January 2011
The first issue for 2011 features an interview by the executive director of the South African Institute of Steel, Dr Hennie de Clerck with Andrew Tyley of Rogers Stirk + Harbour, well-known architects.
Tyley is of the opinion that architects and engineers are in a 50/50 relationship: "Our most innovative buildings come from a close collaboration between us and our engineers. Architectural issues and engineering issues are often one and the same."
An example of Tyley's work: a building in Leadenhall Street, London
Related to an increased focus in the planning of projects is the increased awareness of environmentally-friendly shopping centres. Mall of the North, a significant new mall in Polokwane, is leading the way when it comes to green issues. The developers are ensuring that future brick and mortar assets are as environmentally responsible as possible.
The use of natural light in the design of the Mall of the North development is evident throughout the centre
Still on the subject of pre-planning: the infrastructure development in South Africa is giving the country the opportunity to embed sustainability in new infrastructure's development from the start. Bradley Hemphill, MD of Electrical Engineering Solutions says that it is better to fit such systems from the word go than to retrofit them later.
When investing in infrastructure, it is vital that sustainability is embedded in the construction design from day one.
A project where sustainable pre-planning is working is with the Warwick Triangle. The conflict of high volume arterial traffic through Warwick Triangle, used to take an unacceptable toll on human life. Careful planning prior to construction seems to have solved the friction between traffic and pedestrians.
Some 460 000 people pass through the Warwick precinct every day and the inevitable conflict between vehicles and pedestrians has resulted in excess of 60 deaths a year.
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Entering post-World Cup growth phase
Basil Read has entered a new post-World Cup 2010 growth phase can be attributed to a three-tiered business strategy the company set in motion prior to the World Cup, which focuses on international expansion, Public Private Partnerships and larger, more technically challenging projects.
Eco-friendly masonry blocks
The cooling towers of Cape Town's old Athlone Power Station, which were imploded earlier this year, are making a substantial contribution to reducing the carbon footprint of a concrete masonry and paving block manufacturer in the heart of the city.
The road to success
Concor Roads & Earthworks recently announced the appointment of Chris Botha as the company's managing director. Botha who has been with Concor since February 2003, was previously operations director in charge of major projects.
