Maximum impact two years on

Coloured stainless steel has helped revitalise what has become one of Victoria’s largest and most recognisable shopping precincts – Westfield Doncaster.

In late 2008 Westfield completed a major redevelopment and refurbishment of the Doncaster shopping centre (located 20 minutes east of Melbourne’s CBD), doubling the complex’s size.

Central to the centre’s new look and feel is the building’s ultra contemporary and striking cladded facade that features coloured and patterned stainless steel supplied by Steel Color Australia Pty Ltd.

Steel Color Australia owner Vince Araullo said more than 600 square metres of grade 304 stainless steel were used to construct the eye-catching “Red Wall”.

“The brief from the designers, Westfield Design and Construction, was to deliver a contemporary looking facade that not only provided the Doncaster shopping centre with plenty of colour but would also be hard wearing against Melbourne’s diverse weather conditions,” he said.

“Our coloured stainless steel, which we import from Italy and distribute exclusively in Australia and New Zealand, is manufactured by Europe’s leading specialist in coloured stainless steel and special metal finishes – Steel Color S.p.a.”

The stainless sheeting was fabricated and installed by Melbourne-based Barden-Steeldeck Industries. Manager and part-owner Michael Shacklock said this was the first time his company had worked with coloured stainless steel.

“By attaching the sheets to a sub-frame we were able to make certain that all 300 sheets of coloured stainless steel were accurately positioned to deliver the distinctive looking facade,” Mr Shacklock said.

Mr Araullo said the colour refraction from the Rosso (Italian for red) stainless steel provided a changing colour palette depending on the time of the day and viewing angle.

“The unique movement of colour across the stainless steel clad entrance is a major shift forward from traditionally sterile looking facades that appear on many shopping centres,” he said.

To avoid the potential reflectivity of the facade hindering nearby traffic safety, a Perla pattern was specified. The indentations of the pattern diffuse light and provide an optical flatness, which effectively eliminates reflections.

The pattern also provided improved strength, allowing for a lighter gauge of 1.2mm instead of, typically, 1.5mm or more.

This article featured in Australian Stainless magazine - Issue 47, Spring 2010.