There is pleasure in the pain of refurbishing heritage buildings: The NSW Chief Secretary's Building

摘要

The key to successfully refurbishing heritage-listed buildings is in the planning. Faced with an extreme challenge to provide 21st Century functionality in the nearly 150-year-old Chief Secretary's Building, spaces within the existing fabric were identified. These spaces accommodated new services and strengthening elements -for example, a void above the corridor ceilings not only provided an avenue for fresh air supply, but also accommodated structural tie members to stabilise walls against earthquake loads. Even when structural intervention was necessary to strengthen an ailing arch, it was applied with sensitivity, making the intervening elements visible and also reversible. The choice of a piped VRV refrigeration system for airconditioning the building maintained the background of highly ornate ceilings intact. The engineering team exhibited best practice in the planning, selection and installation of engineering systems and components. This ensured that all work had minimum effect on the fabric of the heritage building, while still providing an appropriate internal environment for the functions of courts, the Industrial Relations Commission and the Governor of NSW. The project sets a benchmark in Australian engineering for the adaptive reuse of a significant 19th Century heritage building.