Dumas House Facade & Podium Repairs

Location

West Perth, WA

Details

The building has two basement levels, a ground floor with entry lobby and support areas and 14 office accommodation levels.

Over 49 years, the heat, cold, wind and rain have deteriorated the building’s exterior in its exposed position north of Kings Park, the materials have reached the end of their useful life and need to be repaired or replaced.

The repairs which will include the replacement of all spandrel panels, ASR treatment to all columns, improvements to the soffits, waterproofing, drainage repairs and gutter improvements.

On the narrow east and west faces of the building, damage to the glazed terracotta blocks will be remedied. Repairs are also required to the building podium which leaks rainwater into the uppermost of two basement levels underneath the building and forecourt.

Highlights

• A mast climber access system is being utilised using a steelwork substructure to transfer applied loads safely to the ground-floor/basement beams and columns.
• A section on all levels of the western and eastern facades behind the spandrel panels was identifi ed as being underreinforced. To provide a durable and long term solution, stainless steel external reinforcement is being installed with masonry anchors extending through and beyond the critical shear zone.
• The non-resilient podium tiles directly under the building require a replacement waterproof membrane which will not transfer concrete substrate movement and subsequently crack the tiles. The solution was the installation of a crack isolating membrane which absorbs movement to avoid damage to the tiles above.