Aesthetic balance in the most unexpected of places

Located in the heart of the Brisbane CBD, 215 Adelaide Street is a 28-level commercial tower that overlooks the well-loved parklands of Post Office Square and Anzac Square. Along with several other sought-after features, the building has achieved a 5 Star NABERS Energy Rating and therefore represents a sustainable option for the city’s businesses.

Recently, the property had an ‘End of trip facility’ added to its basement carpark. Including change rooms, showers and secure storage for over 100 bicycles, the space presents as not just an acknowledgement of the increased popularity of sustainable, healthy modes of transport (like bike riding) but an encouragement of this trend.

Designed by Arkhefield and built by Rork Projects, the facility is well-conceived and unobtrusive. In fact, when approached from the car park, most would have a hard time realising it is even there. For the main part, all they are likely to detect as they leave their cars and make their way towards the lifts is the delicate yet sturdy presence of Kaynemaile lining the perimeter of the new bike facility.

Kaynemaile Architectural Mesh, available in Australia from Austaron Surfaces, is the brainchild of Kayne Horsham, a New Zealander whose earlier career included, among other things, working with chainmail materials on the Lord of The Rings film trilogy.

The result of 8 years of R&D, Kaynemaile Architectural Mesh is a reinvention of the chainmail Horsham worked with in those films. It is a limitless 3D material of solid polycarbonate resin rings with no joints or seams. Suitable for a range of architectural applications and used extensively in both internal and external settings, it is strong and durable, yet lightweight and easy to maintain.

Used in the 215 Adelaide Street project, as a mesh infill within an auto slide door, it provides security and peace of mind for the office workers who use it. And it does so with style. Kaynemaile’s simple, repetitive chainmail construction delivers this ‘security barrier’ a delicate beauty that not many alternative materials could hope to match.

Turning on the lights within the space only heightens this effect. When the facility is occupied and illuminated, Kaynemaile’s subtle flex becomes more pronounced and an unexpected balance is achieved, between physical separation on the one hand and visual permeability on the other. In this way, the material is able to add a touch of luxury to what would otherwise be a harsh, unwelcoming environment.