Balneum Apartments - Stage 2 & 3

Balneum is a luxury residential apartment tower complex located along the Swan River in Belmont, Perth.

The development is in addition to the previously constructed stage 1 and comprises of 79 apartments over two tower buildings, the larger of which has 10 levels. The development also consists of a 40m swimming pool, gym and sauna facilities, and a community entertaining area with an outdoor kitchen. A double level basement provides a minimum of two car parking bays and storage space for each apartment.

Seacrest Homes engaged Pritchard Francis for Stage 2 and 3 of the development to undertake the Structural design and documentation as a design and construct contract.

To allow for a faster construction time a tunnel form construction technique was adopted. This solution allows the walls and slabs to be formed and poured at the same time. The formwork system is then removed and reused on the next level above. The success of this system relied heavily on the ability of the Pritchard Francis to work with the Architect to produce an efficient design that could be repeated throughout the development. Pritchard Francis also worked closely with the Architect to produce a rationalised carpark layout in order to avoid the requirement for a transfer slab between the apartment and basement levels. Approximately 90% of the basement retaining structure will be constructed without the use of any temporary retaining walls.

Pritchard Francis has investigated three alternative concrete reinforcement solutions. This has resulted in a steel fibre reinforcement solution to reduce the amount of standard reinforcing bars required for the concrete works on the development. This will significantly reduce construction time on site by reducing the amount of time spent placing reinforcement in a traditional manner.