Rising Sun Pictures , Workplace Fit Out

Understanding the industry’s bespoke design requirements

The project delivered two light sensitive movies rooms where Rising Sun’s team edit and view work, without interference from noise, light, or unauthorised personnel.

Painted in black and dimly lit, the customised rooms resemble movie theatres with treated internal and external walls and cavities, wave bar ceiling acoustic treatments, u-shaped cavity light prevention air locks, security card-controlled access, several 85-inch screens, and comfortable furnishings.

Sarah’s team worked collaboratively with the architect and the client to fully understand the design requirements and procure the specialised materials.

Structural steel design and managing lead times

Large deliveries were staged and stored in a small area of the basement before being separated into smaller loads to be brought up in the building’s lift, and Sarah sought approval from the structural engineers to evenly distribute loads across the floors.

This approach required transparency, communication, and integration with all trades, as well as careful review of the program to manage the additional time and labour required.

Solving service clashes

The location of the amenities on Level 3 were found to have inground service clashes with the existing structure, and Sarah’s team led a workshop to adjust the internal design to suit.

Additionally, services were required to run through the Level 2 ceilings to access the enabling infrastructure.

With Level 2 already occupied by a law firm, Sarah’s team worked closely with this tenant to complete investigation, installation and reinstatement works over one weekend, and used dust enclosures to avoid impacts to fit-out and furnishings.

Slab and lift loading limits

The building’s limited slab loadings of no more than 350kg per square metre, and 500kg lift weight limit presented several challenges, and required Sarah’s team to remain focussed on solutions.

The team leveraged the experience of its trusted subcontractors to determine alternative installation methods and manage on-site storage of materials.

As the slab would not hold scissor lifts or other large machinery, the team designed an extensive network of internal scaffolding.

Large deliveries were staged and stored in a small area of the basement before being separated into smaller loads to be brought up in the building’s lift, and Sarah sought approval from the structural engineers to evenly distribute loads across the floors.

This approach required transparency, communication, and integration with all trades, as well as careful review of the program to manage the additional time and labour required.

Managing safety

The project required welding in enclosed, internal spaces. To manage the safety of all personnel, the team obtained the appropriate hot works and fume extraction permits and conducted extensive safety toolboxes focused on safe working.

Using Sarah’s robust safety management systems to continually review compliance, the works were completed without incident, and typically performed out of normal business hours to mitigate noise impacts to the tenants below. 

Delivery within an operational environment

Ground, Level 1 and Level 2 of the building were already occupied by sensitive tenants including a law firm, NDIS provider and a cancer support organisation.

To avoid disruption to these critical activities, Sarah’s team scheduled most noise generating works and extended use of the lift outside of normal business hours and over weekends and communicated directly with the tenants to plan for extraordinary events.

The team also shared the access laneway with another large building project and developed a relationship with its contractor to schedule large deliveries to each site.

Value management outcomes

Ever mindful of the building’s high-quality finishes, Sarah’s team conducted an extensive value management process during the tender phase.

By proposing alternative lighting products and replacing the timber feature ceiling in the boardroom with an aluminium product, Sarah returned savings of more than $20,000.