Construction World March 2018

Project information • Project name: House Memel • Location: Memel, Free State • Date of completion: January 2017

• Architect: Izelle Weilbach • Builder: Eco Log Homes • Engineer: Mike Hull, Hull Consulting Engineers • Roofing: Truss Mecca • Plumbing and gas installation: Plumbing Fanatics

are finished with a waterproof membrane and 11 mm thick oriented strand board, adding to both the insulating value of the walls as well as the structural bracing and integrity of the house. Woodgrain textured fibre cement planks complete the exterior cladding. The space under the house was built up with sandstone blocks which were repurposed from an old ruin from elsewhere on the farm. The space is now cleverly used as a basement area to house air-conditioners, gas geyser and other utilities. The floor of the house suspended above the basement is packed with high-density polystyrene to help insulate from the bottom as well. The roof structure, most of which is exposed throughout the house, was manufactured and installed by an Institute for Timber Construction South Africa (ITC-SA) accredited fabricator and erector and the roof is insulated with a combination of glasswool and IsoBoard insulation. House Memel was built according to both SANS 10400 XA ‘Energy Usage in Buildings’ and SANS 204, which covers the energy efficiency in buildings. The project carries a built-in water purification system, gas stoves and gas heaters, and only borehole water is used. “House Memel represents a thoughtful response to a client brief for a timber frame home, with leisure and entertainment at heart, and with difficult soil conditions for construction,” says Slabbert. “Timber was the ideal construction material with which to bring House Memel to life, due to both soil and weather conditions in the area. Thanks to its strength and insulating properties, the occupants will be able to enjoy a comfortable, well-insulated structure that is built to last; well-considered design and high-quality finishes layer brawn with beauty for a sturdy, yet luxurious structure that will comfortably weather both the elements and shifts in design trends for years to come,” Slabbert concludes. 

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CONSTRUCTION WORLD MARCH 2018