March 2017

The price of living and owning property in Australia’s urban centres has become increasingly challenging for the average home buyer. As Business Insider reports, the most recent International Housing Affordability Survey rates Sydney second on its list of least-affordable cities to buy a house this year, with Melbourne coming in at number six.

Affordable housing is a complex issue with many contributing factors. But one of the industries that can have an impact on the situation is architecture. By addressing some of the challenges of housing our growing urban population at the design stage, we can make things easier and more affordable for consumers further down the line. But how can architects go about this, and what part can Locker Group play?

An opportunity for architects

National president of the Australian Institute of Architects, Ken Maher, recently spoke at Parliament House in Canberra about housing affordability. As part of his address he argued for medium-density housing, including multiresidential buildings, as a way to address the issue of housing affordability in our main centres. He believes that architects have an opportunity to help make living in Australia’s cities more affordable, as well as more environmentally friendly.

“As a key player in the development of the built environment, the architecture profession has the skills to deliver housing that addresses crucial issues, such as affordable living, sustainable design and flexible housing, providing savings in both upfront costs and the ongoing cost of occupation,” he said.

We believe that Locker Group’s architectural products can be part of this affordable, sustainable design. Our metal facade products, in particular, are ideally suited to be incorporated into buildings that are cheaper to make and cheaper to maintain, while still providing a comfortable environment for their tenants.

By reducing construction costs you can make residential apartments more affordable.

Reduced construction and maintenance costs

Designing and building with locally-sourced materials saves the costs of importing and expensive long-distance shipping. Locker Group’s extensive footprint and ability to produce on a large scale means we’re able to provide quality products for competitive prices.

Once construction is finished, there are other ways to save with Locker Group. Many of our products, particularly our perforated and expanded metal facades, can be treated as individual components – if there is a piece that needs repairing or replacing, this can be done without having to pull down the entire facade. By incorporating more of a modular attitude to design, architects reduce the ongoing maintenance costs of their buildings, which means there are fewer costs to be passed on down the line to tenants.

Incorporating sustainability into a building’s design benefits its occupants the environment.

Sustainable apartment buildings have lower running costs

Beyond the cost of buying and maintaining a home, ongoing living costs in a city are high. Making buildings that are sustainable and designed for low energy use are not only good for the environment, but they cost less to live in.

Australia’s climate poses a challenge for architects who want to make buildings that don’t rely too heavily on artificial air-conditioning. Using shading facades reduces the impact of sun and cools the interior of a building naturally, without interfering with views or airflow, meaning electricity bills come down.

The ecological benefits shouldn’t be disregarded, though, as long-term design needs to be sustainable in every sense. As Maher puts it:

“Good design can’t be seen as a luxury or an optional extra; rather, it is essential to delivering a built environment that can sustain Australia’s diverse communities into the future.”

Affordable and green urban housing comes down to consciously designed architecture. This, in part, comes down to using quality products that are made to be low-maintenance and promote sustainability. Get in touch with Locker Group today to find out how our architectural products can be used in innovative urban design.

One of the primary challenges we face here in Australia is the sun. According to SunSmart Victoria, Australia’s UV levels are some of the highest in the world. This is such an issue that some Australian wine makers even have to put sunblock on their grapes to prevent them from being charred by the sun, CNN Money reports.

For architects, the sun presents both a problem and an opportunity. Harsh light and heat can ruin the comfort of a building’s occupants, but this intense sunlight offers potential benefits for buildings that aim to be more sustainable and energy-conscious.

The powerful benefits of Australia’s sunlight

A good example of this is the proposed Sol Invictus Tower in Melbourne, which was announced last year by Peddle Thorp Architects. The 60-storey apartment building will wear a skin of more than 35,000 solar panels that, along with roof-mounted wind turbines, will provide more than half of the tower’s energy needs, Architectural Digest reports. The building’s shape is designed to make the most of the sun throughout the day.

Buildings like Sol Invictus are part of a growing movement in architecture that recognises what the Australian climate has to offer, and runs with it rather than fights against it. But taking advantage of the sun as a power source doesn’t mean you can ignore the problems it causes.

The sun is great for solar panels, but can be harsh on a building’s occupants.

Balancing sustainability with comfort

The flip side to this natural heat source is that it doesn’t discriminate – the strong sunlight that hits solar panels and powers a building also heats the interior and casts glare. For a building to be comfortably liveable it needs to moderate the effect of the sun’s heat and glare while still making the most of it as an energy and light source. Solar panels are a great way to take on that second challenge, but what about the first?

Locker Group has a range of products that can be used to minimise the unpleasant effects of the sun on a building’s occupants. Woven wire, perforated and expanded metal facades can all be used to provide shade without limiting view or air flow. Check out our case studies for some examples of how LG’s architectural products have been used to moderate the effects of the sun.

Harnessing the sun’s power while protecting ourselves from its heat are not mutually exclusive goals. Locker Group’s products provide ways to design buildings that make the most of what the sun has to offer without subjecting the interior to its harsh effects. Get in touch today to discuss how we can be involved in your next sustainable design project.

Graffiti is a continuing problem in Australia’s urban centres. During the five year period between July 2011 and June 2016, NSW police received an average of 8,063 reports of incidence of graffiti a year. And there’s a financial side to it as well – according to the Keep Australia Beautiful association, graffiti and other vandalism costs the Australian community an estimated $2.7 billion per year.

With this in mind, many businesses and councils are working on the understanding that prevention is better than a cure. Deterring vandals is a more effective use of money and resources than cleaning up and repairing property afterwards. This is one of the reasons that a perforated or expanded metal facade can be a good choice for architectural projects in public spaces.

Facades present vandals with an unappealing canvas

The Victoria State Government recommends applying anti-graffiti coatings to walls to make them easier to clean and make the wall less appealing to graffiti in the first place. We think it’s possible to go a step further than a coating, though – what if the very wall was anti-graffiti?

A non-solid facade like perforated or expanded metal presents vandals with a surface that is more difficult to paint, and makes the resulting graffiti harder to see. This removes the appeal for the vandal.

However, when our Pic-Perf technique is involved there’s another way that our facades can help deter graffiti. Pic-Perf is Locker’s unique method of recreating images and designs with perforated metal. By varying the size and placement of the perforations, we can create an image without relying on paint or other coatings that can be damaged or destroyed by graffiti.

We’ve talked before about how using Pic-Perf for designs and murals means that cleaning off graffiti is easier than if the art was painted on the wall. But there’s an added anti-graffiti benefit to using Pic-Perf, which is that an illustrated facade may help to reduce graffiti in the first place.

Public art discourages graffiti

As InformeDesign reports, a 2006 study in New Zealand found that walls with murals or public art suffered less graffiti than plain walls. The Project for Public Spaces in the United States also recommends murals as a way of discouraging graffiti, especially when local artists and the community are involved in the project. Not only is it more difficult to see graffiti on the illustrated surface, but locals are less likely to deface a piece of art they connect with.

By adorning your building with a design rendered in Pic-Perf, you not only make it more pleasing to look at; you may also be reducing its risk as a target of graffiti. To stop people putting their pictures on your walls, it seems the answer may be to put some pictures on them yourself.

However, as Myra Taylor and Ida Marais of The University of Western Australia say in their 2009 paper ‘Does Urban Art Deter Graffiti Proliferation?’, public artwork is more effective at discouraging graffiti in the short term than it is over a longer period. This is where the durable, easy-clean nature of Pic-Perf still offers benefits: Even the best preventative design decisions may not completely prevent graffiti, so having a metal facade that can be cleaned with solvents or water blasting without risk of damage is a cost-effective choice.

Locker Group provides a range of architectural products that can be incorporated into public works. In addition to the aesthetic and comfort benefits these give to a building, these can also play a role in making spaces safer, cleaner and less prone to vandalism. To find out more about how we can help with your next project, please get in touch today.

Perforated metal has uses in a wide range of industries, and some of them aren’t all that obvious. Here at Locker Group a great deal of our work is providing materials for architectural designs, but we’re often asked to help out with other projects. We thought we’d take a look at one of the less conventional applications of perforated metal, one that nevertheless bears a little resemblance to architecture: beehives.

Beekeepers’ divisive use of perforated metal

Beekeepers primarily use perforated metal for a product called a queen excluder. As the Mid-Atlantic Apiculture Research and Extension Consortium (MAAREC) explains, this is a thin sheet of perforated metal with holes punched through that are small enough to prevent the queen bee getting past, but large enough to let worker bees go through freely.

Queen excluders are used to keep the queen, and her eggs, separate from the honey stores. This stops her from laying eggs in the area where the beekeeper will eventually harvest honey from, meaning the next generation of bees is allowed to grow undisturbed, and the beekeeper can collect honey that isn’t contaminated with eggs. They can also be used in hives that have been set up in a two-queen system.

As with larger human spaces, we can see perforated metal being used as a way to divide a space and selectively limit what can cross the barrier. In the case of the beehive, it’s dividing worker bees from the queen; in architectural uses, it might be dampening sound without preventing light from passing through.

Perforated metal has a small but important role in the beekeeping industry.

Locker Group’s comprehensive range of perforated architectural products

Locker Group produces a wide range of perforated metal architectural products. We understand the importance of completing large and small projects to high standard; while a small sheet of metal in a beehive may not seem all that grand, it serves an important purpose to the industry.

Perforated metal has so many applications partly because it can be made in so many ways. Here at Locker we can punch sheets with holes in a variety of different shapes and patterns, and cut or fold the sheets to fit whatever customised shape the project needs. We can also supply perforated sheets in several different materials including stainless steel, aluminium and polypropylene. Whatever you need to finish your project, large or small, Locker Group can work with you to provide a solution.

Check out our case studies for some examples of full-scale architectural applications of Locker Group’s products, or get in touch today to find out more.

Beauty isn’t skin deep. While Locker Group has a long history of exterior application with architectural fixtures, their products hold just as much potential for using interior design to transform a building.

When making the most of an internal space, it can be hard to find a single material that can be used in multiple settings and carry out multiple functions. Not only are internal environments different than exterior ones, there is an endless variety of purposes a room can have that designers must take into account.

As Locker Group’s architectural and commercial representative, Joe Berkelmans knows what he’s talking about when he says that metal products can be used in any architectural setting.

Why use metal in interior design?

In a word, Versatility. While other products such as wood, plastic or glass may have their time and place, none is as diverse as metal according to Mr Berkelmans.

“A versatile product goes beyond simple application such as ceilings, balustrades and screens,” says Joe. “When using metal in interior design, the ability to roll, shape, and adjust colour and size gives our products both interior and exterior superiority over more inflexible options.”

“On top of this, the durability of metal means that in whatever application it’s designed for, it’ll stand the test of time, long outlasting the likes of timber.”

Because no two metal installations look alike, in order to gain a better understanding of the capabilities of metal, it’s best to see it in action. Below are some prime examples where Locker Group’s architectural products have transformed an interior space:

1. Perforated metal

Perforated metal can help diffuse noise.

In large open spaces where a lot of people congregate, excess noise can be an issue. In this application, the use of perforated metal acts as an acoustic dampener. According to Joe, the perforated holes disperse sound, slowing it as it travels through, to scatter and reduce the overall amount of noise. While the above picture shows perforated metal at Perth Arena, this application is more commonly used in industry.

“Perforated metal is often used in manufacturing, on the walls of factory floors,” says Joe, as a way to protect workers’ health and prevent hearing damage, blending form and function into a single product.

2. Wire curtains

Wire curtains can partition areas without losing space.

When internal separation is needed without compromising on space, such as in an office or restaurant, choosing the right dividing material can be hard. How do interior architects design a space that at the same time partitions areas and keep them from feeling cramped or closed off? The answer: wire curtains.

Wire curtains offer the practical solution as in the above picture of separating, not subtracting, space.

“The moveable curtains let the owners adjust the interior space to open up the restaurant and meet whatever requirements on the night, without compromising on space,” says Joe.

In a business setting, wire curtains can also help achieve the desired balance between open and private office environment to create a more productive workspace.

3. Pic Perf

The historic image ties the futuristic building to the past.

While metal may carry the perception of befitting a modern, industrial style, in the right application it can also serve as a link to the past.

“In designing the renovations for the old Tip Top factory in Brunswick, they needed a way to tie the heritage of the building with the modern design, as a way to keep the history of the place alive,” says Mr Berkelmans.

Pic Perf was the natural choice, combining both the perforated metal medium with an original image of the old factory.

Where is the future of metal design?

Perhaps one of the most exciting frontiers of interior application of Locker Group’s products is the growing interest in using them in support of green walls and spaces. In this application, wire mesh or a similar product is used as a scaffold for plants and vegetation, turning bare spaces into lush green features. Not only does having more green spaces make an interior (or exterior) space look more inviting and unique, it also helps improve the air quality for the people working in and around these green walls as the vegetation acts as air purifiers.

At the moment, green walls are constrained to small-scale projects such as rooftop terraces, says Mr Berkelmans, but he’s seen a huge amount of interest in it recently as building design becomes more environmentally focused.

No matter the application, there’s something to be gained from using one of Locker Group’s many architectural products. The versatility, durability and style of metal can not only make a modern building look cutting-edge, but it can also serve as a vital link to the past.

To find out more about Locker Group’s range, get in touch with the team today.

Finding a balance between form and function is essential when designing the facade of a building.

Facades do more than act as a visual marker. Part of achieving this form/function balance is to give it more than a single use. While retrofitting a facade can dramatically reduce a building’s energy expenditure, there’s much more they can do.

The only limit to a facade’s function is imagination. In this article, we’ll look at some innovative facade designs that have fully embraced multi-functionality.

Facades that adjust to temperature

In the sweltering climate of Abu Dhabi, buildings with glass exteriors act as gigantic magnifying glasses for the sun’s intense rays.

This was the situation faced by the Al Bahar towers, designed by Aedas Architects. The solution? Sunscreens that change in response to heat. According to Abu Dhabi Media, the exterior modules are controlled by computers that react to the sun and change configuration to better shade the buildings’ residents, protecting them from the harsh temperatures.

“The way you’re seeing it now, it will probably never look like that again, in that the mashrabiya – as we call it – on the building will actually open and close as the sun moves round the building throughout the day,” said deputy chairman of architectural firm Aedas Peter Oborn, speaking to Abu Dhabi Media. ‘Mashrabiya’ is the Arabic name given to the particular style of wooden lattice screening the modules take inspiration from.

In a similar vein, Locker Group’s Atmosphere facade reduces the amount of solar radiation hitting a building’s windows while retaining air flow and vision out.

Facades that pluck pollution from the atmosphere

A hospital in Mexico City does more than heal patients inside its four walls. Outside, it improves the health of nearby residents, thanks to its unique facade that scrubs pollutants from the surrounding air. The facade is coated in a titanium dioxide layer, which when exposed to UV radiation, converts common car exhaust pollutants (such as nitrous oxides, volatile organic compounds and sulfur dioxide), into harmless products, according to German architectural firm Elegant Embellishments.

This single facade has the ability to remove 1,000 cars’ worth of pollution per day. According to Gizmodo, the unique shape of the facade also helps to slow down the flow of air around the building, to further heighten its efficiency at removing toxins.

Not every facade needs to employ cutting technology to improve functionality. To find out how Locker Group’s range of architectural products can help improve the energy efficiency of your building, get in touch with the team today.