Law Courts Building
The Law Courts building, completed in 1977, houses multiple levels of the NSW courts, up to the Supreme Court of NSW. During original construction, sprinkler and hydrant systems that complied with the relevant codes of the time were installed throughout the building. Over the years, the building has undergone multiple renovations, with fire system upgrades occurring as required at each stage.
In 2023, Sparks+Partners assessed the hydrant system and proposed upgrades to meet the latest standards. Given the patchwork nature of the existing system and the sheer number of additional upgrades required, the client followed our advice and agreed to completely remove the system and replace it with a brand new, fully compliant system to AS2419.1-2021.
The new system features a high-rise cascading arrangement with dual pumps and tanks located on the roof of the approximately 100-meter-tall building. Our team systematically designed the risers throughout the stairwells to align with existing core holes wherever possible, minimising strain on the structure and reducing the need for new openings. We performed a full 3D scan of the system before demolition to test our proposed solution and to monitor that the latest designs followed existing routes for installing new piping.
Pressure reduction stations are placed at multiple levels to enable the system to maintain a workable pressure for brigade operation.
The stations we developed were in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions to ensure we presented the best possible solution for implementation. Our team also designed a new, fully compliant booster assembly to fit in the existing space, with provisions to boost each stage of the system comprehensively.
Given the sensitive nature of the entire system, close collaboration with the contractor was essential in establishing a staging methodology for the work. This approach enables the building to continue operating throughout the construction process, which was crucial in the decision to proceed with a complete renovation.
