Construcciones Yamaro: A modern expression of heritage at Crows Nest Station

The Brick Inlay system delivered complex detailing across the façade. (Image: Trevor Mein)

Brick Inlay gives Sydney Metro’s Crows Nest Station a contemporary take on heritage architecture.

By Cadell Taye, CEO of National Precast.

Façade design is increasingly expected to balance architectural character with the realities of modern construction. Designers and contractors are seeking solutions that deliver the richness of traditional masonry while improving buildability, quality and program certainty, particularly on complex projects.

Cadell Taye, CEO of National Precast. (Image: National Precast)

Sydney Metro’s Crows Nest Station demonstrates how Brick Inlay can reconcile these objectives, delivering architectural detail with the certainty and efficiency of off-site construction. Designed by Woods Bagot, the station was conceived to complement Sydney’s Lower North Shore village character, drawing inspiration from the area’s historic brick buildings. The design weaves large-scale infrastructure into the local community while meeting the delivery requirements of a major transport infrastructure project.

Finding the right balance

The project showcases the façade expertise now represented within PSA Group through Robertson Facade Systems, working in collaboration with Architectural Formliners Australia and fellow National Precast member Evolution Precast. Together, the team delivered a solution that combined the appearance of traditional brickwork with the precision of off-site manufacturing.

Robertson Facade Systems’ Brick Inlay system embedded about 115,000 clay bricks into structural precast concrete panels, reducing the need for on-site bricklaying while preserving the texture, depth and permanence associated with traditional masonry.

Getting the detail right

Although Robertson Facade Systems has been delivering Brick Inlay for almost three decades, Crows Nest Station proved to be one of its most technically demanding projects. Parts of the façade incorporated a Flemish bond pattern, and at higher levels, the head of the bond started protruding in 5-millimetre increments to a maximum protrusion of 85mm. Reproducing the complex brick geometry consistently across every panel required extensive prototyping and specialist skills and experience.

Robertson Facade Systems cut, prepared and blended the bricks, worked with Architectural Formliners Australia to develop a bespoke formliner and protrusion system, and planned the formliner to suit the varying panel sizes before training Evolution Precast to use it to manufacture the panels. Factory-controlled manufacture enabled the completed architectural surface to be quality checked before installation, reducing the potential for on-site rework while supporting a predictable construction program. About 15 to 20 Brick Inlay panels were installed each week, helping maintain construction momentum.

The modulated brick projections also contribute to the building’s architectural character, subtly changing its appearance from different viewing angles and helping soften the scale of the transport facility within its village setting.

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Building for the future

The precision of the manufacturing process became evident during installation, when structural beams weighing up to 65 tonnes and spanning 28 metres were threaded through the 8-tonne Brick Inlay panels with as little as 20mm of clearance between the panels. The installation highlighted the importance of early collaboration between architects, façade suppliers, precast manufacturers and construction teams in delivering complex architectural outcomes.

Crows Nest Station shows how precast concrete continues to evolve beyond structural performance.

The post A modern expression of heritage at Crows Nest Station appeared first on Inside Construction.

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