Architect and Builder Magazine South Africa November/December 2013 | Page 64

COMMENDATION – LIGHT STEEL FRAME BUILDING
Saint Helena Workers Village
The judges said that this project certainly deserved a commendation, as it
is “a perfect example of a well-executed project that clearly shows the various
and many advantages of LSFB”.
Saint Helena is a volcanic island in the South Atlantic Ocean. The UK government recently invested £250 million in the construction of the island’s airport.
A workers village had to be constructed for 300 workers who are working on
the airport project. The village comprises accommodation, ablution facilities,
recreational units, laundry, offices, holding cells and a kitchen with a mess hall.
The main challenge was how one goes about building a village on such a
remote island with no locally sourced building materials and a sensitive natural
environment? This was clearly an ideal project for LSFB.
The LSFB contractor’s steel roll-former was built into a 20-foot container and
deployed on site. All building materials had to be shipped via 20 containers
from either Cape Town or Walvis Bay, as no materials are available on the Island
at all. All these containers had to then be unpacked in the local harbour before
delivery to the site, as local road conditions only allow 7 tons per load. The
overall logistics were often nightmarish as any material needed, down to the
smallest screw, took a minimum of 28 to 35 days to arrive.
An agreement between the main contractor and local government
stipulated the use of mostly local Island labour. This had a significant impact
on the duration of the contract, as most of the local labour had not been
previously employed in the construction industry and had to be trained in
lightweight steel frame technology.
The judges noted that the project required light, transportable building
material to a remote site; the use of local labour; environmentally responsible
construction; adaptability after its original use and quick erection in bad
weather conditions.
Developer/Owner: Basil Read
Architect: MVA Architects & Interiors
Structural Engineer: DMS Structures
Project Manager: SA Steelframe Systems
Main Contractor: SA Steelframe Systems
Steelwork Contractor: SA Steelframe Systems
Cladding, Finishing, Plumbing and Electrical Contractor:
SA Steelframe Systems
Detailers/ Detailing Company: SA Steelframe Systems
Plumbing Material Supplier: Marley

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Steel Awards