Overview
As we choose to explore the world of stainless steel through the case of Westfield Doncaster, it feels like such a coincidence that this topic will bring us from the blue wall introduced last week to the red wall, the theme of this week.
Westfield Doncaster
Westfield Doncaster is a large shopping center located on the corner of Williamsons Road and Doncaster Road in Doncaster, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Although a bit out of town, it is still only a 20 minutes’ drive to the CBD of Melbourne.
Owned by the international giants Westfield and its business partners, the complex is now home to over 400 stores ranging from the most luxurious brands to smaller and less well-known individual stores. Since its opening in the late 1960S, Westfield Doncaster has gone through 5 rounds of redevelopment as of today to get to where it is now. We will specifically focus on the 4th development from 2007 to 2008 to illustrate the stainless steel application.
Background Information of Westfield Doncaster
The site’s distant origins can be traced back to the early European settlers in the area, the Serpell family. It was then occupied by their small shop and orchards. In the 1930S 'White's Corner Store' came to take its place as the new operator. After over 30 years, the Westfield acquired the site and began to construct the new shopping center.
On 30 September 1969 the $12-million shopping mall was completed and opened to the public, witnessing the Westfield’s first venture in Victoria. The complex underwent two rounds of expansion in 1979 and 1993 respectively before it embraced the significant regeneration in 2007. This fourth redevelopment gained a strong record of completing projects on time and within budget all over the world.
Significant changes took place during the redevelopment, where the red “wave wall” was erected. As early as May 2004, the planning gained approval which marked the commencement of the process. From September to December 2006, the preliminary works were done, which paved way for the main construction that commenced on 15 January 2007. On 16 October 2008 the new modernized shopping center was officially opened and inaugurated by Victorian Premier the Hon. John Brumby.
This $600-million redevelopment brought more than 4000 jobs to revitalize the center as a leading retail, lifestyle and entertainment destination, providing promising long-term prospects for the region. It doubled the size of the mall from 51,000m2 to 109,000m2, expanded from 200 to roughly 420 stores. Meanwhile the car parking soared from 3,480 to approximately 5,000 spaces, making it one of the largest in Australia then.
The Design of Westfield Doncaster
One can hardly divert his/her attention from the red wave wall when looking at the new Westfield Doncaster. The mere sight of the distinctive façade brings sense of modernism and timelessness, the unique advantages embodied by stainless steel materials. The bold design disrupts the dull image associated with traditional shopping malls, encouraging more creative designs for new shopping malls thereafter.
The seemly red stainless steel façade is changing color hues with the time of the day and viewing angle. “The brief from the designers, Westfield Design and Construction, was to deliver a contemporary looking facade that not only provided the Doncaster shopping center with plenty of color …” said by Vince Araullo. (ASSDA 2023)
Stainless Steel Applied to Westfield Doncaster
According to ASSDA (2023), 600 square meters (roughly 300 pieces) of 304 stainless steel sheets were used to construct the striking “Red Wall”. They were red colored sheets imported from Italy and then distributed and assembled in Australia. Apart from the color refraction to deliver the chic design, the sheets were also treated with a Perla pattern so that the nearby traffic would not get distracted by the potential reflectivity. As the pattern could increase the sheet strength, 1.2mm would be sufficient for the use against the 1.5mm thickness as initially designed. In this way, it saved cost by using lighter but equally functional sheets.
Stainless Steel Materials from CIVMATS China
If you want to buy stainless steel colored sheets from China, as in the case of Westfield Doncaster, welcome to CIVMATS. Famous brands stainless steel coils in stock readily processed to sheets plates or strips with varied finishes and dimensions available per your preference.
CIVMATS also excel at stainless steel long products like stainless steel bars, pipe tubes, wires & ropes. For stainless steel materials in China, come to CIVMATS. We aspire to be your best choice. Choose CIVMATS, choose reliability.
