December 2013
CONSTRUCTION WORLD
38
Building Contractors
A
2
Merlog Foods
T
his is anautomated loadingandpickingdistribution centreby ro-
botics in a -25 °C storage facility, for distribution into SouthAfrica.
The balance of the works comprised a picking area also at
-25 °C, internal operations offices, dock levellers, plantrooms, utility
buildings and a refurbished office block that the client now uses
as his head office. External works comprises hardstand areas, two
attenuation dams and a borehole for process water.
The main structure was existing, comprising of concrete bases,
structural steel columns castellated beams as rafters and a soft roof.
The new freezer portion of the building consisted of a recessed
floor slab (FM2) -1,5 m below FFL with the sides retained by concrete
retaining walls. This recess was necessary in order to make the auto-
mated German picking system function.
On the high tolerance floors a racking system was installed and
the racks were then clad with composite insulation panels (rack clad
system). Freezer floors are very complicated especially the layerworks,
insulation and anti-freezing mechanism employed under the rein-
forced high tolerance floors.
Usually the anti-freezing mechanism consists of three electrical
wires laid in a sandbedbelow the insulation, whichheats up toprevent
the substrata from freezing and eventually damaging the concrete
floor. On this project the design engineers additionally used glycol
pipes that ran in the same sand bed and used the by-product heat
generated by the cooling plant, to run through the pipes to prevent
the substrate from freezing.
This complicated the follow on works as all the cables and glycol
pipes were precisely laid into the sand bed and one had to take great
care that none were damaged by the PVC layer, the fixing of reinforc-
ing and ultimately the casting of the surface bed.
These were electronically tested and pressure tested prior to the
floor being cast to make sure. The Merlog Foods site was audited by
the Master Builders Association (KZN) and achieved a 5-star rating
One on Herwood, Umhlanga
Project information
• Name of project: One on Herwood
• Company entering: Stefanutti Stocks Building
KwaZulu-Natal
• Project start date: March 2011
• Project end date: December 2012
• Client: Trapezoid Investments
• Project team: Stefanutti Stocks Building KwaZulu-Natal
• Main contractor: Stefanutti Stocks Building KwaZulu-Natal
• Architect: PGA Architects
• Principal agent: PGA Architects
• Project management: Alexander Projects
• Consulting engineer: Arup
• Project value: R80-million
O
ne onHerwood is an R80-million development built in keeping
with the Umhlanga new town center’s format.
The development consists of five levels of basement park-
ingand11floors of highgrade residential apartments, twopenthouses
with an open reception area and a pool deck overlooking the Indian
Ocean. The building’s footprint covered the entire site making site
establishment, storage and working space extremely tight.
In keepingwithManagement Association rules all buildingworks,
equipment, plant and materials had to be housed within the site
boundaries despite being situated in themiddle of an open field, with
working hours being restricted from 7:00 – 18:00 Monday to Friday
and Saturday 7:00 – 14:00.
One of the difficult factors that had to be dealt withwas construct-
ing the building while roads were being constructed on two of the
four sides of the site making access difficult.
This meant careful programming and planning to ensureminimal
disruption to all parties during the construction period and still main-
taining progress relative to the contract programme.
The construction of this project was a challenging one and the key
to finishing on time was to get the structure out of the ground and
complete as quickly as possible to enable the wet trades, services and
other finishes to complete their work on time and to specification.
All the slabs were post tensioned, all pours were done by either
static or boom pumps with the concrete being supplied by a ready
mix supplier.
Two tower cranes were used for the duration of the contract.
Working efficiently was crucial given the safety constraints and
demand for crane time as the concrete and wet trade works over-
lapped by some three months.
This demand was met by strict timetables and the use of canti-
lever platforms in each level to allow for quick supply of materials
to each level.
Other difficulties encountered were the typical issues associated
with residential developments such as information, quality, sequence
of works and snags which were well managed by a cohesive site
and professional team who shared the same ideas and goals
making the building process as practical as possiblewithout compris-
ing on the finish.
While it may be an iconic silhouette, practical aesthetics were
preferred as this was going to be a home to awide range of occupants
andwould have towithstand the elements on an exposed coastal site.
The development has been a success in the light of economically
challenging times and, with its restrained contemporary aesthet-
ics, it is set to age well in its prominent location. Originally set to be
constructed on three sites, the scope of the development called for
the erven to be consolidated to create a unified platform to achieve
the cabana configuration.
