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BEST
PR
O
JECTS
45
DECEMBER • 2016
The unique architectural shape of the new Sasol head office
building in Sandton brought with it some interesting and
challenging solutions throughout the construction of the project.
One of these included the roof slab (a 15 m span with variously
sized downstand and upstand beams) to connect two sections of
the building and allowing for the feature inclined glass façade to
join into this roof slab from below.
There were essentially two ways of constructing this bridge:
• 45 m high shoring of the entire bridge from ground floor to the
roof slab which required tie-backs into the slabs on each side of
the building and additional lateral stability – this solution was
not possible as it interfered with the façade installation and
programme; the metric volume of shoring required was estimated
at 9 500 m
3
. The cost saving alone in the transport and assembly
time became a deciding factor
• PERI proposed solution of creating a false soffit in 40 m height
using steel beams to span between the building and then only
required another 5 m of shoring which could be safely installed
from the false soffit. This solution had no impact on the façade
programme and the volume of material required was significantly
less with an elegantly engineered solution for the client to erect
and dismantle.
HDT Main Beam with inclined HD200 prop assembled as individual
frames and lifted into position.
Pre-manufactured 533 I-Beam units were lifted in position on
top of the spreader beam and fixed in position
SASOL HEAD OFFICE BRIDGE
Multiprop towers were safely assembled and installed from the
I-Beam units and the MRK frames were used as working platforms
to safely assemble the slab and beam soffits.
Stripping of the system was done in reverse as descibed alongside
– speed and safety of the erection and dismantling in 40 m height
made it successful.
Project information
• Company entering: PERI
• Main contractor: Aveng Grinaker-LTA
SERVICE CENTRE IN ORLANDO EAST
In 2015, Lafarge South Africa, one of the country’s major cement,
concrete and aggregates manufacturers, secured the exclusive
sponsorship of the Orlando Stadium, which occupies a special
place in the hearts of the local community and all the people of
South Africa.
It was a new marketing strategy for the company to have a
much stronger and direct focus on reaching the consumers of its
products and services. Allied to this was the desire to give back
to the local Orlando community through Lafarge South Africa’s
extensive corporate social investment (CSI) initiatives. It was
important to design a sustainable way of doing this.
The company considered that it could provide free advice
and a direct technical service to the community on building new
homes and improvements, as well as promote the development of
business skills, financed sustainably by consolidating the Lafarge
brand at grassroots level and creating a stronger demand for
its products.
In a first for the local cement industry, Lafarge South Africa
opened an innovative Service Centre in Orlando East, Soweto.
Contributing to the sustainable development of building expertise
and infrastructure in the area, the Centre offers a wide range of
services that make the building process far easier, more efficient,
and importantly more accessible for customers.
The services cover guidance on planning, design, building
regulations, finance, and interior layout and finishes. The
Centre also provides information on Lafarge approved building
contractors. Emerging entrepreneurs, who partner with Lafarge
to provide supplier and contractor services, are offered business
skills training, such as cash flow management, selling techniques,
and product technical knowledge.
The pilot scheme is stimulating economic development and
building the skills pool in this underserved community, which will
lead to improving the quality of life for the local people.
The intention is to replicate the Service Centre concept in other
similar communities.
Project information
• Company entering: Lafarge
South Africa
• Client: Lafarge Sotuh Africa