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CONSTRUCTION WORLD
APRIL
2017
Rui Santos, managing director of the company which is now part of the
Southern Palace Group, says the company is thrilled to have secured this
prestigious project which is being built within the existing Skukuza Rest
Camp in the Kruger National Park (KNP).
Santos says the 128 bedroom three star double storey hotel, which
maintains the KNP typical architectural theme, is designed in a figure
eight configuration with bedroom wings on either side of a centre double
volume area.
The scope of work includes a thatched public facility with lounge,
restaurant, kitchen and rest rooms. It will offer a four star service to
wildlife conference attendees using the adjacent SANParks conference
facilities. The bedrooms look inwards to inner courtyards on each wing
with a pool and landscaped areas. Construction also includes single
quarters for hotel and visiting staff.
The project site was handed over on 21 February 2017 and completion
is scheduled for June 2018.
Carel Fourie, newly appointed CEO of
Oryx Properties, the owner of the centre,
describes it as “more than a shopping
experience, from convenient shopping to a
fun, family dining opportunity”.
This year, the well-known and vibrant
mall will undergo a complete facelift,
bringing both its look and its offerings
up to date. New tenants are joining, with
the first John Dory’s in Namibia set to
open its doors, Queenspark, Cappellos
and Checkers Liquor. The phased upgrade
offers everything under one roof, from
entertainment and dining to leisure and
shopping. Public areas and walkways
will be upgraded in keeping with the new,
contemporary look, while a timber-slatted
ceiling suspended with liquid-crystal light
hoops will be installed.
The food court will be redesigned
over two levels, making space for great
new restaurants. An outside eating area
will offer close proximity to the family
entertainment centre “We’re excited to be
introducing a trampoline park, glow-in-the-
dark putt-putt, bowling alley, a climbing wall
and much more,” says centre manager
Thea Thornley.
Skukuza safari lodge project
Murray & Roberts Buildings has been awarded the R200-
million contract to construct the new Skukuza Safari Lodge
for the South African National Parks Board (SANParks).
Maerua Mall begins interior upgrade
Maerua Mall, established in 1990, is
Windhoek’s original shopping centre.
Close to the heart of Namibia’s
capital city and bordering the eastern
suburbs, it welcomes over nine
million shoppers every year.
13,5 m to the underside of the eaves which offers efficiencies
of scale and an FM2 floor which provides a solid platform for
the erection of racking and easy movement of mechanised
machinery with a 38 m yard.
It also provides a secure park environment with 24 hour
security, a central gate and electric fence and a fire system
with central pumps and tanks that will serve the entire park.
Green building best practice is incorporated via features
such as low maintenance indigenous landscaping that is fully
irrigated and buildings that can accommodate photo voltaic
cells for the production of electricity.
However, the key draw card remains Louwlardia’s prime
location with excellent highway visibility and accessibility to
road, rail and domestic and international air freight hubs.
“It is well situated adjacent to the N1 highway between
Johannesburg and Pretoria with access from the N1 via
Brakfontein and Nellmapius Roads. It is also well connected
to two major alternative routes (the R21 and N14) and provides
easy access to both the OR Tambo and Lanseria Airports as
well as major centres,” he explained.
He added that the N1 frontage was a prime location with
excellent highway visibility for signage and branding.
Four entrances and ample parking,
including dedicated parking for the disabled
and elderly, as well as moms and tots
make access a breeze. The mall is named
after the trees that surround it. Ringwoods
(Maerua schinzii) are a protected species
in Namibia. “The tree is symbolic of
sustainability and vitality, and this
resonates with our ethos,” says Fourie.
The mall’s commitment to sustainability
is evident in its NAD17-million 1 MW
rooftop solar-power plant, which generates
about 20% of the centre’s electricity. The
1 407 MWh generated by the plant during
the 2016 financial year reduced the mall’s
CO
2
emissions by 1 128 tons.