Architect and Builder Magazine South Africa March/April 2015 | Page 28

The main feature of the
building is the central
open courtyard with
planting and integrated
and movable seating

allowed to accommodate an additional floor,
whilst severability has similarly been allowed
in the case of sub-let.
Social Transformation
The site was managed to the client’s rigorous
health and safety standards under the motto
‘’Operational Excellence’’. Concern for the
workmen was elevated above other concerns,
which resulted in no deaths and few injuries
during construction. The psychological and
practical effect of “Operational Excellence”
cannot be understated. For the first
time, ordinary construction workers were
individually empowered with stop-work
authority and to decline instructions that put
them at risk. The result is a re-weighting of
social priorities on site where the individual
(rather than haste) becomes the primary unit
of currency. The project stands out in terms
of innovative use of construction materials
in the areas of concrete and aluminium
cladding, and its five star green rating, which
addresses issues of