Trinity Powersports, Cairns Qld

The Powersports building, for which JH Glass Innovation Pty Ltd
won the AGGA Queensland, 2016 Commercial Under $50K Award,
impressively showcases modern framing and glazing technology.
CEO John Hyde outlines the genesis of this gleaming renovation.

The new glazing system installed gives the business an instant
identity boost. Featuring full-height frameless glazing with stainless
steel spider clamps, these sensitive modern additions complement
this renovated building’s contemporary style. The company’s
branding is highlighted against the elegant minimalist backdrop.

Incorporating advanced technology into an antique shell was
an irresistible challenge for JH Glass Innovation. ‘This was a
refurbishment of a 50-year-old building, which had fallen into a
state of dilapidation,’ John says. ‘As the main foundations were
solid, the owners asked us to bring it into the modern age.’

The team at JH Glass Innovation provided the client with several
ideas about the project’s possibilities. ‘The client’s original idea
was to go with a standard shopfront,’ John says. ‘However, we
quickly realised that the project had significantly greater potential.

‘We soon convinced the clients to go with something more
elaborate - a curtain wall frame with spider fittings and frameless
wall panels, aiming to present the building’s interior in a far more
striking light,’ he continues. ‘Due to the extent of the renovation,
the showroom as you see it today is barely recognisable from the
original building.The immense size of the glazing sheets used in the front entrance
made for a highly demanding construction process. ‘We used 4.5
metre glazed panels for the large frameless automatic door entry,’
says John. ‘The expanses of glazing really lift the entrance and
interior, giving them a luminous look.

’During construction, the team had to overcome a taxing challenge
with the entrance area. ‘The way in which we had constructed the
steel support beams initially obstructed the front door portal,’ says
John. 'To solve this issue, we created a glass portal to be fitted
internally to the steel frame, a solution which involved securing the
front glazing sections to the frames with stainless steel pins.

’JH Glass Innovation pulled out all the stops to ensure that the
streamlined appearance of the entrance continued throughout the
interior. ‘We painted the portal panels in the same colours as the

steel framing, so that people could see right through to the rear of the
building,’ John explains. ‘We’ve replicated that successful aesthetic
decision in our latest collaborations with the builders – a Lexus
showroom and a Hyundai dealership, the latter featuring 9-metre
curtain walls on spider fittings'

This job will remain in John's mind as a unique challenge. 'While it
wasn’t one of the most intricate projects we’ve ever done, the sheer
extent of the transformation makes our achievement quite special in
my view.' John reflects. 'Incorporating the glass and the portal gives
everything a really sharp, clean line. We’ve used that as an effective
selling point on several projects since, as more and more people seek
this futuristic finish.'