WINNER: ARMSTRONG CONSTRUCTIONSHOSPEC PTY LTD JV - ST APOLLINARIS HOSPITAL - NEW STAFF ACCOMMODATION
The nurses' homes comprise of three 650m2 nursing home blocks and a 550m2 doctors' apartment cluster. The design is somewhat conventional, drawing influence from the existing hospital buildings dating back from the early 1900s. While LSFB appears to be in its infancy in South Africa, Architects detailing was drawn from as far afield as Florida in the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, being interpreted to comply with South African conditions, building regulations and green building aspects. The project was completed within the prescribed 9 month contract period, barring later renovations to the Hospitals guardhouse, entrance roadways and landscaping.
From an early geological survey undertaken of the property, obstacles were heightened for any future development. This being the case, light-steel frame building (LSFB's) was proposed and adopted, which formed the basis of this development. By elevating the building platform on piers and building LSFB's on top of a precast concrete slab, development could take place unhindered by the underlying founding conditions and at a much faster pace.
Great emphasis was placed on training and up skilling local labour, which was evident when the last 140m2 doctor's unit was erected by a team of local labour, who previously had no experience in LSF building methods. However 80% of the labour force was sourced locally with minimal basic skills and they were keen and hungry to learn
