Architect and Builder March/April 2016 | Page 68

66 GROUND FLOOR PLAN TYPICAL BASEMENT PLAN on gas. The building provides priority parking for alternative fuel vehicles, motorbikes, and cyclists as well as allied amenities such as lockers and showers. Finishes, materials, and systems were specified to maximise local sourcing, guarantee low-VOCs and compliant emissions, zero ODP refrigerant use, and minimise the use of formaldehyde and PVC. 95% of the façade is designed for disassembly and the use of pre-stressed concrete floors considerably reduced cement use in the building. The implementation of hazardous waste surveys and environmental and waste management plans during demolition and construction safeguarded responsible activities and reporting, and the completed building provides a waste sorting and recycling area to facilitate ongoing responsible operational waste management. Finally, the building is being commissioned according to CIBSE principles, and the development of a building users’ guide and ongoing building tuning ensure the continued efficiency of the building and systems design, and increased awareness and understanding of the importance of these issues. Interior Design With a staff component of around 670, including 460 professional staff, the relocation of one of South Africa’s leading law firms from their previous Fricker Road, Illovo, headquarters was not going to be a simple undertaking. With this in mind, Webber Wentzel approached interior design consultancy Head Interiors long before the Sandton site was selected, to ensure that the firm’s particular space needs and wish list for its new home was carefully and seamlessly executed. Working closely with GLH Architects on block and stack arrangements