37 façade-integrated louvres deliver everyday natural ventilation and EN 12101-2 Annex G tested smoke control at Gosford’s newest landmark.
Gosford’s skyline is changing. The Waterfront — Stage 1 of the Central Coast Quarter precinct marks a new chapter for the city, bringing 134 apartments, rooftop amenity and street-level retail to the edge of Brisbane Water.
Designed by DKO Architects and delivered by Urban Property Group, the 25-storey tower is the region’s first true waterfront precinct, a building conceived to celebrate the natural beauty of the coast. It’s a design philosophy that extends beyond the views: fresh coastal air moves through the building itself, thanks to a façade-integrated ventilation solution from Safetyline Jalousie.
37 louvres, the full height of the building
Running the height of the tower, 37 SJ Espacer louvre frames are integrated directly into the façade, naturally ventilating the apartment corridors on every level. It’s a passive design outcome that most multi-residential buildings never achieve — common areas that breathe, without relying on mechanical systems to condition air residents pass through every day.
But the system is working harder than it looks. Each louvre is connected to the building’s fire panel, converting the façade into an emergency smoke ventilation system. In a fire event, the louvres open automatically to exhaust smoke and maintain tenable conditions in the corridors — the critical escape path in any apartment building.
Tested where it counts
The SJ Espacer system and its motors have been tested to Annex G of EN 12101-2 — the international standard for natural smoke and heat exhaust ventilators — achieving a B 300 classification. Under test conditions, the system opened to its full fire position within 60 seconds and maintained its airway throughout a 30-minute heat exposure at 300°C.
The rigorous testing of this stringent standard provides assurance that the system has been developed and manufactured to deliver the performance necessary to protect human life and preserve property in the event of a building fire, giving fire engineers and building designers a proven, façade-integrated natural smoke ventilation solution.
For the design team, that meant no visual compromise between compliance and intent. The system’s large-format glass blades reduce horizontal lines across the façade, while the thermally broken frame minimises energy loss when closed — performance credentials recognised by a 2024 Good Design Award.
Locally made, precision prefabricated
Every frame was manufactured and prefabricated in Australia by Safetyline Jalousie, arriving to site ready for installation, supporting local manufacturing while simplifying the construction program on a fast-moving high-rise build.
The Waterfront shows what’s possible when ventilation is treated as architecture, not an add-on: healthier common spaces every day, and life-safety performance when it matters most.
Specifying smoke ventilation for a multi-res project? Explore SJ Espacer or talk to our team about our façade-integrated solutions.
