Cm 05 05 2014 website

Contractor Magazine 05/05 Issue

Excellence in Interiors Co-presented by the Design Institute of Australia, designEX and Artichoke, the recent 10th annual awards showcased the impressive talents of Australian interior designers and architects who redefine the spaces we inhabit to meet current and future needs.

Among the standout projects being recognised at this year’s Australian Interior Design Awards are a sustainable kindergarten in WA, a playfully sophisticated Tribeca loft and a vibrant Melbourne caffeine haunt.

“From residential and workplace designs, to best international design and sustainability advancement, all categories attracted world class entries from both boutique and large firms,” event manager Jacinta Reedy said.

This year’s ultimate accolade, the Premier Award for Interior Design Excellence and Innovation, went to Leeton Pointon Architects + Interiors and Allison Pye Interiors for Park House in Victoria.

WA’s own Brooking Design Architects were awarded the Sustainability Advancement, Public Design and Best of State for Commerical Design awards for John Septimus Roe Anglican Community School Kindergarten in Beechboro.

attention to materials selection, benign finishes, energy efficiency, natural light and double glazing highlight a coherent suite of environmental features intelligently addressed through good design,” they said.

Brooking Designs director Tom Brooking said the kindergarten was so unique from a building point of view.

“I think to win one award would have been great but to win three on the night was amazing,” Mr Brooking said.

“It is obviously a great honour and, most importantly, it acknowledges the hard work of my team – who I am very proud of.”

Projects eligible for the awards were completed between September 2011 and December 2012.

The jury recognised in the project a clear commitment to sustainability and its practical application. “The project’s

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Storm Water Project The Guidelines are provided to assist in the planning and design for stormwater management systems. Particular emphasis is placed on the development of innovative solutions that are cost effective, sustainable in terms of future maintenance requirements, environmentally sensitive and maximise, within these constraints, social as well as amenity value.

This guideline document, prepared in terms of Council’s Catchment, Stormwater and River Management Strategy: 2002 – 2007 (May 2002) is intended to facilitate the development and extension of stormwater management systems on a rational and coherent basis within the Cape Town metropolitan area.

Applicability and Status of Document Whilst the guidelines are focussed on new developments, they are equally applicable to other stormwater management upgrading and rehabilitation projects.

They are intended to assist decision-making and should not be construed as standards or specifications.

These guidelines are intended to assist developers and their consulting teams in the planning and design of stormwater management systems as well as municipal officials involved in the approval and operation thereof.

Other Applicable Guidelines This document is to be read and interpreted in conjunction with the Guidelines for Human Settlement Planning and Design (Red Book) prepared by the CSIR – Building and Construction Technology Division. In the event of conflict, this guideline will prevail.

Document Structure Pertinent information and issues to be considered during the various phases of a stormwater management project, from project identification through to planning, design, construction and maintenance have been grouped under separate section Aquifer: A geological formation, which has structures or textures that hold water or permit appreciable water movement through them.

Base Flow: Flow occurring in a watercourse not attributable to a storm rainfall event, but to groundwater flow where the water table intersects the stream channels of a catchment.

Catchment : (in relation to a watercourse or watercourses or part of a watercourse) means the area from which any rainfall will drain into the watercourse or watercourses or part of a watercourse, through surface flow to a common point or common points.

Catchment Management: simultaneously a philosophy, a process and an implementation strategy to achieve a balance between utilisation and protection of environmental resources in a particular catchment area Council: means the municipal council of the City of Cape Town.

Detention facility: A structure, which temporarily stores excess stormwater for a length of time. The outlet of the

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structure is designed to release the stored water into the downstream watercourse at a rate less than the flow rate into the facility during storm events.

Development: means a man-made change to property, including but not limited to buildings or other structures, mining, dredging, filling, grading, paving, excavation or drilling operations or storage of equipment or materials.

Environmental Impact Assessment: means a study of the likely effect on the environment of proposed activities or development.

Flood or Flood Waters: means a temporary rise in water level including ground water or overflow of water onto land not normally covered by water.

Flood Plain: The flood plain of a river is the valley floor adjacent to the incised channel, which may be inundated during high water.

Habitat Integrity: Habitat Integrity (Southern Waters 2001) is the degree of naturalness of a system, calculated as a percentage, and reported as one of six broad Habitat Integrity categories, ranging from Category A (unmodified) to Category F (critically modified).

Habitat Integrity data allow the calculation of River Priority Rank – a measure of the conservation importance of a river, relative to that of other similar rivers. In terms of planning, the River Priority Rank of a system, influences the recommended buffer width between the riverbank and the development line.

Interception: Precipitation stored on vegetation as opposed to rain in surface depressions (termed depression storage).

Major drainage system: A stormwater drainage system, which caters for severe, infrequent storm events. Supported by the minor drainage system.

Management Plan: A document including, as appropriate, both written and diagrammatic information describing how a particular area of land is to be used and managed to achieve defined objectives. It may also include description and discussion of various issues, problems, special features and values of the area, the specific management measures which are to apply and the means and timing by which the plan will be implemented Minor drainage system: A stormwater drainage system, which caters for frequent storms of a minor nature.

Pollution: means the direct or indirect alteration of the physical, chemical or biological properties of a water resource so as to make it less fit for any beneficial purpose for which it may reasonably be expected to be used; or harmful or potentially harmful.

Life Robinson Private Hospital Every day we subscribe to the core values of the Life Healthcare group, while individually striving to continually improve facilities, standards and technology. At Life Robinson Private Hospital our priority is to focus on the delivery of a special brand of health and care to patients. Within a world class hospital, this unique approach is what makes the difference.

A way of life Life Robinson Private Hospital is a member of Life Healthcare, one of the largest private hospital groups in South Africa, operating 63 acute care facilities across the country.

Life Healthcare is recognised throughout the health industry for its high calibre healthcare professionals and excellent facilities.

We believe delivery of world class healthcare is achieved through a combination of unparalleled quality and clinical excellence; along with a true focus on the personal needs of our patients and their families.

Our team At Life Robinson Private Hospital we understand that we have a responsibility to meet the expectations of those who are entrusted to our care as well as the expectations of their loved ones.

This realisation enables us to ensure that we focus on an experience of care for everybody who visits or is admitted to one of our hospitals or healthcare facilities.

All Life Robinson Private Hospital staff participate in ongoing quality training ‘Q to the power of e’. Here we each come to appreciate the importance of quality in delivery of service and to embrace caring principles of empathy, ethics, excellence, energy and empowerment.

Results of ongoing patient satisfaction surveys tell us that a stay at Life Robinson Private Hospital reflects the high standards of health and care we set out to deliver.

The care delivered at Life Robinson Private Hospital extends into the community.

Our employees at all levels actively participate in community initiatives to improve the quality of life in surrounding areas.

Our facilities Everything we do is focused on delivery of high quality treatment and unique standards of care - whether for routine, more serious or extensive procedures.

Our facilities include: 119 beds and 4 theatres A ten private bed maternity unit with wellappointed wards and secure facilities. Private midwife facilities are available Ÿ A 24 hour accident and emergency unit, equipped to deal with most major and all minor medical emergencies supported by the necessary ancillary services Ÿ A seven bed intensive care unit and two bed high care unit Ÿ Four bed high care unit Ÿ 30 bed surgical ward Ÿ Ÿ

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Ÿ Ÿ

25 bed orthopaedic ward 32 bed medical ward

Medical and surgical disciplines Anaesthesiology Dentistry Eear, nose and throat surgery General surgery General practice Gynaecology & obstetrics Internal medicine Maxillo-facial and oral surgery Neurosurgery Orthopaedic surgery Paediatrics Pathology Radiology Urology

Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ

Ancillary services: Ÿ Audiology Ÿ Pharmacy services Ÿ Physiotherapy Ÿ Prosthesis Service Ÿ Radiologo unit Ÿ Occupational therapy Specialist facilities Maternity The maternity unit offers a home-from-home environment to our mothers and babies. Equipped with ten private wards, charged at standard rates, the well-appointed and secure unit is supported by three Gynaecologists and three Paediatricians. Our skilled nursing staff assist our mothers and provide them with advice during and after their stay. In addition – private midwife facilities such as water birth is also available and publishing your little ones photograph on the Little Life website for your family to see.

For further information on the maternity unit or to view the unit call 011 278 8733.

24 hour accident and emergency unit Our level 2, 24-hour accident and emergency unit is equipped to deal with most major and all minor emergencies should our community require assistance.

The unit is staffed by experienced doctors and nursing practitioners in emergency medical procedures and supported by a network of specialists and ancillary services including trauma councillors.

Radiology unit The radiology unit is equipped with a comprehensive range of sophisticated diagnostic equipment including a 16 slice CT scanner. The unit is able to conduct diagnostic x-rays, mammograms and sonars.

Patient and visitor information At Life Robinson Private Hospital, we take pride in providing you, information that you need in order to make your stay with us a pleasant and hassle-free experience.

If there is any further information that you or your family require regarding our Hospital and our services, please

We welcome any feedback and suggestions from our patients. Kindly e-mail the Marketing and communications coordinator on melanie.vanstaden@lifehe althcare.co.za, should you wish to bring anything under our attention.

feel free to contact us.

Accommodation Accommodation at our Hospital is extensive and includes: Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ

Day beds Private wards General wards High care units Intensive care units

We also offer TVs in all of our wards.

Private wards include en-suite bathrooms.

Admission Kindly take note of the following for your admission: Medical aid patients are required to contact their medical aid / scheme prior to admission to obtain preauthorisation, if deemed necessary by the medical aid / scheme. Patients have to present their medical aid card and identity document on admission. Persons under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.

To speed up admission, a pre-admission form is available from the resident doctor`s rooms and the Hospital`s reception, and should be either handed through to the Hospital`s reception or faxed through to us prior to hospitalisation.

Also refer to the “Tariffs” and “Discharge” sections below, for more information on prepayment and payment procedures.

Discharge On discharge, do not forget to collect your medication and x-rays. You will receive a pink discharge card to hand in at the reception desk on departure, once this card has been received we will finalise your account immediately.

Pharmacy Our retail pharmacy is open to the public from 08:0017:00 during weekdays, Saturdays from 08:00-14:00, as well as Sundays and public holidays from 09:0013:00.

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Service monitoring In keeping with our goal to continue providing high quality care; we monitor our service to patients on an ongoing basis. On discharge patients are asked to complete a questionnaire regarding their stay at the hospital.

Participation is voluntary, this assists hospital management to address any problems and improve our service to you.

Tariffs Our Hospital charges medical aid / medical scheme rates.

Should a patient not be covered by a medical aid/medical scheme, a prepayment will be required.

It is recommended that private patients contact the hospital’s accounts department prior to admission to establish the estimated hospital cost.

Patients requesting accommodation in private wards will be requested to pay the private ward rate on admission.

Visitor Information We welcome all of our patients` visitors, as we know what a difference the support of close family and friends can make.

In light of this, we also have to be aware of the rest that all of our patients require and we have thus provided for visitors to visit our hospitals only at certain designated times and these are: Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ

10:00 - 11:00 (designated wards only) 15:00 - 16:00 18:30 – 19:30

Further to this, other rules apply with respect to visitors and these are: Visitors are restricted to three per patient at a time in the general wards. Children must be accompanied by an adult, however, adult supervision is not required in the children`s ward.

Only two family members per patient at a time are permitted in the intensive care unit and high care.

Auto & General Headquarters Telesure Investment Holdings (Pty) Ltd is part of an international financial services group and houses the leading insurance brands in South Africa including Auto & General Insurance, Unity Insurance and Dial Direct Insurance, insurance brokerages such as Budget Insurance Brokers and 1st for Women Insurance Brokers and life insurance provider, 1Lifedirect.

The Site The site for the new Auto and General Head Quarters for Telesure Investment Holdings is located at the junction of the William Nicol Highway and the Helderfontein Spruit, a tributary of the Jukskei River, 4km north of Fourways and 5 km south of Diepsloot. It is bordered to the west by Dainfern Estate, to the south by the river, to the east by William Nicol and to the north by the upcoming Steyn City development.

In terms of topography, the site is characterised by a steep north to south slope of approximately 25 meters, and several excavated pits that are the remnants of sand mining that took place in years gone by.

Along the eastern edge of the site is an erosion donga caused largely by unmanaged storm water runoff from William Nicol.

The aggressive fall across the site and the concentrated storm water runoff along the eastern boundary has led to the lower regions of the site developing an early wetland character. The remainder of the site is unremarkable in terms of flora and fauna. The outstanding feature of the site is undoubtedly thus a particularly attractive section of river and flood plain.

Client's Brief The client requested a 24,000m2 office building with substantial parking, in which they could consolidate their current business units previously housed in 6 separate buildings across Johannesburg and Pretoria.

From the outset, the client made it clear that the building should allow for maximum flexibility – in terms of the internal layout of the office floors; in terms of the ability to sub-let portions of the building should the need arise; and finally, in terms of the ability to expand should the need arise.

Aesthetically, the building was to draw on classical principles of form and order whilst still representing the forward thinking culture of the organisation which is very contemporary

Conceptually, the client wanted circulation to be as efficient as possible, with little reliance on elevators, to move its nearly 2,500 staff members across the various levels of the building. Aesthetically, the building was to draw on classical principles of form and order whilst still representing the forward thinking culture of the organisation which is very contemporary.

Security, I.T. infrastructure, energy efficiency and economy were all given high priority.

THE BUILDING In response to the client's request for maximum flexibility, the building has been designed as four separate double storey office blocks, all connected to a central public core which houses the functions common to all.

The main entrance is approached from the gatehouse via a dramatic porte-cochère roof over

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the drop-off area Auto and General 29.

Office Component Each of the four office blocks consists of two levels of open plan office space, effectively creating eight separate office plates of Âą2,600m2 each, and the possibility of eight separate addresses should the need arise.

Each office plate is flanked to the south by a patio that overlooks the wetland; to the east and west by services pods; and to the north by a circulation spine that links blocks to each other through the central core. Adjacent to the circulation spine, on the north side of each office plate, are a series of alternating pause areas and light wells. The light wells extend through the office levels to the parking floors below to provide them with daylight and natural ventilation.

On the upper block, the light wells will be planted with indigenous trees that provide partial shading to the full volume glass façade on the north during summer, and

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will lose their leaves in winter to allow heat into the offices.

On the lower block, the light wells will be planted with flower boxes suspended in the space to form a living "chandelier" that hangs between consecutive pause pods.

The central axes of the four office blocks are aligned eastwest which unlocks a twofold advantage. The first is to give the major façades a north and a south orientation to ensure that the building will perform optimally with regards to natural lighting and thermal performance. The second advantage is that the buildings follow the natural contours of the site.

The southern block is two stories below the two northern blocks, ensuring that all eight office halls have a direct view towards the river and wetland and, simultaneously, reduces the scale of the overall composition to blend in with the predominantly residential fabric of the site's surrounds. This orientation also means that the building is perfectly angled towards William Nicol to maximise exposure.

To mitigate against the wider than 'normal' width of the floorplates, the floor to floor height of the office levels is substantially higher than the norm - this allows for maximum daylight penetration through full height glazing, and also enhances the feeling of openness & space.

The Core The core is the connecting element between individual office blocks and the parking levels below.

It is essentially an indoor piazza on two levels. On the upper (entrance) level are the The decision to make the development as energy efficient as possible was taken early on in the project Auto and General 31 main reception and security, smaller formal and informal meeting rooms and visitors lounge areas. On the lower piazza level are the staff canteen, coffee shop, wellness centre, gymnasium and staff lounges.

Directly attached to the core is a free standing conference centre that houses the larger conference and meeting rooms and the executive office suites. The conference pod "floats" over a reflection pond to the side of the main entrance, while the executive office pod floats above the canteen and the outdoor piazza on the level below.

Unlike the office blocks, the core is not aligned to acknowledge the contours, but rather to take advantage of a very scenic bend in the river below, whilst simultaneously allowing for direct east and west daylight penetration into its space.

The main entrance is approached from the gatehouse via a dramatic porte-cochère roof over the drop-off area that features an integrated cascading water feature. This roof over-sails the core from its origin in the north to its termination beyond the southern façade, where it is supported by two giant glass clad columns which metaphorically suggests fibre optic cables which are the actual conductors of the business. The porte-cochère roof itself is symbolic of the arrow in the Telesure logo, and is representative of progress and technological advancement.

The elliptically shaped core is an impressive, powerful space, 30m wide and 90m long, double volume at its northern entrance, and four volumes high on the southern end. The off-shutter finished concrete walls of the core are

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Vertical transportation is positioned at the centre of the core to provide links to all office and floor levels via escalators, stairs and a bank of scenic lifts.

engineered to fully support its roof, and thereby render the space completely column free. Even the walkway bridges that link adjacent office blocks through the core space are engineered to span the core without column supports.

The lower piazza of the core is home to an iconic 3 storey high artwork created especially for the building by the Spier Art Foundation. The piece will float dramatically from the western face of the wall, opposite the glass clad executive offices that 'cut' through the concrete walls and into the core's interior through a 30m long opening. Throughout the floors of the core there are several other art pieces created by young and emerging local artists under the guidance of the Spier Foundation.

Parking Staff parking is housed below the four office blocks in three naturally ventilated and lit parking levels. All parking levels have direct access via two securitycontrolled entrances into the core. From any of the parking levels, staff walk up a maximum of one floor to gain access to the core. Thereafter, they all use a set of common escalators that gives them access to their respective office level. This eliminates the need for large numbers of lifts to move staff vertically and, in turn, presents huge energy, capital/ running cost savings to the project. The limited lifts incorporated are purely for paraplegic access and for service use.

IMPACT OF THE DEVELOPMENT ON THE COMMUNITY AND ON THE ENVIRONMENT Job Creation As part of the construction of the building, a database of all available local labour from the neighbouring communities of Diepsloot and Cosmo City has been set up, and the building's contractor has, from the first week of construction, begun employing people from this database.

The client, in turn, foresees that much of their future Call Centre recruitments will come from these upcoming communities as well as from the bordering Steyn City & Helderfontein Estate developments.

Road Upgrades As part of the development of the Steyn City site, the

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existing William Nicol Road from Fourways up to the site is being upgraded to dual carriageways in both directions with a new quarter link exchange at the site. This will alleviate, substantially, the current congestion between Broadacres Road and Fourways and provide some much needed relief to local residents.

Staff Motoring In order to reduce harmful carbon emissions arising from motoring, the client implemented a system that encourages the use of public transportation over private motoring, by providing a free shuttle service from the nearby Fourways and Diepsloet transport nodes to a dedicated public transport node to be developed on the site. Other initiatives by the client include a Waste Recycling Centre on site that educates and encourages staff to recycle glass, paper, plastic, light bulbs, batteries and so forth.

Rehabilitation and Maintenance of the adjoining Wetland and River The development incorporates plans to firstly, rehabilitate the existing fledgling wetland to pristine condition and, thereafter, a plan to maintain the wetland and the portion of river that fronts onto the site, on an on-going basis.

From the project's outset, the architects worked together with an environmental consultant and the City of Joburg's Environmental Management Department to The client wanted circulation to be as efficient as possible, with little reliance on liftsAuto and General 35 ensure that the adjoining wetland was treated with due importance and care. A full study of the wetland was generated and documented, and through several design meetings with the Environmental Management Department, the building was repositioned and redesigned until it was well above the agreed wetland delineation line with a substantial buffer zone between the two.

A Site Specific Environmental Management Plan was created that outlined how groundwater, flora and fauna would be protected both during and after construction, to ensure that the impact of the development would be as minimal as possible. In addition to undertaking to use only indigenous landscaping within the site, the developer also undertook to plant the roofs of the lower blocks to create a green roof of nearly 5,000m2, which reduces the net impact of the development of the site.

Glass Innovations “When we work as a team the results are exciting as it is a process that challenges us all to create a dynamic fusion of our ideas, skills and experiences,” comments Deborah Bonar.

“Some of Australia’s most innovative glass processors are in WA. Cooling Brothers have a number of new and exciting products, such as their “ImagInk” printed glass. Walsh’s Glass, a good example of a Western Australian glass company investing in both the equipment and training needed to ensure their customers have access to a range of high performance glass options such as their TwinSeal IGUs,” Jamie Rice Executive Manager for Marketing and Product Development with Fethers Architectural said.

What is Happening in the World of Glass Switchable Glass Maximises Views and Energy Savings

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shading at the flick of a switch. This innovation allows you to maximise energy savings in both winter and summer and retain your view.

Australia’s Curves Equal to Anywhere in the World Curved glass is extremely challenging for glass processors and especially glass coating scientists. The coatings used to maximise glass performance are extremely thin and often very complicated. For example some low-e coatings aren’t a single coating at all. They are actually comprised of up to 20 layers of metal oxides deposited one layer at a time. These layers are so thin that you can see through them. These multiple layers of metal are applied to the glass when it is flat. When the glass is bent the coating can be compressed creating some interesting but unwanted visual effects. Because of this, curved glass is usually restricted to uncoated glass or glass with relatively simple and tough coatings.

“I think that the most exciting innovation in high performance glass is switchable glass. Conventional glass coatings have progressed to the point where there is a product that is available to suit any need. If for example you are in Northern Europe and you need glass that will maximise heat gain in winter, while also providing as much insulation as possible, there is a glass available. In contrast if you are building in an extremely hot climate and you need to keep the heat and glare out, there is a glass available,” says Mr Rice.

Glass machinery manufacturers have been working hard to ensure that their equipment produces smoother and smoother curves. The highly polished surface of glass means that any slight variation from a smooth curve can be distracting to an observer. In addition specialist processors combine many years of experience and investment in the specialised machinery required to produce curved glass the equal of anywhere in the world.

According to Mr Rice there has previously been a problem when both winter & summer performance were needed, he went on to tell Architect and Builder that what switchable glass, such as SAGE Electrochromic glass does, is enable you to have a glass that can provide winter installation and summer

Glass Curvers are WA’s leading manufacturer of curved glass products with specialised on-site manufacturing equipment. Their furnace capacities are amongst the largest in Australia (3600mm x 2500mm), which, along with a technological edge, allows them to achieve some of the most difficult bends produced in the industry.

Developer Australand engaged Kidogo Arthouse via Artsource to create a public art installation that acknowledges the important indigenous connection with the area.

Each of the seven artwork depicts a different environment in Beeliar Boodja – the Noongar name for Port Coogee. The stories behind each artwork are depicted in text around the paintings. The artists wanted to create a contemporary, collaborative series of artworks that spoke about the past, the present and the future.

Produced as acrylic on canvas, once complete the artworks were specially photographed to allow for the enlargement and reproduction on glass using the ImagInk digital ceramic printing.

They are continually developing their bending techniques, employing in house research & development facilities. Glass Curvers pride themselves on superb quality, short lead times and affordable prices. They have the experience to work with architects and builders, from the ground up, to ensure that the profiles, size and installation procedures suit the designated project.

This includes design and installation, and they also manufacture and supply only, to the client’s specification.

The optical clarity of curved glass fired in a gas oven is superb.

Aboriginal Art Captured in Glass Cooling Brothers Glass Company recently collaborated with Kidogo Art House on behalf of Australand to create this unique printed glass installation within the Port Coogee Estate.

Located south of Perth along the pristine West Australian coastline, Port Coogee is an award winning coastal renewal development in the final stages of completion.

Two years in the making, the project features seven indigenous artworks installed at various locations throughout the parks of Port Coogee. The artworks are a collaboration between three artists – Wendy Hayden and Deborah Bonar who are Aboriginal, and Joanna Robertson who is nonAboriginal.

The longevity offered by the ceramic inks was one of the main deciding factors for the Kidogo artists in selecting a medium for the project. Because the inks are baked into the glass during the toughening process, the durability of the colour in an external application is unrivalled by any other decorative printed glass process. This longevity was a key component in allowing the glass to be installed into the recessed concrete forms in various parks throughout the Port Coogee establishment, as the forms are unshaded and continually exposed to the relentless WA sunlight.

The Cooling Brothers in-house graphic department was engaged extensively throughout the project, and the team spent considerable amounts of time working with the artists to achieve the desired colours and definition of the artworks. “This has been a very interesting project to be involved in and the preparation in the lead up to the installation has all been very exciting” said Joanna Robertson, lead artist and director of Kidogo, “The colour work is very beautiful and the detail achieved with ImagInk is so impressive to see up close”.

The colour testing and printing only presented one side of the technical challenges faced by Cooling Brothers, and the installation process also threw up a multitude of challenges for the Glazing team. Printed

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on 10mm low iron glass, the artworks are designed as organic circular forms, requiring the glass to be CNC cut and polished. Some of the larger forms were oversize for ImagInk printing, and had to be segmented. To ensure the glass was cut correctly, the glazing team opted to first cut all the artworks in 5mm float, these templates were then taken to site and placed into the concrete forms to ensure a perfect fit.

Once all the 5mm templates were approved, the 10mm glass was cut and printed accordingly. After printing and toughening, the glass was then colourbacked white, to prevent any show through from the silicone used to fix the glass to the concrete.

Installation was completed with the assistance of a spider crane and sucker unit to assist manoeuvring the heavy glass panels into place above the concrete.

Once lowered, the glass was silicone sealed to prevent any moisture entering under the glass. The most challenging part of this process was aligning each segment of the large artworks that had been split up, to ensure the glass was level across the surface, and that all the silicone gaps were evenly spaced.

“We have worked with a terrific, highly professional team of smart people who bought aboard valuable skills, a positive attitude and brilliant problem solving abilities” said Joanna.

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“Cooling Brothers went to extraordinary lengths to cut such difficult forms so accurately and to install the works so precisely.”

Once the glass had been installed and the silicone allowed sufficient time to cure, the glass was then coated with a specialised two part epoxy coating that contains the nonslip compound.

This UV stable coating with R10 slip rating does not obscure the artwork in any way, and acts to reduce the likelihood of a fall if the glass is wet.

Now complete, the project is a spectacular fusion of contemporary indigenous artwork, rich with history, vibrant colour and detail. It creates a unique and stunning contrast against the blackened grass trees that surround some of the works, and against the beautiful Port Coogee setting. “We are very proud and thrilled to bits with the glass artwork. It’s an awesome sight to see,” says Joanna, “we would love to translate more paintings to glass, perhaps on a larger scale.”

The Port Coogee artworks are on permanent display in the various parks throughout the Port Coogee development.

Kitchen Trends The kitchen brings people together, it’s also a comfortable place to sit and have a cup of tea and read the paper or have a glass of wine and talk to the cook. So, it’s no wonder that we are now approaching kitchen design with the same enthusiasm as we would for a bedroom, or the actual living room, a trend that is becoming increasingly apparent worldwide.

The modern kitchen has transformed from a room that serves a basic purpose, into a space of personal expression where we unwind and relax and a hub of social activity for the modern family.

As one of the most visited parts of the home, the kitchen has also become a place to convey personal style and evoke emotions – from warmth and comfort on a rainy day to elegance and a festive atmosphere during the holiday season. The colours and materials set the stage, from the textures that appear in the accessories, the arrangement of the furniture and even how sound reverberates in the room.

Recognising that this space takes many different forms depending on personal preferences and that kitchen trends change fairly rapidly, we chat with Senior Project Designer at Western Cabinets and 2013 HIA Kitchen & Bathroom Awards Winner of “New Kitchen Project of the Year”, Debbie Ferguson.

Stone Benchtops are Ferguson’s absolute must have in the kitchen and upon being asked what makes her own kitchen at home special, she says “I am IN LOVE with my Siemens Pyrolytic Oven,” and, well, they do clean themselves so who can blame her!

Ferguson has been working in the industry since 1998. She started out just taking calls in the showroom and over time, developed a keen interest for design and realised this was the direction she wanted to take.

Ferguson tells Architect and Builder, “I have always enjoyed collaborating with clients to achieve their most desirable Kitchen. No two projects are ever the same and this keeps the job exciting and interesting.

My clients and my colleagues inspire me every day.”

Debbie Ferguson’s Top 5 Kitchen Trends for 2014 Natural materials with emphasis on colour and movement are a popular trend: natural timber grains and stunning large scale pieces of marble and granite Ÿ Hamptons style kitchens: a very popular choice, a traditional style kitchen combined with a contemporary edge Ÿ Marble & timber tile splashbacks Ÿ Lighting features: feature LED lighting Ÿ Bio-ethanol fuel burners Ÿ

Colours found in natural materials will never go out of style because we see them in nature and are comfortable with them. Open wooden shelving is another trend for 2014 and this can be an attractive way to introduce natural materials into your kitchen this year.

A Closer Look at What’s Trending in 2014 LEDs LED lighting technology is everywhere! Ferguson tells us that rebated LED strip lighting available with a colour changing option is lighting the way in 2014.

They can be perched above cabinets or hidden inside and under them, they add atmosphere, functionality and style to your kitchen.

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If you are trying to visualise a Hampton kitchen, think corbels, white cabinetry with black handles, or the more traditional duck-egg blue paired with a neutral.

White subway tiles in a herringbone pattern also feature strongly. This spacious and open style usually features an abundance of storage, butlers style sink, free standing oven with an overhead feature, pendant lights work well with this look.

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Pendant Lighting Industrial style pendant lighting is not a new trend but looks set to be an enduring one. Use a pair of pendants over an island bench to play with scale or one big one over a dining area, entry or hall way to add a subtle industrial element. Many modern manufacturers specialise in this look.

Pop-Up Power and Data Sockets When you think about new technology in kitchens, most people think of appliances first, and it’s true, the two go hand in hand… but with technology advancing so rapidly in so many different areas, it’s no surprise to find that technology has much more to offer.

Pop-up power and data sockets have retractable and strong aluminium housing with connections for power and data. No more searching for power plugs or data outlets… and they don’t just pop-up, they also popout, pop-down, whatever is needed! They are simple to install, simple to use, attractive and efficient.

SERVO-DRIVE Ferguson also rates Blum SERVO-DRIVE for wall cabinets and base units as a trend setter in 2014. In addition to giving users ultimate opening ease and soft close with a single touch… SERVO-DRIVE also holds out many new design possibilities for base units. Regardless of whether you have handle-less fronts, fronts with décor and whether or not they are heavy, light, wide or narrow pull-outs, the easy opening system stays the same, allowing more freedom of design and motion in kitchens.

Raw Natural Materials

Marble is often considered a bit high-maintenance, but if you’re willing to put in the effort, it can be quite stunning paired with the white cabinets that are so popular right now. It also looks great with black. Like wood, marble can add visual texture.

Bioethanol Fuel Burners Fireplaces are often a feature of high-end homes and are becoming the design focus for many rooms, including the kitchen! Ethanol or gel fireplaces produce a low-heat flame without smoke or odours and bring the future into the present. They come in many configurations and don’t require venting, as they burn bioethanol derived from plant by-products.

Pop of Colour A solid pop of colour can add wow factor. Choosing one element to ‘pop’, such as cabinetry or a large island bench adds to, rather than overwhelms the space. Bright and bold colours are right on-trend.

Green Kitchens While there hasn’t necessarily been a lot of interest in this to date in Perth, Ferguson says she predicts this trend will change. A vertical garden, or green wall as it is occasionally referred to, can be a living work of art. A great idea for people who have limited or no garden or just because you appreciate having fresh herbs or plants in your home. The look can counter-balance a modern or contemporary look, and works well with any colours or materials.

Hampton Style Kitchens Vintage meets modern in the Hampton style kitchen offering a clean design look and adding a light airy touch.

Neutral colours such as white, grey, steel and black can create contrasting and striking combinations with natural materials. The rustic vibe adds character and warmth, and, if done right, this look is hip, trendy and can be quite beautiful.

Renowned for being functional and relaxing, this style gives a nod to the beach and country lifestyle, you can easily make this look your own by adding hardware and taps to suit your style and personalise your space.

Marble and timber style splashbacks were in Ferguson’s top five picks, why not make a splash with a removable splashback instead of applying it directly onto the wall? Add it to a removable board and you will have a stylish kitchen with a great feature that can be easily updated when you’re ready for a change.

DIY Flat Pack Kitchens One of the benefits of a flat pack kitchen is you can opt to have your kitchen installed or do it yourself without compromising on quality. You can purchase flat packs in high quality materials and create your own combination of drawers and cabinets to suit your requirements.

Health and Safety in Construction I believe that a Safety team is the road map to success. It is often said that an organisation’s safety performance cannot be determined by one person only. This is true and the Safety team is the first place where you strive to build unity of purpose. Teamwork will win the day. Build a Safety team that can change the way that people are doing things in order to make the workplace safer and healthier.

Objectives of a Safety team Ÿ Move to a positive approach to safety Ÿ Reduce behavioural variability and injury rate Ÿ Move to an upstream focus Ÿ Provide real measures for all levels Ÿ Change behaviour in a way that improves attitudes, culture and systems Ÿ Focus “hierarchy of control” effort Ÿ Meaningfully engage all levels to influence values Members of the Safety team Ÿ Co-ordinator (Decision maker) – person who ultimately makes the final decision in all matters. Ÿ Safety coach – The person who will spearhead the initiative. To do the leg work to get it off the ground. He/she will be the spokesperson for the effort and a well-respected leader. Ÿ Influencer – The Safety Representative who can significantly impact the success of the process. Ÿ Safety team members – Main players of the group. These employees know the ins and outs of the organisation and how to get things done.

Purpose of the Safety team Focusing on results instead of effort and levels of activity produces other problems. Responsibilities for safety must be clear and people must be held accountable for them. Ÿ Involvement of all people Ÿ Communication tool Ÿ Empowerment of people Ÿ Focusing on initiatives Barriers to Safety team success Ÿ Hazard recognition and response (inexperience and habituation) Ÿ Rewards and recognition Ÿ Facility and equipment Ÿ Disagreement on safe practices (values, perceptions, communication) Ÿ Personal factors Ÿ Culture Ÿ Personal choice How can the Safety team ensure involvement? Ÿ Creating Safety teams Ÿ Through a weekly/monthly safety newsletter Ÿ Safety meetings, daily, weekly and monthly Ÿ By rewarding your people Ÿ By giving credit to your people Safety improvement depends on the people who are at-risk of injury – the workers. They have the most to gain from effective safety measures and the most to lose from ineffective ones. They have the most influence over each other and know the most about the details of the daily routines that shape behaviour on the floor. Their support can ensure success and their opposition can make progress difficult, if not impossible. Focus on them!

The average worker gets no meaningful feedback on the quality of his/her work. The feedback they get on at-risk behaviour is often sporadic and usually comes in the form of criticism or discipline. The lack of feedback makes it

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difficult for workers to improve their safety performance.

Role of the Safety team Ÿ Data gathering of behaviour-based safety observations Ÿ Identification of critical behaviour Ÿ To engage employees of all levels in meaningful improvement activities Ÿ Willingness to participate Ÿ Developing enthusiasm Ÿ To let each employee of the operation feel proud to be an employee of your company Management's role in the creation of Safety teams Ÿ Getting the teams educated and trained Ÿ If resources are identified are they available Ÿ Is the path forward established Ÿ Management will fix the problem, not fixing the blame, that is the principle that truly prevents accidents Ÿ Do not blame employees, but the systems that failed Ÿ Behaviour is a function of management systems Ÿ Designing systems that stimulate and reinforce safe behaviour Ÿ Designing these systems requires a high level of involvement and participation from all levels of an organisation Ÿ To let the people know that you care about them Ÿ Excellent communication and co-operation between all Measure outcomes of Safety team initiatives Ÿ What can be measured can be managed Ÿ Shifting the focus from reaction to prevention The real indicators of safety, to develop tools to interpret this data, and use the data to design appropriate interventions into the process and then to have an opportunity to effectively manage safety performance Examples of possible outcomes Ÿ All people will start to focus on leading factors Ÿ Behaviour will be upstream and a final common pathway Ÿ Behaviour will be measurable and manageable Ÿ Feedback will change the behaviour Ÿ By measuring all the outcomes it will identify barriers for a safer working environment Ÿ Reducing accidents Ÿ Reducing incidents Ÿ Saving a life today, tomorrow, forever

Roofing and Insulation in Construction

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Typically weather conditions cause the roof construction to expand and contract. Mortar hardens and does not expand and contract with varying weather conditions or daily temperature variations. This in turn leads to cracks forming, which progressively increase in size. Rain then penetrates the ridge and hip line through these cracks and causes damage to the interior of the roof. Ongoing rain damage can cause trusses to rot which can pose a serious health risk to the occupants of the property. Often these ridge and hip lines are fixed using the same mortar method which is then over-coated with a waterproofing coating or compound. This looks unsightly and costs extra to repair.

Coverland Compact Roll is an innovative solution to traditional mortar ridge and hip line fixing methods. It forms part of a system that allows for the thermal expansion and contraction of the roof structure. The system is called the Dry Ridge System, so named due to the dry application of the Compact Roll on the ridges and hips and because of its weather proof quality. The Dry Ridge System also allows for optimum air circulation of the roof space. There are additional elements of the system in addition to Compact Roll to add to its efficacy.

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The Pliable Ridge Tree that aligns the ridge and hip battens. The ridge and hip batten is used to fix the ridge and hip tiles using the ridge clips.

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The Ridge Clip that facilitates the rapid and secure fixing of ridge tiles.

Kro Klips that are corrosionresistant spring clips that fix tiles to valleys and hips.

Compact Roll can be stretched to fit any roof profile and its unique, integrated waterproofing and ventilation features, when combined with the Ridge Tree, provide optimum airflow and 100% leak-free performance. The unique, patented 4-Layer Assembly of the Compact Roll ensures: Sustainable sealing (butyl-supported aluminium compound); Ÿ High tearing strength (very resistant PET Polyisobutylene compound); Ÿ Maximum waterproofing properties, while allowing ventilation (ventilating holes are covered by a high performance fleece); and Ÿ Extreme adhesion, due to the highly effective CH-bond butyl glue.

Although not as inexpensive as traditional mortar fixing, the Coverland Dry Ridge System is economical in the long run with respect to material and labour. Compact Roll is a long term solution that is easy to install, aesthetically pleasing and, best of all, maintenance free. Produced and tested in Germany, the ridge and hip solutions stand for durability and quality. In South Africa Compact Roll is certified by Agrément South Africa.

Generally, not much thought is put into the type of application used when it comes to roof ridges and hiplines.

Mortar ridge and hip-lines are a common sight on South African roofs. While the low initial setup costs of mortar application may be the driving factor for its popularity, there are prominent characteristics of mortar ridges that cry out for a more innovative and modern solution to ridge

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The recently established Southern African Metal Cladding and Roofing Association (SAMCRA) has hit the ground running and has already completed the draft of the SANS 10237 ‘Code of Practice: Metal Roof and Side Cladding.’

This is according to SAMCRA chairman, Johann van der Westhuizen. “We have been invited to participate in the working group responsible for the updating of the National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC) manuals,” said van der Westhuizen. “And SAMCRA will also be participating on a number of SABS technical committees, all of which will enable us to achieve our goal of aligning the regulatory requirements of the various statutory and national bodies.”

As the representative body for the steel roofing and cladding industry, SAMCRA has set a series of immediate objectives to be addressed on behalf of its members. Amongst these are: the establishment of an accredited testing facility to verify the performance of products; the creation of a successful campaign to have all metal cladding products sold in South Africa branded with the relevant product information; providing information to specifiers, building inspectors and other decision makers; to facilitate training with particular focus on artisans; the implementation of a programme to certify roofing contractors; and a programme to have “roofer” recognised as a trade.

Dennis White, SAMCRA’s inaugural director working full-time for the association, says it is clear that the main beneficiaries of SAMCRA will be the end-user.

“Our customers deserve this and it’s time it happened,” he said.

SAMCRA is planning to hold a number of specialist workshops for specifiers during May and October.

The Association also commenced with the accumulation of articles and technical literature for a database which will soon be accessible from their new website.

Developers and project managers in the various housing sectors are increasingly seeking one-stop solutions to meet the requirements of SANS 10400 XA regulations – to ensure their projects are energy efficient and to provide comfortable living space for the owners.

The regulations can however be confusing, so we asked Richard Ellis, the general manager of popular green insulation brand Eco-Insulation to explain how it really works.

“Insulate above the ceiling, under the floor or even inside the walls – to keep cool in summer, warm in winter and to save energy. For the property owner, it means less electricity or gas usage and therefore real savings in your pocket. For the developer, it means total compliance with the specified R-value for the roof, under national building regulations. Because Eco-Insulation resists the flow of heat, less heat will be lost from the home or office in winter and less heat will enter the building during summer. As a form of energy, heat always flows to a cooler area, escaping out of the building in the winter and entering the building during summer. Eco-Insulation creates an ecofriendly, fire-safe and non-toxic barrier that controls temperature all year round.” he says. “Eco20

Insulation not only offers the ultimate climate control, it is also the ultimate green building product, helping the environment and protecting families and office staff from the intensifying effects of global warming. The product is also listed on the Specifile online service, where project managers can draw further technical information”, says Ellis.

Eco-Insulation installed in the home or office is not expensive; and payback is over a period of months and not years. It is a serious brand that has earned technical endorsements by standards organisations including the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) and the Thermal Insulation Association of Southern Africa (TIASA).

A traditional product manufactured to modern specifications offers equivalent, if not superior insulation – the ordinary ceiling panel.

A young Pretoria based company, PVC Ceilings, was established by Pieter van Heerden in 2012 to supply the retail and contractor market with an innovative and proven ceiling board manufactured from PVC resins and auxiliary materials.

“Following in-depth research we arrived at the optimum formula to manufacture PVC based ceiling boards to standard sizes,” said van Heerden. “During the development phase extensive tests were carried out on the product, with particular emphasis on durability and fire retardation – of which the latter meets the requirements of SANS 428.”

So efficient, competitively priced and successful is the product that the company has experienced growth of over 1 000% since its establishment.

“Our ceiling boards, which are available in a range of attractive designs, are intended for use by all South Africans, to suit virtually any residential, commercial or industrial ceiling application,” continued van Heerden, “including housing, offices, warehouses, churches, museums, shops and so on. Not only are our ceiling boards durable, requiring no maintenance at all, but they also provide exceptional insulation.”

According to van Heerden, the “R” rating of the PVC Ceiling Panel is technically better than ordinary gypsum board, as confirmed in tests carried out by the Thermal Test Laboratory (TTL) – a South African National Accreditation System (SANAS) approved facility.

Being lightweight, the PVC ceiling boards are quick and easy to install. They are also fire retardant, waterproof (and therefore won’t stain if they get wet) and fungus- and corrosion-resistant.

PVC Ceiling boards and cornices are available from BUCO, Cashbuild, Essential Hardware, MICA, FH Chamberlains and other independent retailers.

This is according to Fredrik Toftemo, ABECE’s area sales manager who is presently in South Africa finalising supply details and leading training seminars being hosted by PMSA at its training facility in Jet Park.

Swedish based roof tile equipment manufacturer ABECE, a global player in this market, is working in close collaboration with Pan Mixers South Africa (PMSA) to supply an entry level range of its renowned concrete roof tile manufacturing machines to the southern African region.

Discussions are at an advanced stage with delivery of the first machines due in March.

“The synergy we have developed with PMSA in recent years is quite remarkable,” said Toftemo during a break in the roof tile production training session. “PMSA have considerable expertise in concrete batching technology, specifically designed for operations in outlying areas. This capability, combined with our expertise and more than 50 years of experience in the manufacture of roof tile production machines, provides the perfect partnership.”

make them ideal for operation in close proximity to project-based housing schemes as well as ongoing supply to outlying community driven markets in the southern African region, and indeed across the continent.

PMSA is active across Africa with a comprehensive equipment and supply chain and support network in place – inclusive of customer training.

In attendance at the roof tile production seminar were customers from local tile manufacturers across South Africa, as well as from as far afield as Gabon and Namibia.

The course, which covered all aspects of small to medium volume roof tile production and high volume automated production, was co-presented by Fredrik Toftemo of ABECE and Francois Aveling – operations director of West End Clay Brick & Roofing; and was hosted and facilitated by PMSA.

PMSA’s marketing and sales manager, Quintin Booysen, confirms the importance of this relationship by saying “Empowering emerging builders and contractors is crucial in the ongoing effort to speed up delivery of RDP and affordable housing in our country and in the rest of Africa.

By making this ABECE machinery available for deployment in outlying and rural areas, together with appropriate concrete batching equipment and proper training, we are able to take production of concrete roof tiles to the field.”

The new range of ABECE machines being introduced are the SP-S, SP-M and SP-L, which have single shift production output capabilities of 5 000, 25 000 and 45 000 respectively. The start-up range of machines have a low electrical power demand and can easily run off a 30kVA genset if no power is available in the area of deployment.

The flexible production capacities of these machines

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Platinum Square 2

The 32,000m contemporary retail centre is designed in a contemporary style with warm and neutral colours, accentuated by splashes of colour on vertical fin elements

Platinum Square is a contemporary retail centre located in Rustenburg, North West Province. This 32,000m2 development is located around one of Rustenburg's bustling commercial hubs. Platinum Square is a nodal development in the sense of slotting into and harnessing the energy already extant in the commercial node around the existing Rustenburg Waterfall mall. The development was initiated by the requirement from Checkers for a hypermarket in the area. The Demetriades family (Blue Cloud Investments) owned the land in an ideal location opposite the mall and formed a joint venture with developers, Retail Africa and Standard Bank.

Architects, Bentel Associates International, were commissioned to formulate the brief and design a centre which was not only commercially viable but also aesthetically pleasing within the dictated opensided "lifestyle" norm.

Canal Site considerations were governed by the inclusion of a canal system underneath the building to cater for periodic storm water peaks. To ensure that this system catered for the existing ecosystem, the sides were designed to promote the growth of vegetation and the concrete bottom was grooved for the same purpose. To ensure that it functions and supports the existing wildlife, substantial portions of this canal had to be opened up to the sky.

The natural slope, on the side, was dealt with by gradually stepping the centre to conform to the contours, whilst retaining an even grade in the parking areas acceptable to trolley traffic.

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Design The development caters for the big-box tenants not accommodated within the mall that need the ease of access associated with an open, easily accessible design concept. To that end, the architects designed an openfaced faรงade with a high walkway canopy that enables the tenants to display their signage underneath the walkway, visible from the parking area. This requirement forms an integral part of the lifestyle shopping pattern. Sub anchor tenants signage requirements were accommodated on the faรงade element higher and in front of the walkway canopy.

The major magnets were accommodated even higher up, underneath dedicated L-shaped entrance features. This provided a visible hierarchy relative to tenant size and signage. Care was taken to ensure that the architecture did not obscure or dominate the primary goal, namely the

visibility of the tenancies. In its physical manifestation, the design comprises a U-shaped and L-shaped wing, each anchored by the major anchors, Checkers Hypermarket and Food Lovers Market respectively.

The two wings are bound together by the similar architecture and central boulevard. This boulevard is heavily landscaped in a contemporary manner and, besides providing easy access from both sides of the centre, also provides an ample throat in terms of visibility into the precinct.

Although dictated by the public road running through the middle of the site, the boulevard offers the added bonus of providing a landscape zone not necessarily present in your typical lifestyle centre precinct.

The design is in a contemporary style with warm and neutral colours, accentuated by splashes of colour on vertical fin elements.

Secondary features are highlighted with rock in a ribbonweave pattern, whilst major entrances are denoted with large roof entrance features, creating triple volumes easily discernible from a distance and displaying the signage.

With a total of fifty shops, provision for 1,600 parking bays has also been made.

the building. Situated in the middle, it is also conveniently located for a tranquil break from the shopping experience to rest and recharge batteries.

Due to its excellent visibility and location on the boulevard, night-time trade is foreseen in this area.

Platinum Square 47 Insulation was increased to assist with energy conservation. There are also automatic light sensors, which help save electricity.

Sculpture The Square features an original sculpture by sculptor, Angus Taylor, that is integrated with the water feature. It serves as a focal point to the square in its primary function. However, in keeping with the developer's vision, it is public art and, as such, patrons are encouraged to interact with it both on a visual, intellectual and (primarily for children), physical, level.

Conclusion Given the constraints of budget, the owners and consultant team is confident that the centre, besides catering for the retail needs by providing the tenancies previous lacking in the area, also went a step further by creating an environment that pleases the eye and enhances the retail experience.

Campanile Situated on the boulevard is a small community square which, besides being a focal point accentuated by a campanile, also serves as a food court and restaurant area. It is the "heart" of the scheme since it is located mid way between the main anchor tenancies and provides the "glue" that stitches together the two separated wings of

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Baldivis Secondary College New building techniques used to construct cost effective secondary college on time and under budget

Built on more than 10 hectares of reclaimed marshland and about 45km south of Perth’s CBD is the recently completed Baldivis Secondary College.

The college is part of the new Baldivis suburban development and is at the heart of the town site. The school will cater for up to 1,200 students from grades seven to 12.

JCY Architects and Urban Designers was the firm charged with designing the school. In the design, JCY aimed to reflect the Baldivis’ historical elements, drawing inspiration from the classic Australian shed.

This rural and light industrial focus was expressed through the materials used for the build, which ranged from pre-cast concrete panels and concrete columns to steel framing and aluminium chequer plate cladding in “safety colours”.

Pact Construction was the builder responsible for ensuring JCY’s design was delivered on time and within the budget, which was about $30 million for construction and $6.9million for a separate forward works.

Part of JCY’s design brief was to factor in a range of buildings, including classrooms, a learning warehouse, gymnasium, performing arts building, library, administration, cafeteria facilities, and undercover area. Interaction between peers and teachers was a prime focus for the design. Pact made that design a reality.

Pact was responsible for executing JCY’s industrial focus, including creating the simple pitched roofs with

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high levels of clerestory glazing. The idea was to echo the saw-tooth roof, which was originally invented to shade workers from the hot equatorial sun.

Pact ensured the unique facades met the unusual chequer plate pattern design. The configuration, which was replicated internally, was made using off-white precast panels and striped metaldeck wall cladding.

“The chequer pattern in the concrete looks very good and it has been repeated throughout – even the bench seats.

There is extensive use of aluminium cladding, which also features the pattern,” Pact project manager Kelvin Chance said.

“It was a bit of a challenge in the beginning, particularly with the tilt-up concrete panels. We had to pour the concrete on to an MDF [medium-density fibreboard] form line then lift it off the board when the concrete was cured.

We had to produce a number of sample panels until we found the correct release agent to prevent the concrete adhering to the MDF form liners,” Chance added.

Sustainability was a major design concern for the project team, and so many environmentally-friendly initiatives were incorporated into the building materials, general layout, using active, passive and social design elements in the construction of the secondary college. These elements included the maximisation of natural daylight, use of natural ventilation, building orientation, a building management system, night purging, fresh rainwater tanks plus a series of recyclable grey water tanks for each building.

Visually appealing elements of agriculture and public art were incorporated into the appearance of the gymnasium and performing arts buildings.

On the 10.5 hectare site, large areas of the substantial grounds have been planted with a variety of native flora.

When these plants grow to maturity, the school will be within what appears to be an original bushland setting.

“New tennis courts, a football and cricket oval and playing field for the school were complemented by a comprehensive landscape design,” Chance said.

He added the Baldivis Secondary College was one of only two schools in the Perth metropolitan area to have a fully integrated air-conditioning system fitted.

Traditionally, WA Department of Education schools are constructed using the double brick technique to keep costs to a minimum. For the Baldivis Secondary College, it was proved early on that the new design would be cost effective, and upon completion the project came in under budget.

The education department supplied loose furniture to facilitate the project’s cost effective completion.

“The completion of the Baldivis Secondary College was well ahead of program, with great results in terms of quality and finish – a testament to the project delivery team,” Pact general manager Jason Kunkler said.

Developer: Department of Education Architect: Jones Coulter Young Builder: PACT Construction

“Usually such systems are fitted only to schools north of Geraldton,” Chance said.

It was found that industrial construction techniques would best ensure the college was built within a set time frame.

Pre-fabrication played a major role in the pre-construction stages, and this, employed along with other fast track delivery techniques permitted multiple trades to work in parallel, allowed the project to be completed within 16 months. Building construction began in July 2011 and was completed in December 2012.

Pact overcame several challenges in getting the project finished on time and under budget. The initial site conditions included acid sulphite soils and generally poor soil characteristics.

Part of Pact’s contract was to stabilise the ground conditions and bring the site to an A classification. This took about nine months, before the main building works began.

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Bricks application in Construction Design and construction of the Helenvale Resource Centre was part and parcel of the ambitious upgrade programme of this township in the north of Port Elizabeth.

Miles Hollins, architect and designer, from The Matrix Urban Designers and Architects in Port Elizabeth, who conceptualised the project, said: “This has progressed from a scheme that included extensive renovations to a complete rebuild of the facility. The existing community centre was an isolated event on a barren, rocky site in the heart of the Helenvale community.”

The existing centre was in a severe state of disrepair, said Hollins, and it no longer served the needs of the local community. “The initial brief called for extensive renovations to the existing building as well as additional facilities. However, after a thorough analysis of the site and brief and through intense consultation with the client and the community, we realised that the full civic potential of the site could only be realised by demolishing the existing infrastructure to make way for a new, more legible and integrated facility,” he explained.

Quality building materials and good design are not only for application to high profile buildings – but are a crucial for facilities that serve those that need them most. In this case the Helenvale Resource Centre.

Christie van Niekerk, Corobrik’s Western Cape Manager, said that one of the chief challenges facing those involved with this project from the very outset was finding a balance between providing the best quality building materials and meeting the tight budget provided by the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM). The end result was the selection of the Roan Satin FBX for the super structure and internal walls and the Roan Travertine FBX for the external boundary walls, entrance walls

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and outbuildings. 65 000 and 102 000 of each were used respectively with quantities having to be adjusted and increased as the project progressed.

The choice of clay face brick was a perfect fit with the need to keep maintenance costs to a minimum. The inclusion of environmentally friendly characteristics that include automatic electric light management, heat pumps, and rainwater harvesting and wall and roof superinsulation add to the sustainability. As van Niekerk pointed out, clay brick is not only characterised by its longevity, but also by its ability to save on electricity as it helps regulate temperature in both summer and winter. The creation of a community plaza that extends the civic landscape from a new urban park that forms part of the Helenvale Precinct Plan across Leith Street (the primary modal interchange in Helenvale) and then climbs up to the main public entrance to the building was key to the design of the new facility.

3 000 of Corobrik’s burgundy pavers were used as borders to define the walkway leading to the entrance of the centre. “This spatial relationship really connects the new complex with the community it serves. The treeshaded plaza includes a tall marker tower that defines place and a welcoming pergola that ferries the community into the lightly enclosed Community Street,” said Hollins.

He added that this Community Street was the most special area and the primary functional and spatial organisational element of the building. Various community functions (including community offices, sub-dividable community hall and a large multi-use hall) are attached to this space.

The axis of the Community Street orientates the entire complex parallel to Leith Street. This is a spatial characteristic prevalent in the densely packed, semiformal, urban fabric of Helenvale. “This linear space

is thus the dominant form, characterised by transparency and defined by a skeletal framework of highly detailed, laminated timber mono-pitch roof support structures. The community plaza flows through this space, accentuated by the continuation of the material and pattern on the ground plane and a spinal vertical plane stretching from outside to inside and then outside again,” said Hollins.

He said that this was not the only issue that needed to be taken into consideration by the architects when meeting the needs of the community that used the Helenvale Resource Centre. One thing was long waiting periods which were particularly difficult for those in “conflict situations” and needing services such as counselling or parole supervision. To address this, the Community Street includes seating pods for waiting. These semi-enclosed, semi-transparent, timber-clad forms create smaller, more intimate, subspaces that provide privacy, whilst also allowing for public interaction.

Community service facilities (including the Councillor’s chambers and a boardroom) are located beyond the seating pods and flank the Community Street on the Leith Street side of the building. In contrast to the Community Street, the form in which these are housed is a less articulated, simplified, sharp-edged, flat-roofed, solid “plain white box.” The openings in this form are grouped into a linear element that further highlights the horizontality of this form and directs attention towards the main public entrance to the Community Street.

“The small community hall and large multi-purpose hall belong to the same functional family and thus have similar forms and articulation. They are both characterised by a rich pattern of deep red face brick flanking walls, enveloped in a cranked plane of heavily articulated, charcoal-coloured cladding,” Hollins concluded.

Sustainable buildings and built environments are best achieved through a holistic design approach where due attention is given to the incorporation of passive design principles appropriate to the conditions of the site. Clay bricks well support a holistic approach, their composite offering ticking all the boxes in the important areas of durability and longevity, energy efficiency, indoor air quality and investment value.

These sustainability attributes of clay bricks become accentuated in harsher environments prevalent in South Africa where sustainability requires: a robustness to endure; an innate propensity to last beyond 100 years; the built cost to be competitive; and material selection to contribute positively to a lowest life cycle cost opportunity. In fulfilling this requirement, clay brick has the propensity to mitigate maintenance costs down the line associated with replacement, refurbishment and maintenance of lightweight fabricated walling systems.

Building on such sustainability attributes, clay bricks’ value can be further enhanced when specified within the context of passive design. Notably it is the property of thermal mass that provides clay brick the opportunity to make best use of the sun’s energy, helping attenuate temperature conditions for longer through summer and winter, optimising thermal comfort and lowering associated heating and cooling energy requirements.

The graph from the WSP Green by Design 132 m Standard house study presents the results for the Pretoria climatic zone where double skin brick provided a consistently lower PMV1 amplitude ratio when compared to insulated lightweight alternates. It has been well proven in both extensive empirical and thermal modelling research that cavity brick, and

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The findings of this research showed that the brick veneer building outperformed the lightweight and the cavity brick building with insulation in the cavity was the best performer.

cavity brick with an application of insulation in the cavity appropriate for the climatic zone, provides for superior thermal comfort relative to comparable lightweight and with best payback for insulation applied. Notably studies undertaken in Australia and South Africa found that brick wall alternatives applied to different building modules are able to provide the necessary CR Product (combination of thermal capacity and resistance) to consistently outperform comparable lightweight walled buildings with similar and/or higher wall R-values. It is thermal mass that provides the X factor to the energy efficiency equation, particularly in moderate climates characterised by long hot summer months and pronounced average diurnal temperature swings through the seasons, as widely found across South Africa.

That clay brick construction does the job more competently than lightweight is evident in the findings of eight years of empirical research at the University of Newcastle in Australia where the thermal comfort and energy efficiency of building modules constructed of four typical Australian wall types were exposed to real world conditions and the internal environments measured in both the free floating and controlled conditions.

The four wall types comprised: conventional cavity brick; insulated brick veneer; insulated cavity brick; and insulated lightweight construction (a polymer render over 7 mm fibro-cement sheeting; breathable membrane fixed onto pine stud frame; R1,5 bulk insulation in frame cavity; 10 mm plasterboard interior).

This research also established that clay bricks when applied in internal partition walls enhanced energy efficiency further for all the external wall construction types assessed. In the case of insulated lightweight exterior wall building module, the application of clay partition walls improved energy efficiency by a significant 20% (www.thinkbrick.com.au-”Energy Efficiency and the Environment – the case for clay brick – edition 4”).

This superior energy efficiency of clay brick walls, both uninsulated and insulated, was also found in the Full Life Cycle Assessment by Energetics. In this assessment of two house designs built in three climatic zones, and four different orientations with five different walling solutions [lightweight walling represented by timber frame insulated weatherboard], found that the cavity brick walled house outperformed the insulated timber in most situations, and the insulated cavity brick walled house outperformed the insulated timber in all situations. The net benefit of the operational energy savings as provided by insulated clay brick construction translated into lower “total” greenhouse gas emissions (embodied energy plus operational energy) over a 50 year life cycle when compared with the lower embodied energy, higher R-value lightweight alternate with weatherboard walls.

The correlation in the findings of the research, the experiences of those living in clay brick houses, and the enviable record of clay brick in construction, compound to reaffirm that clay brick buildings, designed and specified with “nature in mind”, stand in a unique space for addressing today’s ‘greater’ sustainability objective. That South Africa has the benefits of a well-entrenched masonry tradition, that masonry is the widest applied building medium and that brick is widely available and cost

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Pan Mixers South Africa (PMSA) is geared to provide greater value-added support to its client base through its new industry-specific open training and workshop sessions to be held at its showroom in Jet Park, Boksburg.

PMSA’s marketing and sales manager, Quintin Booysen, reveals that these sessions will include input from concrete brick making experts and industry leaders from Europe and South Africa.

“The decision to host regular open training and workshop sessions is of particular importance to PMSA, especially as our product and service offering to the construction, mining and precast concrete sectors continues to expand at a consistent rate across South and Southern Africa.”

Booysen notes that PMSA will be conducting monthly seminars, to which it will invite up to 17 industry professionals per session. “These seminars will be between half and one day events where outside companies can come and learn more about what PMSA has to offer, and the latest developments in concrete brickmaking and related equipment.”

“The seminars will showcase the products and services we have to offer, as well as explaining developments in the technology.”

Twelve seminars are planned for 2014 amongst which are: Wil El Mil wet pressing technology for street kerbs and concrete products; RAMPF on moulding technology for brick and block machines; a Finke workshop examining oxide dosing and metering systems; Pavatile’s workshop on moulds for simulated stone; and PMSA’s own automation and product handling of brick and block making machinery.

Booysen comments that in the future, PMSA is planning to host more in-depth, two day courses for owners of equipment as well as prospective clients. “These seminars keep us active in the South African market, and give us a competitive advantage. We are supplying valuable technology training and the latest information to the market,” he concludes.

Standard Bank’s Green Star rated building in Rosebank, Johannesburg continues the trend of companies establishing environmentally friendly and energy efficient buildings and

joins nine other developments currently rated five stars with the Green Building Council of South Africa.

The 65 000 m2 Standard Bank building has some 4 500 luminaires connected to a central computer thereby eliminating any re-wiring should the luminaires require re-configuring; 60% of the building’s steel has more than 90% post-consumer recycled content reducing the embodied energy; 50% of timber has been sourced from Forest Stewardship Council certified suppliers; daylight glare is reduced for 80% of standard working hours and the air-conditioning uses a mix of air cooled chillers reducing the dependency on water.

Ralph van der Merwe, WBHO’s senior general foreman said “With a project as large as this, it was essential that core supplies such as bricks were delivered on time. We chose Oconbrick based on their reputation for reliable service. Oconbrick supplied five million clay stock bricks for this contract.”

Kobus Prinsloo, WBHO’s site agent on the Standard Bank project commented that Oconbrick offered the most competitive pricing, and that, coupled with Ocon’s reliability is what sealed the contract.

“Basically we wanted to find the best price for the best quality clay stock brick – Oconbrick gave us that”.

Oconbrick clay stock bricks are environmentally friendly due to being manufactured from natural soil as opposed to chemically compressed materials; they have high performance characteristics and are produced to last, offering greater durability and strength. The clay stock bricks are environmentally friendly offering a low carbon footprint which falls in line with the Standard Bank energy efficiency savings philosophy for their Rosebank building. The bricks have excellent acoustics with low water absorption and are naturally fire resistant.

Oconbrick has supplied bricks to two other five star, Green Star rated buildings, namely ABSA Towers West, Johannesburg and Nedbank Menlyn Maine Falcon Building also in Johannesburg.

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Emergent brick manufacturer, Johannesburg-based Leo Bricks, was established in 2007 and has grown considerably since.

Cathe drale de la Re surrection A Roman Catholic Cathedral in Évry, France, is unique for its rotund main sanctuary. Designed by Mario Botta Architetto, it is finished with brick and topped with 24 linden trees, symbolising life.

According to Leo Bricks’ plant manager Olga Maroga, the past year has been slow for the brick industry; however, the beginning of 2014 has seen an upturn in business. Leo Bricks’ biggest clients are the owners of the RDP houses in and around Bram Fischer, Meadowlands and Soweto who purchase bricks to extend their houses.

The company bought its first UNI plant brick making machine in 2007 and to date they own two of these machines. Maroga explains: “There were 11 employees at our facility in Meadowlands working with only one machine. A second UNI plant was purchased and our employee base has grown as we needed more people to work the extra machines, as well as drivers and delivery staff.”

She adds that Leo Bricks has since expanded to include two RE600 machines which has resulted in the company opening a second site in Bram Fischer, Johannesburg. “The facility in Bram Fischer has enabled us to manufacture twice the amount of bricks and blocks – and I believe that the company can continue to grow.”

The Tate Modern Project The new building is designed

by Herzog & de Meuron and will present a striking combination of the raw and the refined. The façade will use brick to match the surface of the existing structure, while creating something radically new – a perforated brick lattice through which the interior lights will glow in the evening. Windows and the terrace will appear as cuts in the brick surface. The Tate Modern extension, second phase is now due for completion in 2016.

Maroga points out that Leo Bricks has, since its establishment, worked closely with Pan Mixers South Africa (PMSA). “PMSA offers innovative machines to its clients and has provided good quality machines and an excellent after-sales and service support. I will definitely continue to work with them in the future,” she concludes.

Innovative use of bricks in architecture around the world The Zollverein mining compound in the city of Essen makes innovative use of red brick on a steel skeleton construction.

The VC Morris Gift Shop in downtown San Francisco was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1948. This Syrian arch entrance portrays the basic technique of corbeling. Also along the brick course on a horizontal run bricks can be angled slightly to create curved walls.

These techniques together can create walls that ondulate1 with freedom that seem to defy gravity and dance.

Mapungubwe Interpretation Centre, Limpopo Province Shaped by natural structural forces, large vaulted spans can be achieved with minimal roof thickness. Local materials were used to make the brick vaults.

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