Sissons Architects, in association with Curio, Buchan, and Mirvac Design, heralded the heritage-listed Locomotive Workshop at South Eveleigh into the 21st century with a contemporary redesign.

The new scheme effortlessly blends the old and the new.

During the early construction phase, Mirvac Construction and the design team invited Louvreclad on site to discuss the project requirements. In line with the mechanical ventilation and fire engineering design, the team needed a system for air, smoke, and heat ventilation.

They chose the Louvreclad Galaxy Series® natural smoke and heat exhaust ventilator. Louvreclad then engineered the Galaxy Series® operable louvre system, incorporating control panels that connect to the building’s BMS for air relief, rain sensors, and a fire trip for fail-safe smoke control.

The Louvreclad Galaxy and Vision Series is designed, engineered, and CSIRO tested to offer effective failsafe smoke and heat ventilation during a fire, reducing smoke within low-level escape routes for a safe exit. These operable louvres also provide complete weather resistance, ensuring peace of mind for designers, builders, and the building's occupants. While the Galaxy Series system can operate via manual handles, it's more commonly operated via pneumatic cylinders or electric actuators. For smoke control, the louvres operate in a fail-safe spring-to-open and power-to-close configuration.
Working on a heritage building like the Locomotive Workshop presents many challenges.

Every step of the installation process required careful consideration to avoid damaging the existing building.

The vaulted roof already housed existing heritage-listed louvres. Consequently, Louvreclad had to devise a method to install the new operable louvre panels without compromising the existing ones. Even the installation of the electrical cabling back to the control panels required careful attention, using heritage-approved fixing methods to avoid any damage to the existing internal structures.

Upon completion, Louvreclad relished in the collaboration with Mirvac Construction and the design team. We take great pride in contributing to this monumental upgrade of one of the most significant 19th-century buildings in New South Wales.