Case Study: Automall Osborne Park Perth, WA

Architect: Roxby Architects
Concept: Eagers Automative
Installer: Vision Clad Australia
Supplier: HVG Facades
Product: Nucleo® 
Colour: Silver | Halo | White | Dark Grey Metallic | Anthracite Grey | Champagne

BACKGROUND
With its bold street presence and double volume showroom spaces, the Automall Osborne Park multi-brand car dealership embodies the evolving landscape of automotive retail. Engaged by Eagers Automotive to develop their initial in-house site concept plan, Roxby Architects’ development of this ambitious project transforms a retired Holden dealership into a state-of-the-art complex, showcasing eight distinct high-end automotive brands.

Each of them benefits from its own dedicated showroom that highlights its unique visual qualities and brand positioning, while contributing to a cohesive, meticulously curated visual identity for the site. Finding the perfect balance between individual expression and architectural harmony. The result is a facility that brings a dynamic presence to its Osborne Park location.

CHALLENGE
Because of the nature of the development, it was paramount for the design process to reconcile the distinctive showroom aesthetics of eight different car brands, while achieving a wellintegrated and sophisticated space. “A major challenge for the site was the need for eight different brands, each with their own showroom style, to coexist with an appropriate balance between consistency and individuality,” explains Adam Roxby,  Founding Director of Roxby Architects. Alongside aesthetic considerations, ensuring optimal fire safety across the facility was another of this project’s top priorities.

SOLUTION
To address the challenge of unifying the varied brands, Roxby Architects found a multifaceted solution in HVG Facades’ diverse product range. While each brand maintains their own cladding aesthetic, the majority of the facility utilises a premium engineered bonded aluminium panel: Nucleo®. “Given the range of different cladding materials required by the various brands, HVG Facades were instrumental in achieving a consensus amongst most manufacturers for using a relatively new product, Nucleo®,” Adam notes.

This selection highlights exceptional foresight on the part of both Roxby Architects and the development team – Nucleo® offered a balance of cost-effectiveness, a rich colour palette, and importantly, compliance with the stringent non-combustibility provisions of AS1530.1. “Whilst the building code would permit the less resistant ‘fire-rated’ option, for the developers, the non-combustible product was used throughout most of the site for greater protection, with benefits including a more favourable insurance environment,” Adam explains.

HVG Facades’ expertise and willingness to collaborate with stakeholders proved instrumental in streamlining the claddingspecification process. This was further enhanced by the ease ofhandling of the product – as remarked by Vision Clad Australia, the cladding detailers and installers on this project, Nucleo®’s workability in both manufacturing and installation sets it apart from other bonded aluminium products.

The Automall Osborne Park project exemplifies the transformative potential of thoughtful material selection and supplier collaboration. HVG Facades’ adaptable range enabled the architect to achieve brand consistency while prioritising fire safety and cost-effectiveness for the developers. The result is avisually engaging, dynamic and future forward automotive hub,successfully harmonising the unique identities of the represented car brands while ensuring exceptional protection standards.