Construction World November 2018

PROJECTS & CONTRACTS

DESIGN FOR NEW HEAD OFFICE Capitec Bank has unveiled the design of its

T he new building will be situated on two vacant and adjacent plots of land on the North-West edge of Technopark and will accommodate up to 21 500 m 2 of space. A number of key concepts have been considered, namely, the identity of the brand, internal flow and green initiatives – such as water saving, energy saving and air quality. dhk has designed a single three-storey building with a wide open-plan floor plate that ‘loops’ around a central triple-volume atrium. The loop adopts a fluid curvilinear form that shifts along its length, capitalising on the property’s 360-degree views. The floor plates are connected across the atrium by a series of feature bridges and staircases to promote interactivity between departments. The new head office in Technopark in Stellenbosch. The business currently operates frommultiple buildings in scattered locations in the same business park and has therefore decided to consolidate its offices into one building. The office will be custom-designed and owned by the company – thus increasing operational efficiencies. Leading South African architecture studio, dhk, designed the building whilst taking into account Capitec’s current occupancy and planned growth. PAVING THE WAY FOR THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE Perdekraal East Wind Farm, situated within the Witzenberg Local Municipality, is preparing the way to begin major construction activity on the Western Cape’s largest BW4 wind farm.

façade of the building was developed to accentuate the linear looped form with a simple ribbon of fenestration that responds to the ever- changing orientation of the building. Looking to the future and considering the dynamic nature of the business, the interior utilises best practices in modern workplace design. The building will enable a high level of interaction amongst business units whilst providing flexibility, adaptability and agility. In addition to workstations, the office will include a central canteen, coffee stations and a Capitec Bank branch. A parking area has also been designed which will be housed in a separate structure. Director at dhk and lead architect on the project Peter Stokes says, “Capitec encouraged input from the architects and interior designers to incorporate the latest workplace trends. To future-proof the design of the building, a flexible and agile approach was taken. The flow within the building supports a high degree of interaction and collaboration between business units and the executives”. According to Derick Henstra, executive chairman at dhk, “Capitec is one of the most progressive and exciting companies in South Africa. We are delighted to have been the architects chosen to design their new headquarters”. Simple and sophisticated in its design with light open spaces, the building will facilitate departmental and executive interactivity and ultimately efficiency. Capitec’s head office is set to be completed in February 2020.  

The Perdekraal East Wind Farm construction team has been working on establishing on site infrastructure, clearing and grubbing of roads, turbine foundations and preparing to construct 42 km of road.

S ince achieving financial closure in June this year, the construction team has been working on establishing on site infrastructure, clearing and grubbing of roads and turbine foundations and preparing to construct 42 km of road on site. “These are early days in the project, but we are gearing up and expect to have excavated four foundations by the end of this month,” explains Glenn Hobson, Construction Project Manager. He describes the terrain as gently sloping Karoo-type bushveld, with underlying rocky outcrops. This is Hobson’s first opportunity to manage the construction of a wind farm and what he sees as an ideal chance to further advance the green energy revolution while

contributing to the development of local communities.

“South Africa’s renewables story is truly inspirational. We are transitioning towards a renewable future, which facilitates multiple opportunities for growth and development, within areas and communities that for decades have lacked infrastructure, investment and sustainable employment opportunities. It’s also a chance to work towards solving one of the most pressing challenges of our time; reducing the use of fossil fuels and the associated reduction of greenhouse gas emissions,” said Hobson. Once complete, the 110 MW Perdekraal Wind Farm, which spans 3 055 hectares, will comprise forty-eight, 115 m-high wind

turbines. When operating at full capacity, it will generate around 183 000 MWh of clean renewable energy per year and is expected to supply electricity to power up to 95 000 South African homes. Perdekraal East Wind Farm will eliminate approximately 410 000 tonnes of carbon emissions each year compared to traditional fossil fuel power plants. In addition to zero carbon emissions and reduced use of fossil fuels, the country will benefit from minimal water consumption during the generation process and significant social and enterprise development programmes. 

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CONSTRUCTION WORLD NOVEMBER 2018