Coffee shop in Melbourne's Docklands

Docklands Coffee Shop, Melbourne, Australia Featuring Saflex Solar (SG41) PVB interlayer

The City of Melbourne's Dockland area is a successful urban renewal project. Virtually abandoned by 1990, the area has been revitalized with a sports stadium complex, tech centers, corporate offices, and high density housing. Scheduled for completion in 2015, the city is now highlighting the area as a revitalized residential destination, close to the urban center. While the area is still under development, the city recognizes the need for prospective residents to have a convenient source of refreshment as they visit and evaluate the area. Docklands Coffee Shop: As the renewal project will be completed in two years, the coffee shop is a temporary structure. Built largely with glass, it was important to provide solar shading to control heat gain and maintain comfort. Given the structure’s temporary nature, it was also important to provide a solution that was effective and economical. Folk Architects met these twin objectives with a two-element design which included a tentlike awning over the structure and laminated glass incorporating Saflex SG41 solar absorbing PVB interlayer.