A division of Grinaker-LTA’s Building Business Unit and part of the JSE-listed Aveng Group, Grinaker-LTA Façades has recently completed the striking cladding for several high profile developments around South Africa. These include the Civitas buildings in Pretoria’s CBD, which are the new headquarters of the Department of Health, as well as the Coega Development Corporation’s offices at Port Elizabeth’s Coega Industrial Development Zone.
Grinaker-LTA Façades is currently working on a number of buildings in Gauteng, including the Inner Circle development in Morningside’s Rivonia Road and 15 Alice Lane Towers in Sandton. Most recently, the division has been awarded the contract for the curtain walling and shopfronts at the Sandton Eye (1 Station Place). The state-of-the-art, contemporary façades that Grinaker-LTA Façades manufactures and installs are winning recognition, as well as coveted awards.
The operation's success has prompted the expansion of its facility to meet current demands and future prospects, states general manager Colin Gardner.
He reports that Grinaker-LTA Façades’ R33-million sub-contract at the Inner Circle offices is ahead of schedule and nearing completion. Set atop a podium, the Inner Circle office building will be a new landmark in Morningside’s Rivonia Road, with its shimmering facade comprising a combination of Arctic Blue and Marine Blue glass in powder coated unitised aluminium support framework. The division has supplied 1600 glazed units, each comprising four pieces of glass. The curtain wall is a total 10 500 m2 in size, and is designed to maximise the natural lighting in the office areas while reducing solar heat build-up in the 10-storey office block, resulting in lower lighting and air-conditioning energy demands.
“The design and architectural team have put together a well thought-out glass structure aimed at achieving optimal light and thermal efficiency,” Gardner comments.
In addition to its energy-efficient qualities, the curtain wall to the new office block also matches the existing Inner Circle building located adjacent to it on the same property.
Unique project features include external aluminium feature bands and sloping screens, which add to the aesthetics of the building.
Portable lifting hoists were employed to lift Inner Circle’s 312 000kg of curtain walling into position.
A timeous delivery has turned a lot of heads, with Grinaker-LTA Façades being widely commended for its work on this high-profile building in Sandton. The division was tasked to clad the entire Inner Circle building within six months. A cost effective building maintenance system will be integrated into the façade, for easy cleaning and upkeep of the curtain wall.
Grinaker-LTA Façades’ recently-awarded contract for the curtain wall on 15 Alice Lane Towers will be a testing undertaking, Gardner notes, with project challenges including carefully negotiating the vertically curved curtain wall that protrudes 5m past the outside of the structure and the extension of the curtain wall above the roof level. The gable ends will be a combination of composite panel units with recessed diagonal strip windows. This building’s main glass façade consists of a variety of patterned glass elements, Gardner explains, and the main challenge, he notes, involves the accuracy of the workmanship. “Fitting the right glass into the right panel is paramount,” he stresses.
Grinaker-LTA Façades’ work at the 36-year-old Civitas building in Pretoria entailed the installation of a new 15 500 m2 glass curtain wall designed to give the old skyscraper a new look, and make it energy efficient.
Grinaker-LTA Façades also installed a similar modern glass façade on the new nine-storey office block constructed adjacent to the original Civitas building, to create additional tenant space for the Department of Health. The new building needed to match the existing one,” Gardner notes, adding that a total of 8 800 m2 of glass curtain wall has been installed on it.
“The glass curtain walls were also designed to improve the natural lighting in the office areas while simultaneously reducing solar heat build-up within the buildings, resulting in decreased lighting and air-conditioning energy requirements. With SA’s building regulations under review with the aim of reducing energy demand from industry by 15% in 2015, the new Civitas buildings’ energy-efficient features are particularly noteworthy. These energy-efficient glass façades have resulted in the buildings surpassing the target to reduce overall energy consumption by 24% on the air-conditioning side. This represents significant cost savings for the client, the Department of Public Works, and the tenant, the Department of Health.”
Grinaker-LTA Façades’ sub-contract at Civitas won the Construction World Best Projects Award for its category in this industry magazine’s prestigious annual competition.
Installing 7 000 m2 of “Pure White” Hulabond Cladding to the external envelope of the new Coega Development Corporation head quarters is how Grinaker-LTA Façades contributed to the creation of this new landmark in Port Elizabeth. This office block actually stands out on the horizon when one enters the city. The division’s sub-contract here also entailed the installation of a 417 m2 curtain wall – glazed in Serrena Green glass - at the office block’s entrance.
