Architect and Builder Magazine South Africa May/June 2014

of this iconic precinct. This exceptional accomplishment is pioneering in that it is the first 6-Star rating of commercial office space of this scale in South Africa and the first building to achieve this rating in the City of Cape Town. We also wish to acknowledge the insightful collaboration between the developer, tenant and professional team involved on this ground-breaking project,” he concluded. FIRE CONSULTANT’S REPORT This 30m high building, with its underground parking, office component and adjoining apartment section, required careful consideration be given to fire safety. It was also necessary to take specific measurements to try and reduce capital costs plus make as much of the building area as possible useable space. The General Fire Safety Services As per most high-rise buildings, the following services were provided: • An adequacy of pressurised fire escape staircases. These all complied with the requirements of disabled persons. • Fireman’s lifts with their pressurised lift shafts and lobbies that would also be used for the evacuation of wheelchair bound people. • Full fire separation between the 1 Silo office block, the residential component and the parking garage with individual fire separated areas within these overall fire compartments. • The building is fully sprinkler protected with hydrants, fire hosereels and portable fire extinguishers. • Full fire detection and alarms throughout with all the fire alarm / services interfaces in place plus automatic (with manual override) voice evacuation system. • Smoke control via mechanical extraction in the office block and parking garage. Special Fire Safety Aspects Introduced The points of interest with this complex that could be considered different from a general fire safety design were: • The two fire escape staircases on the east side of the complex were for the use of both the 1 Silo Office Block and the residential block in emergencies. One stair is given to the normal vertical travel in the residential block and falls into the same fire division as their (fireman’s) lift. The other is used for 1 Silo internal vertical travel. • The 1 Silo smoke extraction was designed for the open atrium feature to form the relief air path. The east and west sides of the atrium had their own extract shafts (shared by the AC return air) at the rear of the space. Only the floor with the fire signal, and then No.1 Silo BRIAN WILKINSON CEO, GBCSA Brian Wilkinson, CEO of the GBCSA, said, “The Green Building Council of South Africa extends our sincere congratulations to the V & A Waterfront as the building owners on No. 1 Silo for this outstanding achievement. A 6-Star Green Star SA rating signifies ‘world leadership’ and further affirms the Waterfront’s bold leadership and continued commitment to environmental sustainability in the development of this iconic precinct. 33

Architect and Builder Magazine South Africa May/June 2014 | Page 33