Portarlington Amenities Block

The Challenge

The Portarlington Public Amenities Block project, undertaken by GR Design & Construct, aimed to replace an outdated 1970s-era toilet block with a modern, functional, and aesthetically pleasing facility.

Located on the Bellarine Peninsula near Geelong, Victoria, the project was part of the local council’s capital works and replacement program. The new facility was designed to cater to a diverse community, including retirees, families, holidaymakers, and individuals with disabilities and in particular with high support needs.

The project needed to meet stringent accessibility requirements, including a specialised ‘Changing Places’ facility that could safely accommodate people with disability and their carers.

The high-visibility and high-traffic location meant that a visual upgrade was also equally important in creating a more sophisticated public amenity that went beyond pure functionality. The facility needed to withstand heavy public use while maintaining cleanliness and durability.

Bondor’s SolarSpan® all-in-one insulated roofing panel, consisting of the roof, insulation, and ceiling in a single panel, provided a cost-effective and energy efficient solution to a traditional corrugated tin roof, and transformed the block from a basic ‘shed’ to a more visually appealing structure.

The Solution

The completed Portarlington Amenities Block stands out as a more functional, accessible, and attractive public space that goes far beyond a ‘typical toilet block’.

The project took about 8 months from design to completion, featuring five toilets, a storeroom, external showers for beachgoers, and a specialised ‘Changing Places’ facility to enable people with disabilities to comfortably and safely use public spaces.

Darren McIntosh of GR Design & Construct said the company was one of the few specialist contractors in Australia who build these facilities.

“Changing Places is a specialist facility that allows people with disability and high support needs to use the beach or public toilets anywhere,” he said.

“We had to meet multiple regulatory requirements, including DDA (Disability Discrimination Act) standards, ensuring full accessibility including door widths, space allocation, and privacy considerations.”

Darren said the Bondor SolarSpan roof was chosen to provide cost and energy efficiencies as well as enhanced aesthetics compared to a traditional corrugated tin roof.

“SolarSpan® offered a cost-effective solution through a single-panel solution incorporating roof, insulation, and ceiling. It also contributed to enhanced thermal efficiency by reducing heat gain and improving energy conservation.”

“The panels provided a streamlined, clean design that elevates the perception of public restrooms and set a new benchmark for public facility projects, demonstrating that practical infrastructure can also be visually appealing and environmentally.”

The Portarlington Public Amenities Block stands as a model for future public amenities, proving that investment in well-designed, high-quality materials like Bondor’s SolarSpan® can result in long-term benefits for both the community and local governments.

SolarSpan® is Australia’s leading insulated roofing panel offering long-spans, low pitch and high thermal efficiency to satisfy Section J requirements in commercial and industrial applications. Codemark approved and Australian Standards tested, SolarSpan® features a COLORBOND® steel exterior roof layer, EPS-FR rigid insulation core with a pre-finished COLORBOND® ceiling underside in a variety of profiles and colours to maximise creative expression.

Melton Beach House

The Challenges

Despite its location in Melton on Melbourne’s western rural–urban fringe, homeowner and building designer Jessica wanted to create a home with a beach house feel. A mum of three, Jessica’s vision was for a home that was not only sleek and modern, but also one that felt open, spacious, and able to accommodate her family and friends.  

With time to make up after COVID-related restrictions delaying build time, Jessica needed products that were quick and easy to install while making efficient use of the available space and giving plenty of natural lighting.  

As seen on the eighth episode of 9Life’s Open Homes Australia season 5. 

 

The Solution

Jessica decided to incorporate Bondor’s InsulRoof® and LuxeWall® in the design and construction of her home, giving it a modern and monochrome look and feel. 

“Although I live in Melton, I still wanted a beach house. Using the available space, I decided to build something similar to a beach house – something with a modern feel in the suburbs,” Jessica said 

 Jessica opted for LuxeWall® on the exterior of the upper floor to take advantage of the panel’s advanced lightweight cladding technology and decorative COLORBOND® 

Basalt finish, offering a cost effective and sustainable addition to the build. 

“I went with LuxeWall® on the upper level to complement the concrete panels on the lower level, which gave a slick, modern look to the home.”  

 “Using LuxeWall® prevented the need to build layers upon layers in the understory, keeping things light and fitting the sleek design.” 

 Jessica also incorporated Bondor’s InsulRoof ® panels in the COLORBOND®  Surf Mist.  

 “InsulRoof ® panels were the perfect inclusion to our design thanks to their span across our rooftop and low maintenance,” Jessica said.  

“We were able to incorporate this roofing solution to ensure we maintained the valuable natural light and regulated temperature.” 

 Despite not living on the beach, Jessica achieved her dream beach house – an open-plan home with plenty of natural lighting and space.  

Lady Galway, Enoggera

The Challenges

Semi-retired resident Kay was looking for a house that would be her forever home. However, not finding one to suit, she approached Jamin Design Group and Petroff Constructions to help  her create a mid-century modern home with a twist. 

Kay shared her portfolio of ideas with Jamin Design Group, who designed a unique home to bring to life Kay’s vision. Karl Petroff from Petroff Constructions made the home a reality, brining the outside in using Bondor’s SolarSpan® and InsulWall®. 

As seen on the fourth episode of 9Life’s Open Homes Australia season 5.

The Solution

Karl decided to incorporate InsulWall® and SolarSpan® roofing to ensure cross flow ventilation without the need for air conditioning thanks to the insulation value of the all-in-one insulated sandwich panelling. 

“Kay was looking to incorporate a mid-century modern look, blending an industrial feel into modern InsulLiving,” Karl said. 

Bondor’s InsulLiving® system combines the revolutionary, lightweight and strong InsulWall® and SolarSpan® panels, which together form a complete thermal shell to protect the home from extreme hot and cold weather. 

“What makes Bondor’s SolarSpan® so special is its insulation properties. Not only do they create a open, industrial feel, Kay’s house does not require air conditioning.

“The roofing panels interlock easily with the wall panels to form a complete thermally efficient shell. Combined with high level louvers to allow airflow, the home is naturally cooled to remain comfortable throughout the year.”

Kay’s home is her oasis – a place to keep her special memories and packed full of personality. 

“Kay loves her knick knacks, so her home has been purpose designed to reflect her travels. She is pleased to have a space to display her treasures and special memories,” Karl said. 

V Residence

The Challenges

A Brisbane family approached TONIC Architecture and Design to create a home that would work for their growing family; that was functional and filled with light and ventilation, capturing views while maintaining privacy. 

The existing 1970s era brick house featured city glimpses and a connected backyard, with high ceilings, sculpted voids, and an abundance of natural light inside. However, the home was orientated in wrong direction with living areas facing east and the backyard facing west. The lower level of the home also had the incorrect ceiling height and limited connection between the living areas. 

The family did not want to lose the elements of the existing house they liked such as the brick and mid-century modern style. They envisaged a renovated home that suited the lifestyle needs of a large busy family – a light filled sanctuary, offering escape for both parents and children whilst surrounded by greenery, trees, and landscaping.   

After viewing the property, TONIC Architecture and Design’s Managing Director Matthew Riley proposed an extension to the home to include a new double volume kitchen and dining space on the southern side of the home. This space was designed to connect the existing living spaces. The extension also featured a raised clerestory roof to capture the northern sun.  

As seen on the second episode of 9Life’s Open Homes Australia season 5. 

The Solution

Matthew decided to incorporate SolarSpan® roofing on the extended portion of the home, reducing need for large structural elements. 

“The SolarSpan® roofing in COLORBOND’s Surfmist enabled a simple clearspan roof, providing great insulation for the living space,” Matthew said.  

“In addition, we used Bondor Panels as window hoods on the existing house to link the new additions to the existing home. Bondor’s panels provided excellent weather protection and sun shading for existing window openings, creating a new and modern look for the home. 

“Having pre-finished products meant the ease of construction and time saving with the installation. The insulation properties were also considered when deciding to incorporate SolarSpan® panels.” 

The family was impressed with the meticulous design of the new area and the seamless integration with the existing home.  

“The owners were pleased with their new home, which catered for the whole family, and their busy lifestyle. The final product exceeded their expectations and vision of what was possible,” Matthew said.  

Matthew was impressed with the completed build, and credited the ease of using Bondor’s SolarSpan® and pre-finished panels in the home extension to meet the client’s ‘must-have’s.’ TONIC Architecture and Design regularly use Bondor products and will continue to do so in a range of upcoming projects.  

Honeyworks House

The Challenges

In Geebung, a single, detached house was demolished and rebuilt, aiming for a mid-century style home in keeping with the surrounding suburban look of similar motifs, brickwork and detailing.

Constrained by a smaller budget and with high-set homes on either side of it, the scale of this single storey house was elevated so that it sat comfortably in the street. It also included high ceilings with light and airy spaces inside to keep the home feeling open.

This required more pre-construction design planning than most simple house builds to ensure the right products could be used for the project.

With budget and space constraints in mind, Paul Butterworth opted for a carport instead of a built-in garage to preserve the unique design elements of the home. 

Paul Butterworth, the Principal Architect from Paul Butterworth Architect chose Bondor’s SolarSpan® to create a sleek carport with a lightweight look and feel.

 

As featured on episode 1 of 9Life’s Renovate or Rebuild.

The Solution

“It was particularly important for us to create a non-structurally intensive carport that didn’t detract from the house,” Paul said.

“SolarSpan panel was perfect to get that large span, nice thin contour to the street as well as creating a nice synergy with the house’s indoor cladding. Design continuity between the two elements was important and Bondor’s competitors didn’t offer that feature with their products.

“SolarSpan coupled with some express steelwork and a Y-column was the perfect recipe to create a stylish carport out the front of the house, which is the first thing people will see when arriving, without detracting from the house’s design.”

Paul also praised SolarSpan’s longspan capability and slender, elegant finish as one of the other deciding factors.

“Bondor’s documentation and upfront structural capability assessments is also really good. The resources we had on hand to make design assessments at the early stage was really helpful in giving us confidence that the products we chose were right for the project,” Paul said.

Paul has worked using Bondor’s products across multiple projects, including prefab module housing to townhouses, terrace houses and single bespoke architectural homes for boutique clients, with some currently under construction. 

 

Images: © Christopher Frederick Jones

Panelup Patios, Wollongong

The Challenges

A local Wollongong family approached Panelup Patios to build two patio roofs, including a fly-over roof for a second storey balcony and a large backyard patio cover to create a luxury entertainment area. 

With the older house being recently renovated and cosmetically improved, and a massive backyard used by the family and their pets, their days were ruined by rain and hot summer heat.  

The family needed something that would provide adequate shelter, stave off the heat and seamlessly complement their recent renovation. 

Panelup Patios Director Sasha Veselinovic visited the project to gauge the best solution for the family’s request and instantly decided on Bondor’s SolarSpan® (100mm panels) in COLORBOND’s Surfmist ceiling and COLORBOND’s Paperbark for the roofing’s top layer. 

The Solution

Once the product was decided, Sasha went back to the office, and prepared a full 3D plan which the owners could open on their app to see what they would be getting. VR googles also allowed a project walkthrough prior to the build. 

“All the Bondor products including the SolarSpan are designed as BIM models, so it’s fairly easy to incorporate them into any new project and see exactly what the client would be getting’s and how it would be installed,” Sasha said. 

“The aesthetics, durability, insulation and no maintenance for the family made this an easy decision for everyone involved. What more could you want from panelling? 

“For us as patio installers, it’s the speed that is one of the major deciding factors. From start to finish, this build was only three days, one team required, and no need for painters or carpenters to erect any timbers, which is fairly quick considering the size of the roof.” 

Sasha also noted that traditional builds of this nature would otherwise typically take three times longer and would require a few different trades. 

The owners loved the end result as well. 

“The owners were impressed with the insulation properties, large span of panels and overall look and aesthetics of the product, plus the great value it would add to their home,” Sasha said. 

Impressed with the build, Sasha said they would be working with Bondor again in future, including building prefab homes and large projects in the work using Bondor’s panels. For the Panelup Patio division, they are currently building two patios per week with Bondor’s panels with further expansion plans in the works.

Carwoola Patio

The Challenges

Renovating an older house always comes with the challenge of modernising it, maintaining original styling. Renovations of this Carwoola home included an extended rumpus room and outdoor horseshoe entertaining area that needed roofing that maintained airflow to capture breezes and keep the area comfortable year-round.

Speed, efficiency and cost were major factors, as well as needing an option that would still let in light, and airflow.

Building suppliers Canberra Building Supplies chose Bondor’s SolarSpan® Monument with Ashwood Ceiling and 3 x Naturelite strips to build out this design and tick all boxes.

The Solution

The speed and ease of construction for Bondor’s SolarSpan® was the first thing noted in the construction of this wood grain finish patio roofing solution. SolarSpan® also provided more thermal efficiency, blocking out the heat while also providing an option for a skylight to let in more light, which at night could be turned into lights as an added feature. The look of the wood grain being what tipped the homeowners to choosing this option. Furthermore, this was a more affordable alternative to other roofing solutions on the market.

The self-spanning capabilities across the whole distance of the patio, without the need for any extra support, was also an advantage for greater floor space.

This roofing solution provided a seamless design to the rest of the property, pre-fit cladding for ease of installation, added spacing benefits, thermal efficiency and a cost-effective solution, beating out competitor cladding solutions.

Igor Blazeski, the owner of Canberra Building Supplies who oversaw the materials used for this project, said the homeowners were thrilled with the project, which has increased the value of their property substantially.

“Ever since we saw how easy it was for the product to be installed and how great the finish looked, we’ve been recommending Bondor to anyone looking for building supplies,” Mr Blazeski said.

SolarSpan® is Australia’s leading insulated roof panel ideal for insulated patios, insulated pergolas, verandas, decks, carports, garages and homes. SolarSpan® is perfect for low pitch flat patio roofs at 2 degrees and its superior comfort, sleek aesthetic, cyclonic approval, long unsupported spans and ease of installation makes it highly sought after from architects, developers and building designers.

Straddie Shack

The Challenges

The Straddie Shack involved a small re-calibration of a Donovan Hill-designed beach house to complete the internal courtyard space and add a rear deck opening onto native bush land.

The 135m2 home with four bedrooms is arranged over two levels, wrapping around an internal courtyard.

The project incorporated a series of bespoke elements, including timber screening devices, built-in seats, daybeds and interior decor to enhance the original concept within the award-winning ‘Allure’ resort.

The owner and architect Shaun Lockyer chose SolarSpan® to create the perfect Queensland beach inspired indoor / outdoor living space.

Check out this stunning project, as featured on Open Homes Australia here.

The Solution

Shaun was inspired to build upon the Donovan Hill design, focusing on outdoor living spaces, including the central courtyard and the rear of the house, which opens onto the National Park.

Shaun decided to extend the decking and cover it with a new SolarSpan® roof, making it liveable in all weather conditions, and to create more useable floor space in this area.

The roofing panels were light, quick and easy to install, important for the breezeway between pavilions, and consistent with existing materials used. As Stradbroke Island (Straddie to the locals) is only accessible by barge, the ease of transport, lightweight panelling and easy installation was a big bonus during the renovation.

Shaun and his family can be found at their ‘Straddie Shack’ on most weekends as well as during extended breaks over Christmas.

“I love every aspect of the house, especially the way it deals with the seasons and copes with groups. It’s such an inviting and relaxed place to be,” he said.

Images by Maree Homer.

Cedar Creek

The Challenges

When architect Matt Riley first saw the 25-acre property at Cedar Creek in the picturesque Samford Valley west of Brisbane, he had a vision of designing a sustainable ‘off the grid’ home for his growing family of six.  

“Primarily we wanted the house to be as sustainable as possible and as open as possible while blending into the landscape,” Matt said. 

“We designed the home to be long and low, orientated to the North / North West, so that it would sit into the sloping site to maximise the all-encompassing views and engagement with the surrounding landscape. 

“We took mid-century modern inspirations to design courtyards, decks and other hard landscape spaces that blended the inside and outside spaces.   

“We needed to meet the requirements of BAL (bushfire safety) while minimising the damage to the surrounding bush environment during the build process. 

“Given the general isolation of the project, we also needed a prefinished panel system that minimised delivery, time on site to lock up and enabled hand-based construction rather than machine assisted.” 

Bondor’s LuxeWall®, InsulWall®, SolarSpan®, BondorPanel® insulated panel and roofing products provided Matt with all he needed to make his ‘off grid’ vision a reality.

Check out this stunning project, as featured on Open Homes Australia here.

*Photo credit: Christopher Frederick Jones

The Solution

The end result is a stunning mid-century modern-inspired four bedroom, three bathroom home with a guest studio, home office, media room and a double garage / car port.  

The home is separated into a living area pavilion and sleeping area pavilion, which is connected by a breezeway space centred on a converted precast water tank swimming pool surrounded by a timber deck. 

The home is completely off-grid and is self-sufficient for power, waste and water, featuring Solar, an Ozzi Kleen waste treatment system and 45,000 litre rainwater tanks. 

The house was masterfully constructed by Aaron Griggs and the team from Lions Pride Building, who have had experience using some of the Bondor product range previously.

Aaron’s dedication to the project is evident in the quality of the finishes. The Lions Pride team bought practical solutions to achieve some of the unique details evident in the design. 

“We used SolarSpan® roofing – the trimdek profile colour COLORBOND® Basalt® and simple skillion pitch roof allowed the roofline to follow and blend in with the natural sloping contour of the site,” Matt said. 

“It provided insulation and enabled clear simple spans without structure to improve construction time. The underside profile’s elegance allowed for the mid-century (country style) theme to be introduced to the home offering texture and light. 

“Insulwall® for the walls allowed for a unified structural insulated panel system, which with the COLORBOND® steel Surfmist® Matt finish, enabled a durable and prefinished wall. Great with kids in mind. 

“Luxewall® was used to finish and insulate the recycled shipping containers we used in the project for service / wet areas and the guest studio.”

Other Bondor panels were used for window hoods and awnings these provided a simple method to provide shade and weather protection for the windows on the flat façade and creates 3D effects to the façade. 

“We’re only 30 kilometres outside of the city yet we’re completely off the grid; I often joke with the kids that we could survive the zombie apocalypse here,” Matt said.

Open Homes Australia, Season 7

Armadale Fitness and Aquatic Centre

The Challenges

Helping to realise a 30-year dream for the Armadale community, Bondor was involved in the construction of the new Armadale Fitness and Aquatic Centre following the demolition of the former aquatic centre.  

Donavan & Payne Architects and PS Structures Builders were tasked with overseeing the project and needed a credible supplier to provide an appropriate insulated roofing panel suitable for a building containing large quantities of water. Aquatic centres are exposed to a high level of moisture are more susceptible to corrosion and, subsequently, damage to the building’s structural integrity.

The Solution

Bondor worked closely with Donovan & Payne Architects to achieve the aesthetics of the roof, whilst over-achieving on the R-Value and structure.  

Structural steel framework formed the main pool and wet side facility structural solution, consisting of column and beam braced frame with long span truss members providing clearance over the pools. Bondor specified 200mm SolarSpan® Insulated roofing panel with BlueScope ColorBond Basalt in colour. The SolarSpan® panel helped with structural support due to its long spanning capacity while achieving R-Value 5.4.  

Roofing contractor Adesa Services worked with PS Structures Builders to supply and install the SolarSpan® roof panels, together with Danpalon roof light sheets. The all-in-one SolarSpan® insulated roofing solution offered a ceiling, insulation and roof sheet in one product for the aquatic centre, for ease of installation and optimal thermal and build efficiency.  

The 4600m2 roof was installed with Bondor’s patent SecureLap® system for joining panels, chosen for its low cost, simplistic and fast approach to connecting low pitch long panel roof runs over one purlin. SecureLap® combines watertight security with long spanning capacity to eliminate the potential for corrosion in the long-term.  

The centre reopened to the public in March 2019 featuring a geothermally heated indoor pool, 50m outdoor pool, covered leisure and program pools, a zero-depth splash pad, crèche, cafe and a wellness suite with spa, sauna and steam room.