31-33 which signify the halt to the towers slanted form. Generic rectangular floorplates ensue allowing the construction process to be further streamlined and thus maintaining the intended completion date of quarter one, 2015.

Prior to completion the current internally-climbing Favelle M310D tower crane will be replaced by a smaller unit, with ultimately four different cranes erected to dismantle the previously larger unit. The final crane will be ferried down within 568 Collins Street's goods lift.

More immediately, initial apartment settlements are due in a matter of weeks, allowing the first residents to move in during November 2014. The pace, accuracy and safety at which 568 Collins Street has progressed is a reflection of the intensive pre-planning and innovative solutions Hickory Group and the related design team have implemented, which goes toward the overall ease at which 568 Collins Street has slotted into Melbourne's skyline.

Enjoy the image slideshow of Urban.com.au's recent visit to 568 Collins Street, moving from the upper-most levels down to terra firma.
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silvermb

Innovation key to Hickory's 568 Collins Street build

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We're back for the final day of the <a href="/tag/prefabaus-conference-2014">PrefabAUS Conference 2014</a>.

Today's schedule sees presentations on next generation manufacturing, a case study on medium-density planning in South Korea, lessons from the automotive sector and rounding out the conference will be a panel discussion on growing off-site construction in Australia and New Zealand.

<iframe frameborder="0" height="800px" scrolling="auto" src="//v.24liveblog.com/live/?id=1266105" width="100%"></iframe>

Lead image credit: <a href="http://www.unitisedbuilding.com/" target="_blank">unitisedbuilding.com</a>
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PrefabAUS Conference - Day 2

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Today marks the first day of formal proceedings at the <a href="/tag/prefabaus-conference-2014">PrefabAUS Conference 2014</a>. Yesterday, myself and co-editor Mark Baljak along with 80 other delegates, were treated to a tour of four different sites around Melbourne and its periphery. They included the Hickory Group's factory, the Modscape display suite, Salesian College and the Library at the Dock.

The conference schedule is very busy and includes multiple speakers and different topics of discussion. From Project case studies including The Maloney Group's One9 development - <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/news/one9-hall-street-moonee-ponds-34-apartments-5-days" target="_blank">where a 10 level apartment building was assembled on site in five days</a> - to lessons from the automotive sector and a look at the economics of the off-site construction industry, the next two days are bound to be informative and thought-provoking.

From today (9am until 4pm) and <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/news/prefabaus-conference-day-2">tomorrow (9am until 3pm)</a>, we'll be covering the conference as it happens in the embedded live blog below.

<iframe frameborder="0" height="800px" scrolling="auto" src="//v.24liveblog.com/live/?id=1266020" width="100%"></iframe>
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PrefabAUS Conference - Day 1

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The following is a media release which accompanied the launch of the <a href="http://meta.org.au" target="_blank">META</a> <a href="http://prefabaus.org.au" target="_blank">PrefabAUS</a> Hub at the <a href="/tag/prefabaus-conference-2014">PrefabAUS Conference 2014</a>.

Australian building firms face lagging behind global competitors, with prefabricated housing an untapped market for local manufacturers, accordingly to META Managing Director Zoran Angelkovski.

META, a collaborative network of engaged manufacturing businesses and researchers, together with PrefabAUS, will determine how Australia can transform its construction industry to a smarter, leaner manufacturing mind-set through the launch of META’s PrefabAUS Hub.

“A primary objective of the Hub is to identify how our local construction industry can transform and compete against imported products in terms of quality, value, and speed,” Mr Angelkovski said.

“The Hub participants will grow prefabricated housing through development of new architectural design thinking, innovative techniques and processes and work towards advanced manufacturing within the field.”

Prefabricated housing is manufactured off-site in advance, usually in simple sections that can easily be shipped and transported. The Australian construction industry creates more than $150b contribution to GDP (10%) of which the prefabricated housing sector is just $4.6b (3%). The sector is expected to grow at more than 5% per annum compared to the overall industry at 2.3% through to 2023.

Peter Newman, Professor of Sustainability at Curtin University and board member of Infrastructure Australia says the Australian construction industry is outdated in its design of new developments.

“The past 50 years of urban development in Australia has been based around building unsustainable car-dependent suburbs on the urban fringe. With Australia’s population growth expected to see a 60 per cent increase to 37.6 million people by 2050, the industry needs to look to more cost effective and well designed inner city developments at higher densities.

“Prefabricated housing is a next generation housing construction industry, a game changer in cost of housing, competitiveness, efficiency and productivity. Without leveraging this technology, we will see Australia going backwards as overseas firms meet the needs of our local market,” Professor Newman said.

Sarah Backhouse, CEO of prefabAUS, architect and Melbourne University researcher says there is strong potential for Australia to develop a new manufacturing base centred on 21st century construction innovation and quality.

“In Japan and across Europe, prefabricated housing is widely accepted as a quality alternative to traditional construction due to its speed of delivery, design options and energy efficient choices. This represents exciting opportunities for Australia to innovate as our prefabricated housing industry continues to grow and span not only individual houses but also medium and high density solutions while ensuring we remain globally competitive,” Ms Backhouse said.

Jan Gyrn, from leading Australian prefabrication developer Modscape, says there is huge potential for local manufacturers to adapt to this growth market while providing consumers with innovative designs and choice.

“Over the last decade, we have seen prefabricated housing transition from a temporary building idea to a sophisticated, design-led alternative to traditional construction.

“We have worked on exciting commercial and residential projects which are a far cry from the days of aesthetically boring prefab units and will challenge people’s conceptions of modular buildings.

Today we can leverage the latest technology and manufacturing methods to deliver projects such as Ponyfish Island Bar in Melbourne, which shows innovation and artistic style within a logistically complex location.

By using a modular base we can create almost any configuration of space at any size to suit individual styles, all the while delivering projects at less cost with minimal disturbance to the surrounding environment,” Mr Gyrn said.

Lead image credit: <a href="http://www.nbrsap.com.au/" target="_blank">NBRS + Partners</a>.
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META PrefabAus Hub launched

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PrefabAUS, the peak body for Australia's off-site construction industry, has announced the dates for its inaugural conference. To be held at Rydges Swanston Street on the 11th through to 13th of August, the 150 delegate event will feature an influential line-up of national and international speakers and cover all approaches to off-site construction, from commercial to residential and across all key infrastructure sectors including health and education.

Writing in a newsletter sent out to subscribers, PrefabAUS CEO Sarah Backhouse says "as the off-site construction sector begins to expand rapidly, this Conference is timed to bring together key representatives from all related areas for the first time; from architecture, engineering, manufacturing, material supply, property development and construction, universities, government agencies and client representatives".

List of speakers:

<ul>
<li>
<a href="http://www.findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/display/person617608" target="_blank">Dr Masa Noguchi</a>, ZEMCH and The University of Melbourne</li>
	<li>
Steve Hayden, ACT Government</li>
	<li>
<a href="http://www.prefabnz.com/About/People/" target="_blank">Pamela Bell</a>, CEO of PrefabNZ</li>
	<li>
Associate Professor Haeyoon Yoo, Seongsil University, South Korea</li>
	<li>
<a href="http://www.architectureanddesign.com.au/comment/in-profile-tai-hollingsbee-from-ghd" target="_blank">Tai Hollingsbee</a>, Sustainability and Performative Design Group at GHD, Australia</li>
	<li>
<a href="http://constructionedge.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/bio.pdf" target="_blank">David Chandler</a>, Construction Edge</li>
	<li>
Damian Moloney, <a href="http://www.themoloneygroup.com/" target="_blank">The Moloney Group</a>
</li>
	<li>
<a href="https://humanities.curtin.edu.au/about/humstaff/research.cfm/P.Newman" target="_blank">Professor Peter Newman</a>, Curtin University</li>
	<li>
Mark Albert, <a href="http://www.mtmauto.com/history" target="_blank">MtM</a> and Linsey Siede, <a href="http://www.asea.net.au/" target="_blank">Automotive Supplier Excellence Australia</a>
</li>
	<li>more speakers will be confirmed in the coming weeks.</li>
</ul>
On the afternoon of Monday August 11th, optional factory tours and project visits will be offered. Tuesday August 12th the Conference gets underway in full swing from 9am to 5:30pm with a drinks and networking session from 6pm. At 7:30am on Wednesday 13th, the PrefabAUS Annual General Meeting will be held and open for members to attend and then the final session of the conference will be held from 9am to 3pm.

<a href="http://www.prefabaus.org.au/join-prefab/" target="_blank">PrefabAUS members</a> are offered a generously discounted rate to attend the conference with early bird rates set at $600 and from June 16th the full rate of $800 kicks in.

Non-member rates start at $1,400 and from June 16th the full rate of $1,600 applies.

Interested parties who would like to participate in the conference are invited to contact PrefabAUS CEO Sarah Backhouse: <a href="mailto:sarah@prefabaus.org.au">sarah@prefabaus.org.au</a>.

PrefabAUS is a member of the Urban.com.au Industry Hub.
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