One Short Street is a contemporary addition and refurbishment to a commercial building at Marine Parade, Southport. This project breaks the black glass box that was this 1980 office building by the provision of a new articulated entry, building lobby and common spaces that unify the building tenancies while providing a distinct commercial identity.
The project was a lesson in reuse. Careful planning opened an isolated fire stair for use as a feature lobby stair. Elements of the existing concrete structure were left uncovered negating the need for ceilings and providing a raw visual connection to the past form.
To improve the thermal characteristic Low “e” glass was used for glazing and sun hoods and awnings were added to reduce solar exposure. The existing metal roof was also repainted to light colour to help reduce thermal gain. Building systems were improved by replacing all air-condition with energy efficient units and the installation of an efficient lift.