City of Sydney Dixon Street – Heaven Lighting Artwork Restoration Project
Due to the recent construction of residential blocks on Dixon Street, much of the original electrical infrastructure was either removed or relocated. The original installation was completed in 1999 and required re-design and restoration works to bring the installation up to Australian Standards and restore the lighting effect to this iconic and multi-cultural district.
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
The design, restoration and replacement of all components at Dixon Street ‘Chinatown’ consisted of the following:
- A complete detailed survey of the existing buildings, structural brackets, catenaries and entire electrical infrastructure.
- Survey, design and 3D drawings created to assist with the manufacture and installation of 6 new structural supporting brackets, 16 x 8mm 316 stainless steel catenary cables and 11 x 4mm 316 stainless steel stay wires.
- Refurbishment and installation of 1300m of side emitting fiber optic cables to ‘Heaven’ lighting artwork
- Steel conduit works
- Transportation and installation of ‘Heaven” Lighting artwork
- Redirection of catenary cables obstructed by overgrown trees
- Restoration and retro fitting of 48 transformer enclosure including the replacement of 48 x 24v Dry Type Natural air cooled transformers
- Upgrade from rewireable fuses to HRC fuses to all 48 transformer enclosures
- Replacement of all 60-junction boxes to IP 66 rated plastic enclosures
- Replacement of 2 Dynalite Dimmers, Dynalite network, Dynalite astronomical timeclock and control infrastructure
- DMX programming of new Colour sequencing.
- Removal, Refurbishment and installation of 2 x Fiber Optic drivers and controller
- Working at Heights (Over 11 Meter)
- Working time restrictions
- Liaising with Chinatown numerous restaurant tenants and residents
- Liaising with CoS Council for permits to work, road closures, traffic control
- Liaising with artist lighting designers to ensure final Chinese lighting effects were met
Project Description
Ryan Wilks accepted the challenges of this project where other contractors would not! The project involved the survey and restoration of all existing electrical infrastructure, structural supports and associated catenary support system.
Ryan Wilks was required to remove all existing lighting screens and associated control equipment, retrofit with new equipment and reinstall to ensure the installation met both Australian standards and was sympathetic to the design intent and Chinese Cultural aesthetics. Refurbish the ‘Heaven’ Lighting artwork and reinstall, retrofit new transformers to all enclosures and replace all 480 lighting tubes to the 12 lighting screens.
The nature and location of works required Ryan Wilks to perform all onsite works from 50ft diesel knuckle boom lifts, navigating in and around trees and above shop fronts. Due to the huge amount of pedestrian traffic the majority of works associated with this project were undertaken outside of normal working hours or within the restrictive permitted hours between 5am-11am weekdays.
Ryan Wilks Pty Ltd worked closely with the City of Sydney artist and Project Manager to execute the project safely, on time, to a high quality whilst ensure the lighting was in keeping with Chinese heritage and the overall design intent.
The project Team has put a considerable amount of time and effort into delivering this project. Completing this project diligently to a high safety and quality has ensured the new lighting system was installed reflect the design intent and Chinese traditions.
The new lighting visual enhances the space, its surroundings and unquestionably adds a cultural atmosphere to an already bustling CBD Street.