Construction World July 2019

PROJECTS & CONTRACTS

AT THE HEART OF CAPE PROJECT TO IMPROVE LIVES Leading construction contractor, Concor is taking a leading role in one of the region’s most important and innovative public-private urban developments. T he Conradie Better Living Model project is aimed at improving the lives of Western Cape residents, and Mark Schonrock, property development manager at Concor Construction, says the new housing model is a real game changer. “As a company we are excited to be involved in this project which is located on the 22 hectare site of the former Conradie Hospital near Pinelands,” Schonrock says. This residentially-led, mixed-use neighbourhood development will prioritise integration, sustainability and affordability. Concor Construction has been tasked with executing the full development of the project. This includes all town planning, detailed designs, sales and marketing, funding, construction and handover to end-users. The multi-million rand initiative is being developed as a partnership between the Western Cape Government, the City of Cape Town and the private sector. The core of the development is between 3 500 and 3 600 housing units; of these, of which about 1 760 will be grant-funded, affordable units. The initiative will provide affordable housing – reasonably close to Cape Town’s central business district – for families earning between R3 500 and R22 500 per month. Sports facilities, a community hall and schools for 1 600 learners are on the plans, as well as up to 60 000 m² of commercial space and 15 000 m² of retail space. A three-star or four-star business hotel, with 160 rooms and 500 m² of conferencing facilities, is also

Celebrating breaking ground at the Conradie Better Living Model project. planned. The town planning scheme also incorporates substantial green belt areas with recreational facilities. The bulk of the zoning is MU2 (a category of mixed use in the Cape Town zoning scheme). The development framework and rezoning has been finalised and approved, and the precinct plans are currently underway. An important benefit of the site – which is to the west of Thornton and north-east of Pinelands – is its proximity to public transport. It is within walking distance of both the Mutual and Thornton railway stations. Although this is outside the control of Concor, there is also the potential for expanding other public transport modes, such as the MyCiti bus service. It is hoped that good access to public transport will make residents less reliant on private vehicles. The site will also have interconnected footpaths and cycling infrastructure as part of an integrated non-motorised transport plan for the area. 

An artist’s impression of the Conradie Better Living Model project.

Standing the TEST OF TIME When Edgard Frankignoul invented the Franki pile in 1909, he had no idea that 110 years later it would still be regarded as one of the most cost-effective and reliable solutions for a host of different geological conditions.

Left: The Liebherr 855, Liebherr 8070 and NCK Ajax Franki and pre-drilling rigs at Saiccor mill in Umkumaas. Right: Perfectly positioned and trimmed Franki piles in a three-pile group.

“I t’s quite amazing,” says Franki Africa’s Gavin Byrne, “that with only relatively small improvements over time, the Franki pile, after so many years, repeatedly remains the solution of choice in a wide variety of conditions. Given that we operate in an ever-changing and advancing technological environment makes the ubiquitous nature of the Franki pile even more remarkable. “Above all, the Franki pile is a unique system for generating excellent load capacity and we have developed a number of techniques to install it in a variety of soil conditions,” adds Byrne. “With its wide range of pile sizes and its characteristic enlarged base, it’s fair to say that the Franki pile has been one of the cornerstones

of Franki Africa’s success in Southern Africa. The latest project to demonstrate the magic of the Franki pile is the piling work done for Sappi at its Saiccor mill in Umkomaas, KZN. The project Sappi’s project includes the installation of a new evaporator, recovery boiler and screening and washing plant, along with upgrades to the bleach plant and pulp machines, improved recovery circuits and additional magnesium digesters. The piling tender for all these elements stipulated the installation of approximately 1 900 piles to varying depths.

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CONSTRUCTION WORLD JULY 2019