Architect: GHD Woodhead/Caroline Pearce-Borg
Client: The Australian Human Rights Commission
Location: Pitt Street, Sydney CBD
Work completed by Active Metal:
Structural steel staircase, saw-tooth stringer design, frameless glass balustrades, stainless steel handrails
Overview:
Located in Pitt Street in the heart of Sydney, the Australian Human Right Commission’s offices were recently redesigned to better express what they stood for. As you ascend the architectural staircase, fabricated and installed by Active Metal, you will notice key messaging from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights annotated on the hanging black boxes which are inlaid into the timber beams that connect floor to ceiling.
With numerous design challenges and difficult access, this project presented many challenges. With no significant finishes on the stairs other than a 5mm rubber centre strip, the exposed steel required expert fabrication and finishing onsite to remove all evidence of welded joints prior to paint finishing. The now seamless appearance of the saw tooth design belies the fact that this stair actually came via a passenger lift in many small sections. A tribute to the craftsmanship of the Active Metal team, the final result satisfied all parties and was completed in record time. In the words of the client project manager, “they made what was a logistically difficult installation look easy”.
