Henry Hare Dugmore

Transcription

(Male narrator): September 2011 symbolized a significant turning point in the City Hall restoration. Hundreds of workers watched on as Lord Mayor Graham Quirk laid the final piece of concrete for the new basement floor under the new Auditorium. [Audience clapping] (Lord Mayor Graham Quirk): I want to say to each and every one of you that you have done an outstanding job in this project. This time next year we’ll be seeing the starting of the moving back in of City Hall and that will be a very momentous day. (Male narrator): City Hall closed its doors for an extensive repair and upgrade in January 2010, and as we approach the third and final year of this historic restoration, let’s take a look at some highlights, starting right here in the Main Auditorium. [Organ music] The restoration got off to a spectacular start in January 2010 when the Father Henry Willis Organ, of which there are only 2 in the world, was carefully dismantled. Inside an off-site workshop, all 4 747 pipes are now undergoing a delicate and detailed restoration. [Organ notes sounds] [Hammering sounds] The next step was replacing the timber framework of the dome ceiling with steel for increased strength and the inside the dome new fire safety measures were installed. This was more important that you might think, with engineers warning the ceiling may have collapsed in the event of a fire. And while they were up there, acoustic engineers made plans for a new ceiling surface which, they hope, will solve those acoustic problems once and for all. In addition to these critical repairs, the Auditorium is getting some important upgrades that will bring the building into the 21st century. In early 2011, workers dug more than 5 metres below the Auditorium floor to make way for City Hall’s first ever kitchen. Now that will cater for 1200 meals a day and serve thousands of functions held here every year. Along the way they uncovered some curious artefacts from the original 1920s construction but it was the discovery of the 1880s cobble stoned drain that really captivated Brisbane. This discovery is set to become an important attraction inside City Hall and will be placed in one of the light wells so future generations can share in this piece of Brisbane’s history. Arguably, the biggest challenge for City Hall has been strengthening the notoriously weak concrete that left some rooms uninhabitable. Over 300 concrete samples were extracted from structural columns and beams throughout the building, and in some places the concrete was found to be 60 times weaker than modern concrete. Structural engineers had to devise a way to strengthen the structure without adding too much additional weight to the building. They came up with a solution that had never been done before. A world first, right here in Brisbane. (Scott Wallbank): From the analysis the structural engineers have done for the building, there’s a number of areas they’ve identified as being inadequate structurally so for those areas, particularly these banks you can see where we’ve got the overlay on top, they’ve designed a structural overlay which incorporates a new layer of reinforcement and a concrete overlay. (David Cartwright): Because the concrete is such a low strength, it’s well outside of anything in the modern codes of practice. So what we’re doing is we have complex monitoring equipment installed on the beams underneath so as we load up the floor, as we fill the tanks with water, we can monitor how the beam responds and how it behaves. It is a crucial phase; it allows us to verify our assumptions and gives us the confidence that the building, once strengthened, will behave in the way we expect it to. (Male narrator): So, what else is in store for City Hall? Well, up on the roof, non-heritage structures have been removed and a modern water-proofing technology has been applied to the roof structure, stopping, once and for all, the roof leaks that caused so much damage over the years. In mid-2011, construction of a purpose-built space for Museum of Brisbane was under way, and it is truly inspiring. The new design includes a central foyer where visitors can access the Clock Tower lift, Museum of Brisbane, and, for the first time, a viewing point onto the largest copper dome in the Southern Hemisphere. So, as you can see, after almost 2 years of dust and noise, City Hall is getting ready for a glorious come back in 2012. They’ve peeled back the layers that covered the building’s original 1920s architecture, and now it’s time to breathe some life back into Australia’s only City Hall. Plasterers are making their way through the building and restoring beautiful, ornate plaster work and repairing damaged walls and window sills. Heritage windows are set to feature once again as the beautiful focal points they were designed to be, and in doing so are bringing natural light back into the building. And the original timber floors have been restored and are coming back into the building, now that the strengthening works are being completed. But, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. 2012 is set to be the most exciting phase of this historic restoration. Hundreds of tradespeople will apply their skill and craftsmanship to put the finishing touches on the building as we count down to City Hall’s reopening its doors to the people of Brisbane. The work ahead includes building a large, central kitchen, installing new, modern services including miles of data cabling, increasing accessibility and signage throughout the building, restoring heritage décor such as lights, windows, plasterwork and colour schemes, completing the spectacular ceiling design in the Main Auditorium, working towards achieving Australia’s first 4 green star rating for a heritage building, and much, much more. And what does Brisbane think about this? (Interviewee 1): Look, I’ve been round the world’s city halls all around the world and I think that is just fabulous to come home to, and I’m very proud of it and very pleased it’s being restored. (Interviewee 2): For me personally it is a very, very good project that’s happening. (Interviewee 3): It’s an icon like the Story Bridge is, of Brisbane, and yeah, they’ve got to do everything, I believe, to keep it for the future. (Male narrator): Now much more than ever, it’s time to be part of Brisbane’s most iconic heritage restoration. [Music]