Project background

In Canberra’s industrial heartland of Fyshwick, a leading local business in garage doors and fencing set out to make a statement. Their new headquarters needed to reflect their brand: bold, modern and built to last.

From the outset, the design brief called for a distinctive, vertically clad façade in COLORBOND® Night Sky®. But with a wide pan cladding profile on a dark colour, there was a high risk of visible distortion in sunlight, commonly known as “oil canning.” 

That’s when the team at Hawker Roofing recommended a smarter solution: LYSAGHT HORIZON™.

The Lysaght solution

LYSAGHT HORIZON® is an intelligently engineered façade system for modern commercial and architectural applications. It features a twin-skin, hollow core rainscreen construction, combining a flat outer steel face with a trapezoidal internal backing skin. This structure creates exceptional flatness, strength and stability, especially critical for dark colours like Night Sky®.

The panels are lightweight but robust, promote natural ventilation, and can be installed vertically, horizontally or diagonally to create unique design effects. For the ACT Horizon Project, HORIZON® both matched the desired aesthetic and also solved a key technical challenge.

“Installing a large panned profile in Night Sky® would’ve had a big chance of oil canning in the sun. Horizon Panel suited this job perfectly with the extra backing support,” said Hawker Roofing.

Product performance and features

As a premium wall cladding option, HORIZON® delivers a combination of design freedom, structural integrity and practical benefits:

• Manufactured from COLORBOND® steel, tested and proven in Australian conditions
• Available in the full COLORBOND® colour range, allowing seamless brand alignment
• Wider panel widths than comparable façade systems
• Cut-to-length panels reduce installation time and site waste
• Non-combustible materials, tested and certified for fire performance
• No painting required, with low maintenance needs and long service life
• Straight, true panels ensure fast, accurate installation without distortion

The express-joint aesthetic of HORIZON® also allowed the project team to achieve a clean, modern finish with minimal visual interruptions.

Project execution

Hawker Roofing joined the project in late 2023, working closely with the client and the Lysaght team to deliver a flawless result.

‘’We partnered up with our local Lysaght team and our client with all of us excited to showcase a new and innovative façade in a stunning colour in Fyshwick.’’

While installation was straightforward overall, some detailing required extra care, particularly where the panels were folded at the base. The internal backing skin had to be removed in these areas with precision to protect the flat steel face.

“That part had to be done really carefully to avoid any damage to the sheet face,” said Hawker Roofing.

The Lysaght team was actively involved throughout, supporting Hawker Roofing with samples, technical data and pricing.

Our local Lysaght team made the project seamless and easy, they provided us with everything we needed including great size samples to present to our client.

Outcomes

The finished façade delivers both presence and performance. The smooth, uninterrupted appearance of the HORIZON® panels has already sparked curiosity among industry peers, with several passers-by stopping to enquire during installation.

“We had so many people stopping to ask about it while we were installing,” said Michelle. “We’ve already had a few enquiries to use it again on future projects.”

From an owner's perspective, the benefits of HORIZON® go well beyond visual appeal. The system’s durability, fire safety and minimal maintenance requirements provide peace of mind and long-term value.

Learnings

The ACT Horizon Project offered several valuable insights for future façade installations:

• Material selection should balance aesthetics with performance - Opting for wide pan profiles in dark colours introduces the risk of oil canning. Choosing a product like HORIZON®, with built-in structural reinforcement, can mitigate distortion without compromising the design intent.
• Precision detailing matters for long-term finish - Removing the internal backing for folded sheet returns required exact handling to preserve the clean exterior surface. Factoring in these technical requirements during planning helped ensure installation success.
• Hands-on product support streamlines delivery
   Early access to samples and clear communication with suppliers like Lysaght helped the roofing team confirm specifications quickly, reducing delays and increasing installer confidence.
   

Conclusion

This build was a chance to create something distinctive for the business, with an exterior that aligned with and elevated their brand. They needed a cladding solution that delivered architectural impact without compromising on performance.

LYSAGHT HORIZON® met the brief.

Its twin-skin construction and engineered backing provided the flatness and rigidity needed for a bold, dark façade, while the COLORBOND® Night Sky® finish brought visual drama and long-term durability. The result is a clean, modern frontage that reflects the company’s identity and stands up to real-world conditions.

Now complete, the building is turning heads, reinforcing the brand and sparking interest for future projects.

For more information, visit LYSAGHT HORIZON®.

LYSAGHT®, COLORBOND® and HORIZON® are registered trademarks of BlueScope Steel Limited. All rights reserved.