2019 Archive : Yeppoon Shade Structures

Project Details

Fabric 1

Monotec 370
Producer: Pro-Knit Industries Pty Ltd (Australia)
Supplier: Ricky Richards (Sales) Pty Ltd.

Engineer Company 1
Wade Design Engineers

Design Company
Design Place Group; Fabritecture; Wade Design Engineers

Architect Company
Place Design Group; Liquid Blu

Subcontractor Company
Fabritecture

Project Manager Company
Fabritecture

Installation Company
Fabritecture

Please describe the project specifications

Stage 5 of the Yeppoon Lagoon Redevelopment in Yeppoon, Queensland Australia involved teh design and construction of an architectural shade canopy over the community skatepark. The 500sqm project utilises several colours of Monotec 370 mesh shade cloth to create a creative piece of fabric art.

The Masterplan of the redevelopment project also included a wave pool, water play area, mini golf course, beach amphitheatre, kiosk, road/pedestrian network upgrade, multi-level car park and car wash facilities.

Stage 5 of the revitalisation project of the Yeppoon Town Centre & Foreshore was a venture jointly funded by the Livingstone Shire Council and Queensland and Australian Governments. Stage 5 was part of an AUD$53 million redevelopment of the area by the local council.

What was the purpose of this project? What did the client request?

The Yeppoon Skatepark project is located beside the newly constructed Yeppoon Lagoon, which is the “crown jewel” of the Precinct. Given that the skate park is beside the Lagoon, the structure needed to be exciting and attractive, whilst also suiting the Summery-vibes of the Foreshore precinct.

The client requested a custom shade solution that would not only provide adequate amounts of protection to the skate park and its users, but also provide a fun, unique identity for the area. Given that the original skatepark was constructed in 2000, the locals were very excited.

The new additions to the skatepark were designed by the very skaters who use the facility. The new skatepark features a quarter pipe to bank, skate rails, a bank to ledge, jersey barrier and kerb, intermediate bowl and Hubba ledge. Local skaters were able to contribute to discussions of what the upgrade would entail.

What is unique or complex about the project?

The skate park's new shade canopy is a tensegrity with a cable grid spaning an area of 19m x 22m was designed to minimize the size of the shade structure flying over the skate park and its visual impact.

The collage of mesh panels on the skatepark structure was made up of 90 individual fabric panels. Monotec 370 mesh shade cloth was used for the skatepark collage structure in 3 colours: Mellow Haze, Sherbet and Bubblegum.

The mesh panels are held together by a stainless steel cable grid, made from 26 individual cables and 12 cable ties. The fabric panels are held to the cable grid using 2,500 fabric to cable clamps! Perimetral catenary cables tension an SS cable grid where the individual mesh panels are fixed.

The steelwork in the plan view was presented in an unusual and unique shape. A 100T crane and a 16T crane were used simultaneously to assemble and install the structure.
The structure was engineered and modelled allowing for all members to be fully fabricated off-site to be assembled onsite with flange and pin connections.

The central lightweight frame was fully assembled at ground level to ensure the accuracy of all of its rigging cables and was raised later using a 100T crane 20m away to achieve the pin connections to the 4 columns. Likewise, the cable grid and mesh panels were preassembled and pre-stressed at ground level then raised and connected to the structure achieving the final design tension.

What were the results of the project?

The final results of the Yeppoon Skate Park Shade Structure were excellent. The client was very pleased and the project met the brief. The structure provides a bright, colourful addition to the skate park.

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