ELIZABETH STREET MALL CANOPY
Location
Hobart, Tasmania
Completed
1997
Hobart, Tasmania
Completed
1997
Awards
1997
RAIA Tasmania (Colorbond Award)
1997
RAIA Tasmania (Colorbond Award)
Hobart City Council engaged Circa to design a canopy to increase the utilisation of the Elizabeth Mall, Hobart’s main pedestrian precinct in the CBD. A floating canopy was deemed the best solution.
The suspended curved steel grid shell frame is hung from 8 masts, allowing the grid shell to float high above the pedestrian traffic below. The undulating steel frame is made of square steel hollow sections curved with only 2 different radii, dramatically reducing the fabrication costs. The interaction of the two curves produced 6 different moulds for the acrylic panels which form the skin of the canopy.
The design response had to address many diverse issues, the most problematic being the ferocious winds that are funnelled down Elizabeth Street, especially in Spring. The floating canopy was required to deflect these winds up and over the proposed roof structure, and wind tunnel tests at the Monash University’s wind tunnel, were conducted to ascertain the best method of doing this at the Monash University’s wind tunnel, where there is a scale model of the entire Hobart CBD. The answer to the winds is to have two swinging glass pivoted screens, which when closed create a semi-circular catchment area, which forces the wind to spiral up and over the 5m high canopy behind it, creating completely still conditions under the roof.
The suspended curved steel grid shell frame is hung from 8 masts, allowing the grid shell to float high above the pedestrian traffic below. The undulating steel frame is made of square steel hollow sections curved with only 2 different radii, dramatically reducing the fabrication costs. The interaction of the two curves produced 6 different moulds for the acrylic panels which form the skin of the canopy.
The design response had to address many diverse issues, the most problematic being the ferocious winds that are funnelled down Elizabeth Street, especially in Spring. The floating canopy was required to deflect these winds up and over the proposed roof structure, and wind tunnel tests at the Monash University’s wind tunnel, were conducted to ascertain the best method of doing this at the Monash University’s wind tunnel, where there is a scale model of the entire Hobart CBD. The answer to the winds is to have two swinging glass pivoted screens, which when closed create a semi-circular catchment area, which forces the wind to spiral up and over the 5m high canopy behind it, creating completely still conditions under the roof.
Inveresk Roundhouse