TRUECORE® steel helps bring challenging facade design to life at Bell Station

With the clear objective of reducing congestion and improving road and rail safety, the Victorian Government’s Level Crossing Removal Project, now in its 8th year, is the most extensive infrastructure program of its kind ever undertaken in the state’s history. To date, it has overseen the removal of 84 dangerous level crossings and the building or refurbishment of 48 new commuter stations. It has also provided a platform for reimagining how major infrastructure projects can deliver on their functional intent while significantly enhancing public amenity and the surrounding urban environment.

The Mernda line redevelopment in the Melbourne suburb of Preston perfectly exemplifies this interplay. As part of this upgrade, four level crossings were removed, two new railway stations, Bell and Preston were built, and four kilometres of elevated rail line were constructed by the North Western Program Alliance (NWPA) headed by construction company John Holland. As part of the project, a recreational green space – equivalent in size to three MCGs – was returned to the local community, providing landscaped gathering spaces, shared cycleways and footpaths, and a sense of reconnection.

In keeping with this sense of community and connection, Wood Marsh, the architects commissioned to design Bell Station, drew inspiration from the heritage-listed housing surrounding the site. The suburb’s roofscape inspired the three-dimensional pattern, which forms both the concrete facade that dominates the building, and the imposing glazed feature walls that provide natural light into the station’s interior concourse.

It’s these glazed feature walls that would present a significant challenge for facade contractor Casello. Their extensive experience working with NWPA on many previous rail projects made them acutely aware of the need to minimise network disruption, according to Sam Goldberg, Casello’s Business Development Manager.

“Major transport infrastructure projects that include ‘occupation shutdowns’ are particularly time-sensitive, so alternate building solutions like the prefabricated light gauge steel (LGS) framing used on this facade expedited the construction process without compromising the architects’ original design intent,” Goldberg said.

This facade was originally designed and specified to be constructed entirely on-site using a ‘stick-build’ method incorporating structural steel components. However, according to Dan Thomson, Business Development Manager at CMG Frames, the company Casello contracted to build the prefabricated modules, “on site construction of the complex multi-faceted, articulated, angular framework added risk to the project timeline”. 

“The accuracy of prefabricated and engineered LGS framing meant that the bespoke, imported windows could be ordered in advance, confidently knowing that they would fit perfectly into the frames on arrival,” Thomson observed.

The prefabricated LGS framing used on this project was designed and engineered by CMG Frames using 3D modelling software to achieve seismic, wind and load requirements. Selected for its high strength-to-weight ratio, G550 grade TRUECORE® steel with a base metal thickness (BMT) of 1mm was used for the structural framing within the project.

Despite the extreme complexity of these unique frame structures, 3D modelling facilitated the dimensional accuracy of every component, including all bracing, fixing point, mounting plates, and support bracket to deliver the modules’ required structural integrity.

In total, 36 prefabricated light gauge steel modules were manufactured for the Bell Station project, with each elevation incorporating 18 modules varying in size from a massive 5.3m high x 2m wide to smaller modules measuring 2m x 2m. When complete, these modules were transported to the site entirely configured and installed in a sequenced process by a small crew using only a mobile site crane. 

Key benefits delivered

By utilising light gauge steel (LGS) framing made from TRUECORE® steel to construct the new Bell Station facade, the following benefits were achieved:

Engineered structural integrity

CMG Frames’ 3D modelling software was used to meet seismic, wind and load requirements for the complex geometry of the multi-faceted, prefabricated framing modules manufactured for the Bell Station facade. According to Thomson, this would have been far more difficult to achieve with an on-site assembly method.

Guaranteed dimensional accuracy

Casello’s decision to work with CMG Frames to manufacture prefabricated LGS framing for this project enabled each module to be made to exact tolerances. This would enable other facade elements, like the stained glass windows, to be pre-ordered and manufactured concurrently, saving time and minimising the need for on-site measuring.

Time-critical installation process

The efficiency of a prefabricated LGS framing solution is particularly relevant for transport infrastructure projects where prolonged or unintended disruption can have a negative impact on a public transport network. Hence, Casello’s decision to select CMG Frames’ prefabricated LGS solution rather than use the originally specified ‘stick-build’ option for this project.

The Bell Station project demonstrated yet another key benefit of utilising an LGS solution rather than the alternative approach that would have necessitated costly perimeter scaffolding and may have caused a lengthy, longer and disruptive installation process.

Project details

Project: Bell Station Level Crossing Removal Project – Facade Fabrication

Location: Preston, VIC

Client: Victorian State Government

Architect: Wood Marsh

Builder: John Holland, with (NWPA) North Western Program Alliance partners, Kellogg Brown Root and Metro Trains Melbourne

LGS Fabricator: CMG Frames

Facade Contractor: Casello

Principal Steel Products: 10 Tonnes TRUECORE® Steel

Photography: Peter Bennetts & CMG Frames