HOLY FAMILY HERITAGE RESTORATION

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Founded in 1905 by the Reverend Mother Ambrose Farren of the Holy Family Sisters, this school was originally known as the Parktown Convent for Girls. In 1991 the school became the Holy Family College, a co-educational school from Grade R to matric.

In 2012 a fire broke out on the stage in the school hall which destroyed most of the upper level structure and roof and damaged 5 classrooms and change rooms below the hall. As a Grade 1 heritage structure and operating school, plans to restore this structure had to be implemented quickly to ensure rainfall did not further jeopardise the vulnerable structure open to the elements. Damage to the school hall was extensive. The entire roof structure and timber wall panelling was completely destroyed. The upper masonry construction of the walls had collapsed and all load bearing supports had lost their integrity. The weight of the collapsed debris had further caused structural cracking in the floor slab and allowed rainfall in the ensuing months to penetrate into the classroom floor below the hall, saturating the walls and warping all timber flooring which remained. Heritage reports, research and plan of

Development Data Project Role

Total Floor Area: 1 505m²

Height: 4 Storeys

Coverage: 962m²

Project Value: R12 million £1 million/$1.2 million

Construction period: 10 months works were drawn up and presented to PHRAG, the regional heritage authority, for approval in order to facilitate the start of building work as the school lacked sufficient spaces in which to teach. Remnants of structure, cast iron components and partial fittings together with photographs from staff and students of prize-givings, school plays, assemblies as well as visits from foreign dignitaries were sourced in order to provide references for the recreation of the original design. Fittings that survived the fire were restored and additional replicated. Timber matching the original spec to the floor (American white oak), wall panelling and doors (African mahogany) was sourced and matched to photographic details of the prior installation. Some limitations in materials and construction were encountered but contemporary alternatives were developed to complete the restoration as well as updating older technologies with newer, efficient solutions.

Project Architect and principal agent responsible for project management, progress tracking, production of drawings, specifications, council and heritage applications, administration of project and budget matters with insurers and contractor, running site meetings, inspection of works and snagging, sourcing of fabricators and quotes of work to be done.

The original brickwork of the hall, referred to as a Kirkness brick, was made in Pretoria, 50km north of Johannesburg during the early 1900s. This brick is longer and shallower than a standard imperial brick, measuring 420x140x65mm. Since these have long been out of manufacture, a special order of custom sized bricks to match was placed of 12 000 units to permit the rebuilding of the hall to match what currently remained of the face brick walls. This came at considerable cost but was considered essential to the restoration of the building to its original appearance. The structural cracking in the remaining slabs were corrected with carbon fibre straps and epoxied steel dowels. A new steel gantry structure for the stage, lighting rigging and curtain track was craned through the roof and fixed into new structural concrete and brickwork walls. Overall the project is considered a huge success by the local community and school which now boasts one of the most modern stage setups in Johannesburg which the school rents out for concerts and drama performances as an additional income stream, assisting in the continued survival of this heritage institution.

Construction

Since the original drawings of the hall could not be found, recreation of the structural detailing had to be made from the remnants salvaged after the fire, together with photographic references. During the cleanup operations, all concrete and steelwork items were stored on site to be later inspected, documented and then pieced back together.

The main western facade window is a primary design element and portions of the surviving concrete surround were used to recreate the edging and brickwork interface details around the window. Distinctive bricks with cut notches and bull-nosing gave hints at how they had been previously assembled and formed the base for a faithful recreation. Certain items such as the main roof beams and internal upper wall cladding could not be reproduced fully. The original roof beams were solid mass timber, a highly expensive and unfeasible solution considering the reduced bearing load of the side walls and buttresses. Older forms of insulation in the walls and cladding seemed to indicate an asbestos based product, no longer legal to be used under current SA building codes. Even the various kinds of patterned and rolled glass are no longer manufactured today. Such items required a modern re-interpretation to produce an identical aesthetic but in a more efficient and compliant manner. In some cases this has led to high performance improvements in the space, with the inclusion of modern insulation, acoustic cladding, improved electrical, lighting and sound systems, lighter roof structure and improved facilities which should allow this building to serve the school for the next 100 years.

2017-2018 / ARCHITECTURE / RESIDENTIAL