Photos: Garry Wallace AMW

RAS Exhibition Hall Homebush

Responsible as leader of the hydraulics and fire discipline team a short time after construction commenced. The RAS halls were unique in construction of which the dome is the centre piece of outstanding timber laminated beam structural engineering. The dome on this Arup project was attached to a series of exhibition halls running east west from the dome, that are able to be isolated from the main dome area for individual functions. There is a two storey office block in each display hall as are commercial cooking and food areas for each hall. The amenities are on both levels. The dome has ground and first floor conference and office areas, underground plant room with external access. Mechanical plant is positioned on the third level of the dome, second floor administration offices with major catering facilities and kitchens on the ground floor.

A service tunnel runs north to south below the floor area of the main domed hall containing electrical, hydraulic, fire and mechanical services. There are two sewer systems and Authority connections draining the building and therefore duplicated sanitary plumbing systems. A comprehensive trade waste system of channel drains with weirs and grease wastes is installed with three grease arrestors. A system of recycled water is used for flushing and wash down hose cocks and potable hot and cold supplies for each area to fixtures and amenities. A large natural gas service of various pressures and regulated metered supplies is installed for kitchen catering, mechanical plant and hot water heating. The stormwater system is draining the roof area through external stainless steel and concrete gutters with sumps and 250mm gravity downpipes, external surface drainage by grated inlet pits and kerb inlets and pumped subsoil, through RCP drains to the main street drainage system.

The fire protection supports a fire engineered solution, smoke management with automatic roof ventilation opening in fire mode, fire hydrants, extinguishers, EWIS and smoke detectors. An aspiration “Vesda” smoke detection system is located in the underground services tunnel. The building has a main control panel, and sub panels along with a fire control room. Valve and pump room is accessed externally and underground. The sprinkler system only protects the main administration, office areas, catering areas and plant rooms of the domed building. The dome area and halls have no sprinkler protection. The building was the first permitted to use 50m hose reel fire fighting appliances in NSW, imported from New Zealand especially for this project. Considerable on site smoke and fire tests were carried out to validate fire engineering solution before sign off.

Client: RAS Society of NSW
Architects. Ancher Mortlock and Woolley
Project Manager:  Australian Pacific Projects