Awnings from Hunter Douglas Architectural were installed for Hobart’s newest ferry terminal at Brooke Street Pier to provide shade and reduce glare for commuters. The ferry terminal was the first building in the Southern Hemisphere to be built on dry land, and then floated in the water.

The new pier was commissioned by the Australian Government with a contribution of $5 million while ferry operators Navigators and Peppermint Bay provided an $8-million joint investment to the project.

As the market leader in window coverings, the Hunter Douglas Architectural range continues to be selected for world-class commercial projects. The leading brand was again chosen to provide an external shading solution for the new ferry terminal.

Local Hunter Douglas Architectural product supplier, Giuseppe Mampieri of Fabriqué was commissioned to install the awnings on the building to provide shade and glare reduction, while concealing the awnings as much as possible.

Working closely with the project’s builder, Fairbrother, the principal architect, the project manager and the steel engineers, Giuseppe was able to deliver a product that met all the specifications. The Alpha cable guide system, proven to be energy efficient and highly effective in controlling heat, light and glare, was installed. The awnings were fitted using 10mm thick steel from the inside of the building with a narrow opening for the fabric. This collaborative design meant that the awnings wouldn’t be visible to patrons in a raised position.

Fabriqué delivered their scope of work in an impressive timeframe, as the awnings needed to be installed while the structure was still on land.

Martin Schmidt, the principal architect from Circa Morris Nunn Architects was extremely satisfied with the installation of Hunter Douglas Architectural products in line with the design brief.

While Hobart’s waterfront precinct will benefit from the many restaurants, tourism retailers and coffee shops that plan to open on the pier, the 300,000 people who use the facility annually will benefit from the shade provided by Hunter Douglas Architectural awnings.

The installation by Fabriqué involved a total of 18 awnings, all fully motorised and connected to Somfy motor controllers, enabling the shade systems to be operated with a remote.