Construction World September 2021

PROJECTS

THE FIRST PHASE OF LUXURY APARTMENT DEVELOPMENT IS COMPLETE

T he first phase of high-rise luxury apartment development, Ellipse Waterfall, is complete. Construction of the first two towers, 10-storey ‘Newton’ and 11-storey ‘Kepler’, began in November 2019 and is now complete. This moves the development onto the second phase in which the flagship 16-storey ‘Cassini’ tower including ‘The Luna Club’ will be built. The ‘Galileo’ tower will be built in the third and final phase. Once complete, the sizable 45 000 m 2 precinct will include 600 brand-new apartments and other amenities such as leisure and lap pools, verdant gardens, and ‘The Luna Club’. Designed by distinguished multidisciplinary design studio, dhk Architects, the elegant form of the

Ellipse Waterfall towers developed by Attacq and Tricolt will deliver a highly recognisable landmark in the heart of Waterfall City. The architecture is both bold and discreet, featuring a striking facade of glass and solid panels that allow the buildings to be presented as a singular, legible architectural form. The design moves away from simple all-glass towers and will be recognised as an enduring and site-responsive addition to Waterfall City. The carefully designed podium and ‘The Luna Club’ will engage residents and endorse the sense of community, providing further quality to this unique development. Waterfall City is a rapidly developing mixed-use suburb that encompasses a variety of lifestyle, residential and commercial functions. Prominent buildings within the district include the Mall of Africa, as well as several high-rise office blocks. The vision of Waterfall City is to establish a vibrant, modern destination that embraces urban living.  T he Ingula pumped storage scheme in the Little Drakensberg escarpment in KwaZulu-Natal consists of an upper and a lower dam, each capable of holding about 22 million cubic metres of water. The two dams are 4,6 km apart and are connected by underground waterways that pass through a subterranean powerhouse with four 333 MW generators. To generate electricity during times of peak demand, water is released from the upper dam, passing through the pump and turbines into the lower dam. During periods of reduced energy demand, the water is pumped from the lower back to the upper dam. Periodic inspection of the four units by specialised structural, civil or mechanical teams requires rope access

PROFESSIONAL TEAM Developer: Attacq and Tricolt Architects: dhk Architects

Project Managers: Tricolt Project Managers Quantity Surveyor: Tricolt Quantity Surveyors Structural, Civil and Facade Engineers: Arup Mechanical Engineers: Spoormaker & Partners Wet Services Engineers: Sutherland Electrical Engineers: Aftek Consulting Engineers Fire Engineers: Sutherland Landscape Architect: Green Inc Sustainability Consultant: Solid Green

Interior Designer: dhk Architects Urban Designer: dhk Architects Lighting Consultant: Pamboukian Photographer: Tristan McLaren

ROPE ACCESS AND CONFINED-SPACE SERVICES AT INGULA

and confined-space standby rescue. Both of these services were provided by rope-access specialist Skyriders after being awarded a contract for all four units in 2020, according to marketing Manager Mike Zinn. The fact that the specialists themselves do not necessarily have any rope-access experience means that Skyriders deploys some of its highest qualified and most experienced technicians to provide the necessary assistance and access. Describing Ingula as one of the most challenging industrial environments that Skyriders has been involved with to date, Zinn adds that the contract has been a significant extension of the inspection, repair and access work that Skyriders has carried out for electricity utility Eskom over the years at the bulk of its power-station fleet. 

40 CONSTRUCTION WORLD SEPTEMBER 2021