Our research involves a chronology of building defects through case study analysis of major building defects defects cases in Multi-apartment towers in Australia and the world. Here we chronicle the case studies and try to dissect the key characteristics of the towers as well as their development systems.
Building Defects:Tower Tragedies in Australia and Overseas:
https://youtu.be/CQbDRTS-07g
2012 Bankstown incident.
Two women jump from fifth floor balcony.
http://www.news.com.au/national/children-trapped-in-burning-building/news-story/97e3e33535847f1ce094ce106723a5f1
Lacrosse Docklands Tower 2014 :
Stripped of combustible cladding
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-25/residents-evacuated-after-fire-in-melbourne-cbd-apartment-build/5914978
http://www.afr.com/real-estate/two-years-after-fire-melbournes-lacrosse-building-retains-aluminium-cladding-20170615-gwrpkd
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/combustible-cladding-to-be-stripped-off-lacrosse-docklands-tower-20170116-gtslcj.html
Grenfell Tower Fire 2017
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grenfell_Tower_fire
Could this happen in Australia?
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/london-tower-fire-could-happen-here-australian-buildings-cloaked-in-flammable-cladding-20170615-gws15r.html
Dubai Torch Tower 2017: The residents thought it a false alarm
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Understanding Defects: A history and chronology of dangerous building defects.
Defects have plagued buildings for decades if not longer, and no more so than in the post war era of the private developer and with the emergence of the ‘design and construct’ project- the sister act of development as a private system of creation of our titled buildings.
Although many D&C projects are created with minimal defects, the practice of D&C and its evolution out of the previous Architect and Master Builder era, has a large part to play.
Cornerstone Article: Drane 2015, Defects a Builder’s View
This paper takes us through a brief history lesson including the emergence of private property development and D&C in the post-WWII era, and the associated vulnerability of standards of construction across professions and regulatory systems.
Regulatory Processes Fail the Building Industry
The erosion of the regulatory process, both professional and authority-based, is also revealed in the emergence of private certification and the dilemma of the slippery deal. The end product of such a system is illustrated with a ‘horror’ case example of one of its offspring.
Solving building defects: a Defects Scenario Matrix
Finally a ‘Defects Scenario Matrix’ is put forward for ways to keep a handle on defects on the D&C project based on a review of the horror case example and then a case example with a low defects regime.
Read Jonathan’s paper:
Drane 2015- Defects A Builders View
Building Defects: How they can be avoided- City Development Processes
Summary: Dr Jon Drane creates a research initiative that investigates dangerous building defects in the apartment tower industry. The industry is suffering from corrupt property developer practices. Dr Drane provides models on how to rectify defects from the top down through better delivery systems and city development processes.
Defects a Builders View, Dr Jon Drane, building defects, city development processes.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/282073797_Building_Defects_How_can_they_be_avoided-_a_builder’s_perspective
How safe is your apartment tower?
https://www.jondrane.net/how-safe-is-your-apartment-tower/
Read Dr Drane’s Doctorates and supporting articles
https://unsworks.unsw.edu.au/entities/publication/a7867b81-729e-4f24-8d53-0ac9d04c621e
City development processes, Dr Jon Drane, The Seed in the Cityscape, first practitioner doctorate.
The State of Contemporary Property Development Theory- City Development Processes 2013
Summary: Dr Jon Drane discovers that research into City Development Processes from the point of view of the Property Developer is sadly lacking. He picks up on research done in the 1990s and modernises the theory base from the point of view of a practitioner.
State of Contemporary PD Theory ResearchGate Dr Jon Drane
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/275346472_The_State_of_Contemporary_Development_Theory
Advocating for Professionalisation of Property Development
The property development industry is experiencing the continued entry of untrained, non professional players. There are very low barriers to entry to the world of property development. The result has been the rise of poor quality buidings and the horrors of the past decade of dangerous defects.
Dr Drane is advocating for the creation of a doctorate in ‘city and property development processes’ that supports the improvement of professional recognition and credentialing of property developers. See our youtube video on A Decade of Dangerous Defects which includes the tragedies of the decade.
Contact Jonathan
Thanks for your interest in The City Whisperer. Please fill in the form below and we will get back to you soon. Contact Us- Dr Jonathan Drane- The City Whisperer – Smarter Healthy Cities.
Dr Jonathan Drane
Dr Jonathan Drane is an independent researcher and advisor to government, corporate, legal and academic sectors. He applies research methods to solve complex problems through project analysis in the commercial construction and development sector.
