Architect and Builder August 2016 | Page 11

NEWSWORTHY EMIRA SIGNS WSP | PARSONS BRINCKERHOFF FOR THE FIRST PHASE OF KNIGHTSBRIDGE REDEVELOPMENT Emira Property announced it Fund has recently signed an agreement with WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff for approximately 5,800m² of sustainable head office space at its Knightsbridge office park development in Bryanston. This transaction triggered the first phase of Emira’s R795 million total redevelopment of the park, formally known as Knightsbridge Manor. WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff’s H.O. will be the first of seven buildings developed at the park. The new offices will also boast a minimum COSENTINO LAUNCHES INNOVATIVE LINE OF LUSTROUS ULTRA-COMPACT SURFACES The Cosentino Group, global leader in the production and distribution of innovative surfaces for architecture and design, demonstrates once again its capacity for innovation with the launch of Dekton® XGloss, a new line of polished high-tech ultra-compact surfaces characterised by their dazzling crystal shine. This new line in the Dekton® range, produced by means of an advanced nanotechnological treatment and a mechanical polishing process, offers an extraordinary, dazzling, luminous and crystal-like shine which, combined with the hardness and very high resistance characteristic of Cosentino´s ultra-compact surfaces, makes this a line of exceptional performance which is unique in the market. No other comparable surface today achieves this combination of aesthetics and technical performance. Dekton® XGloss remains equally versatile and appropriate for any type of use, due to its very nature and the Particle Sintering Technology (PST) with which it is produced, giving the surfaces superior technical properties such as resistance to UV rays and thermal shock, amongst others. This makes Dekton® the perfect choice for both indoor and outdoor, vertical and horizontal use, whether for floors, stai rs, façades or wall surfaces. All of these characteristics, together with the large size of the Dekton® slabs, offer innumerable creative possibilities for architects and designers. The new XGloss series will introduce 5 new colours in the “Solid” collection, and will be available in sizes up to 144cm x 320cm, and in thicknesses from 20mm to 12mm. E-mail: [email protected] | www.dekton.com | www.cosentino.com Facebook: Dekton South Africa 4-Star Green Star SA rating from the GBCSA. Construction at Knightsbridge began in January, and WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff will begin working from its new address from September 2017. Welcome news for anyone who uses the roads in this area - Emira’s project will result in the upgrade of the intersection of Sloane Street and William Nicol Drive. The three-phase redevelopment Knightsbridge programme will take three-and-a-half years, and will create 29,352m2 of P-grade, certified green, office space. With the WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff transaction, the first phase of Knightsbridge Manor’s redevelopment is basically 50% pre-let. It will comprise three buildings of a combined 12,464m² of office space which will take 19 The CHRYSO Group invests approximately 4% of all global sales in the investigation of green product innovations that are based on bio sourcing, renewable resources and biodegradability principles. Andries Marais, General Manager – operations at CHRYSO Southern Africa, says that in order to create a sustainable future for Earth’s inhabitants, it is critical that organisations contribute positively to the preservation of non-renewable resources. He suggests that organisations allocate a predetermined percentage of turnover for research and development into products that focus on energy reduction in their manufacturing process. www.chryso.com News Watch months to develop for completion in August 2017. www.emira.co.za 9