Women’s Housing Limited, St Albans

Women’s Housing Limited (WHL) is a not for profit organisation that provides low costs housing to women at risk of homelessness or experience housing stress including women who are forced to leave their home because of family violence. West Esplanade is a multi residential development consisting in five storey concrete building that forms part of the WHL array of houses serving the Victorian community. This project features 51 apartments with outdoor terraces, common areas and protected underground carpark.

The building structure is constituted by a concrete frame with insitu concrete lift and stair cores providing lateral stability against wind and earthquake forces. All floors are post tensioned concrete slabs. This resulted in thinner slabs that achieved weight and material reduction, therefore cost saving and reduced carbon footprint. A steel frame roof and cold-form lightweight framing ensured a quick and economical result while achieving the architectural intent without compromises.

Architect:

Year:

Construction Budget:

Challenges:

Clarke Hopkins Clarke

2021

$17m

The design stage has been very efficient thanks to our partner CHC architects with whom we had a productive and efficient coordination since the beginning. Few challenges developed on site due to unexpected rock layer formation and preferred construction methods proposed by the builder (Maben). Despite the challenges, with all the Maben crew we had a very efficient and proactive coordination throughout the whole construction phase. This reinforces Argall belief that the difference between a good and an excellent outcome lies in the team working attitude of the entire group of professionals involved.