The turn of the century industrial design at Fashion Spree sees a 60year old slab turned into a modern masterpiece

Project Background

Fashion Spree is a new factory outlet shopping centre in Western Sydney, which has been developed on an existing site in Liverpool. The site has a rich 60-year history, which has been utilised for a number of purposes during this time, including a caravan manufacturing facility as well as previous shopping centres and marketplaces.

The newly opened Fashion Spree has been designed with a turn of the century industrial feel in mind, featuring design elements such as polished concrete floors, recycled brick and abundant amounts of natural light. The shopping centre encompasses 50 designer outlet stores intended to give locals a premium shopping experience.

Specifications

Husqvarna Hiperfloor - Mechanically Polished Concrete
High gloss
Full exposure of aggregate
800 grit

Scope

14,500m² floor preparation/removal of existing epoxy flooring
6,000m² mechanically polished concrete to the main trading floor
4,800m² mechanically polished concrete in retail tenancies
1,000m² 2mm epoxy polyurethane flooring system
150m² honed concrete at the shopping centre front entry

Objectives & Requirements

The floor at Fashion Spree shopping centre had a set of very specific objectives and requirements due to factors such as the age and condition of the 60year old slab, the intended future use of the floor, the specified aesthetic and design palette.

In terms of functionality, the chosen flooring product at Fashion Spree shopping centre was required to be both durable and hardwearing. This is due to the constant and concentrated foot traffic it would endure during its lifespan. As an obligation, the existing slab was to be used in the hope it could be revitalised to maintain the heritage of the building and pay homage to its rich history. The existing slab was laid at the buildings inception 60years ago and remains as one of the buildings original features. Furthermore, the chosen flooring product was to be installed in a quick timeframe, without hindering the construction program and in amongst other trades.

Referring to the design aesthetic of the required flooring material, the client desired a floor that would both compliment and enhance the industrial design palette. This included the need for a natural material to compliment the extensive use of brick throughout the centre as well as a highly reflective surface to increase levels of natural light and as a result minimise the need for artificial lighting.

Chosen Product

The chosen flooring product for Fashion Spree Outlet Shopping Centre is Husqvarna Hiperfloor.

The process of installing this product included the removal of 14,500m² of the existing epoxy flooring, which was between 2-4mm thick. Once the epoxy was removed, all main internal walkways and common areas were ground to fully expose the 66year old aggregate. The Husqvarna Hiperfloor system was then installed and finished to a high gloss, achieving gloss levels of between 60-70.

During this process, TPG also installed polished concrete floors in many of the retail tenancies, totally 4800m².

The project also included 150m² of Transitions Honed Concrete to the front entry of the shopping centre to create a more seamless finish, in terms of flooring materials, when walking into the shopping centre.

Outcome

The outcome of the polished concrete floor at Fashion Spree shopping centre was exceptional. There was no original damage, cut outs, in fills or wear and tear evident from its 60year history, where it was utilised for many purposes, including heavy industry. In fact, the result appears as though a purpose poured slab was placed with the intent of installing polished concrete. This is a credit to the workmanship of the TPG operations team.

The client was more than satisfied with the flooring product handed over, which far exceeded their original expectations.

Transitions completed the project in 16 weeks, with 9 days for the floor preparation and 7 retail stores being completed every 2 days at its completion.