A multi award winning building design is using stainless steel to reduce its visual impact. 'Zoo Booth' is a small free standing kiosk at Victoria’s Healesville Sanctuary and thanks to its mirror finished stainless cladding is very well camouflaged. The design concept came from Melbourne company TS1 Pty Ltd, who launched Transportable Design 1 (TS1) Pop up Buildings in 2006.

For the unique application at Healesville, ASSDA member Stainless Sections provided grade 304, 1.2 mm stainless steel sheet, polished to a No. 8 mirror finish to reflect the organic surroundings.

Stainless Sections' Mr Roy Carter said that mirror finished stainless was the ideal material to achieve low visual impact in a natural setting whilst maintaining durability in an elemental location.

TS1 is an expandable, re locatable space, completely construction-free and can be assembled in one day. It has become a popular solution to extending a living or work place, retail space or even for use as a spare bedroom.

Ms Nadja Mott director of TS1 said that her vision reflected a transient, nomadic lifestyle: her creations are transportable, low impact and fully recyclable.

Mr Carter said that the emerging market for reflective buildings has prompted further innovation to achieve solar reflection capture. He added that "This material allows concave shaping to be achieved which enhances marketing opportunities for mirror finished stainless in the growing green building market."

(Sourced from www.assda.asn.au)