Situated in one of Auckland's oldest suburbs, Merchant Quarter is a stunning ten storey block of impressive apartments which adorn the skyline of New Lynn.

Completed in 2014, this project was designed by Jasmax, while Unex Systems worked closely with Designer Stainless – the authorised fabricator and construction company – to make this architectural dream a reality.

The challenge was more than to merely meet the barrier requirements for these decks, but to also incorporate vertical baluster and perforated sheet metal styles and large vertical fins, that would span between floors and screens in an aesthetically pleasing way.

This required a creative and bespoke solution. Unex Systems achieved this by adapting the standard Unex baluster style – Eclipse Vogue 'Ascot' – to incorporate both the baluster and sheet metal infill, meaning that "the same post, handrail, bottom rail and similar baseplates were used – that's why it works so well," says Designer Stainless.

The Unex Systems engineering team provided certification and in conjunction with Designer Stainless, specially designed a number of components, including the large yellow vertical fins, the perforated sheet metal infill style, inter-apartment screens and a number of custom balustrade fixings. This all created what Designer Stainless called a "full design and build package."

As Designer Stainless said, "they were very happy with the work that we did – it came out very nice."

The Merchant Quarter balustrade, screen and fins is an impressive result and an extraordinary display of the innovative solutions offered by the experienced Unex Systems team.