39 / 72
2 16
BEST
PR
O
JECTS
37
DECEMBER • 2016
Project information
• Company entering: Kwikspace
Modular Buildings (Kwikspace)
• Client: Gauteng Department
of Education
• Start date: 1 October 2015
• End date: 1 February 2016
• Main contractor: Kwikspace
Modular Buildings
• Principal agent: Gauteng
Deparement of Education
• Quantity surveyor: Kwikspace
• Project value: R25-million
KAALFONTEIN SECONDARY SCHOOL
The scope of works consisted of the construction of 32
classrooms, 10 ablutions, an administration building, a nutrition
centre and additional landscaping works. Faced with a challenging
project deadline and a tight budget, Kwikspace came up with
an innovative solution that enabled them to deliver the new school,
and accommodate 1 468 learners, in just 109 days – less than
1/3
rd
of the time that it would take using conventional brick and
mortar construction.
An irregular site footprint meant that Kwikspace had to
conceptualise an innovative new design to maximise the space
available at the school. It was decided that, along with three single
storey blocks, a double story building would be required to make
efficient use of the space.
To create a sturdy double storey structure it was determined
that concrete floors would be required on the ground and first
floors – a first for modular construction. First a steel structural
frame was assembled, using prefabricated steel components,
and then prefabricated concrete blocks were craned into place
on the frame to form the ground and first floors. The remaining
components were assembled around the frame to form the shell
and façade of the new school building. All the components used,
including the wall panels, windows, doors, roofs and the frame
were prefabricated and transported to Kaalfontein for assembly.
Along with the innovative double story school building,
Kwikspace provided three single storey blocks, one of which was
approximately 94 m long and held 10 classrooms. In another first
for modular construction, the ablutions were incorporated into the
classroom block, in the centre, rather than as a separate building,
which is the standard design of modular schools.
An adminstrative unit was supplied for members of staff which
included a built in strong room, which Kwikspace created using
double thick polyurethane wall panels with reinforced bars.
According to a survey commissioned by the
Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) in 2015,
533 of the 1 856 schools in the province were
overcrowded. To address the urgent requirement
for new classrooms, the GDE awarded Kwikspace
Modular Buildings a R25-million contract to build
a new school for Kaalfontein Secondary School
using alternative building methods.
A nutrition building, with a kitchen and storage area, from which
school pupils receive one nutritious meal a day.
All of these structures were built using traditional, strong
foundations onto which the external façade and roofs were built
using modular components. Despite its rapid delivery, this method
of construction gives rise to a durable structure that requires little
maintenance and has a long lifespan.
The project was split into four phases corresponding to work on
each of the four blocks. Following the completion of each phase,
pupils were immediately taken out of their old mobile classrooms
and shifted into the new buildings. With this in mind the contractor
had to exercise extreme care to minimise dust, noise and make the
area ready after each phase – to ensure a comfortable transition.
The old classrooms were in a terrible state of disrepair and moving
the children into their new premises as soon as possible was
a priority. Despite these challenges, through extensive forward
planning and in close consultation with the school, Kwikspace was
able to deliver a new school for Kaalfontein, in record time, without
disruption to learners.
Creating a design for the school that incorporated all of the new
facilities, on the triangular footprint of land was challenging, but
it inspired us to develop an ingenuitive new double story solution
that we can now roll out on other projects.
Wherever possible, Kwikspace tries to leave a positive
impact on the communities that surround its works. During
construction 95 local community jobs were created and five
local subcontractors were employed to provide paving, plumbing,
electrical, security, landscaping and construction support.
The site team realised that, in order to install the school’s sewer
connection line, they would need to demolish a neighbouring
resident’s existing corrugated iron home, which was sitting directly
on top of the connection. In close consultation with the resident,
the team brought down the existing structure quickly and replaced
it with a structurally superior modular building with strong
traditional foundations.
Special Mention