GLOBAL VIEW 30
SA ARCHITECTURE SHAPES UP WITH DECORATIVE TILT-UP CONCRETE Function, rather than form, has always been the predominant selection factor in precast concrete applications. But no longer, as increasing numbers of local architects are requesting decorative elements in their precast designs. According to David Kitching, general
casting required on a site that was
manager of SA’s leading tilt-up practi-
ecologically sensitive,” says De Jongh.
tioner, Bedrock Group, architects are
What follows are potted profiles of
calling for varied finishes such as tex-
some of Bedrock’s decorative tilt-up
tured and woven concrete, the emboss-
projects:
ing of company names and logos, and eye-catching lines and shapes in their tilt-up designs, as well as relief or depth. “Our aim is to enable local architects
Rubro Construction, Durban
and property developers to achieve what
Attractively embossed with the company
their contemporaries are doing overseas.
name and logo using high-density foam
Increasingly, we find ourselves moving
rubber moulds, these panels were used
away from our typical fast-track tilt-up
for constructing a retaining wall that
projects to much more aesthetic-driven
was 2,5m high. They were erected in
projects and to this end, we’ve been
the same way as tilt-up columns, which
involved in several decorative concrete
involved placing them on blindings and
projects in Durban, Johannesburg and
then casting a reinforced foundational
Cape Town,” says Kitching.
base around them.
Distribution centre Ian Bell, a director of Paton Taylor Architects in Durban, says his company uses decorative concrete in tilt-up applications on a regular basis. “We used it on the Mr Price distribution centre in Hammarsdale, KwaZulu-Natal, with bespoke patterns which came out nicely.
King Shaka Airport – Durban,
However, we mainly use it on a repetitive
Henry Fagan Architects
basis, embossing the same motif on
Resembling elephant tusks, 10 arched
Crusader Logistics, Johannesburg,
several panels.
concrete obelisks – each weighing 28
Empowered Spaces, Sonia Rodrigues
“The CAD-generated designs are
tonnes – were cast and placed on either
Low-cost entry-level features, such
handed to Bedrock for transferring
side of the entrance road to the airport
as a protruding stairwell constructed
into precast concrete using either
in 2010 and 2014. Designed by Henry
with precast concrete panels, lift the
high-density foam rubber cut on CNC
Fagan of Fagan Architects, the casting
appearance of this large warehouse
machines or steel moulds,” says Bell.
was done using concrete moulds which
from the ordinary into something special,
Anton de Jongh of Arc Architects says
were considerably cheaper than their
thereby creating a pleasant workspace.
decorative tilt-up concrete is relatively
steel equivalent and involved a process
Other precast panelling combines well
new to SA and besides its aesthetic
similar to shaping a surfboard by hand.
with the tinted windows framed in glazed
attributes, one of its major benefits
The architect wanted all the obelisks
is faster construction. “We saved two
to be the same colour in a light-coloured
months of a 14-month construction
concrete.
period on our concrete laboratory project
To achieve this materials comprising
at the University of Pretoria and Bedrock
sand, stone and white cement were set
achieved Class 1 off-shutter finishes. We
aside so that when the casting was done,
were impressed with the smoothness
each column was made from the same
and flatness achieved.
material batch. The sand and stone came
“Moreover, we were able to specify
from a single day’s quarry output and
indents on some of the panels, which gave
was washed before delivery. It was then
us additional design freedom. Another
stored in a covered area until the project
plus was the very small footprint the
was completed.
aluminium and the IRB sheeting above.
(Above): Sasol HQ, Johannesburg.
PRECAST | ISSUE ONE | 2020
