RenduTowersbyOzcare

Hutchies delivered Ozcare’s flagship inner city retirement and aged care community, Rendu Towers, under 3 separate contracts to serve different phases. These included an early contractor involvement (ECI) phase combined with early works and site establishment, Stage 1 being the North Tower and central podium, and Stage 2 as the South Tower (level 7 through to 22). Stage 1 and 2 contracts were delivered concurrently with each other during 2023, where Stage 1 was approaching Practical Completion and Stage 2 was commencing.

This state of the art seniors living precinct is designed for suburban downsizers looking for their inner city retirement destination. Home to 259 places, split over 139 independent living units (ILUs), a 120 bed residential aged care facility (RACF) and 2,435m2 of commercial office space, Rendu Towers is Ozcare’s truly integrated urban sanctuary. 

Being delivered under a multi staged ECI and D&C delivery method, Hutchies’ early involvement created an extremely beneficial outcome for all stakeholders. It allowed us to explore early design opportunities that achieved a range of value management initiatives – unlocking significant cost savings and enabling early commencement on site, allowing the team to establish more efficient construction logistics prior to the main works.

Hutchies delivered a range of innovations through the project, including adopting a VersiScape jacking system for the pool decking instead of traditional timber, with pavers raised 1.4m on a GRC grating. This innovative approach cut down on concrete and reinforcement, lightened the structure’s load, and reduced the overall carbon footprint of the project, while offering low maintenance and better slip resistance with porcelain tiles.

Being delivered as two stages, the project team adopted several safety measures to minimise any impact on residents while they occupied Stage 1 as Stage 2 continued to be built. This included temporary fire systems and special traffic lights in the carpark to create separation from the construction areas and traffic, and residents. Hutchies’ team worked with the client to adopt a range of subtropical design principles that ensured year round usability of
outdoor spaces with features like drunken columns to create breezy terraces, sun blades for shade, and a central variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems for cooling without compromising the architecture.

We also adopted a construction technique that utilised precast connections using Aptus’ bar / coupler systems to streamline the construction process and removing vertical elements off critical path, while also reducing pour cycles with columns installed prior to slab pours.

The project faced a number of challenges, including COVID-19 labour constraints resulting in 30% productivity impacts, as a result of isolation protocols, remote work and health and safety measures to maintain operations. The site, being in the heart of Newstead and in close proximity to the Brisbane River, was also tested by the 2022 Queensland Floods, which saw triple La Nina conditions put the project’s innovative drainage solutions and protective measures to the test, which stood up to the occasion and prevented any damage to our construction site.