PROJECT INFORMATION
Contract Value: Withheld – available on request
Building Area Site: 2 652 m2
Handover: 16 October 2017
Year Completed: 2018
Project Team: Gavin Schönknecht, John Harvey and Nicole Marillier
The development of the new transfer building can be seen as logical progression in creating linkages between the recently completed Small Volume Parenteral (SVP) 2 and existing SVP1 sterile manufacturing facilities within the Aspen Pharmacare campus at its Port Elizabeth site.
While the products, processes and technologies between the production units differ, the benefits in providing an independently serviced (neutral) facility allows for synergies between the sterile manufacturing facilities.
BRIEF
The requirements were increased efficiencies in terms of material, personnel, waste and dirty garment flows, in addition to providing specific areas for temperature-controlled product stability storage, media fill inspection areas and office accommodation, all within container-to-buffer production flows, fire separation and varying positive pressure differentials between the facilities.
Future expansion possibilities for the facility, in terms of design and detailing, were carefully considered so as not to impact on the sterility of this facility. Restrictions were placed on construction activities so that existing production and personnel flows to the existing SVP1 facility were interrupted or otherwise affected.
SITE CONTENT
The site for the proposed facility is located on the existing parking area in the southern corner of the greater Aspen campus, bounded by Harrower and Gibault Roads. Key impacts included:
- Creating vertical links to key access points over multiple levels between the facilities while contending with a site level difference of 3,740 mm
- Retention of existing goods receipt and dispatch vehicular movement and onsite waste and pedestrian routes were all to be maintained
- Relocation and tie-in of services to existing facilities was to be considered, without impacting on operational requirements
- Limited contractors’ yard, lay-down area and access to and from site were to be strictly enforced
SOLUTION
Development and extension of an SVP2 axis was projected across the site boundary, via means of a lightweight structure, straddling the existing network of incoming services to the Aspen campus.
The central circulation route was then aligned to the existing SVP1 facility, which allowed for natural light to penetrate into the building and afforded SVP1 operator visual relief to the exterior through the adjacent circulation route and at the same time allowing for personnel orientation between facilities.
Plant room areas were located off this central axis, providing for uninterrupted future expansion of service core.
Strategic placement of vertical circulation routes, either side of the link corridor, enabled façade articulation and massing while solving fire segregation requirements between the facilities.
Horizontal circulation routes were expressed through the use of linear fenestration while vertical circulation was massed and emphasised through colour and texture. Loading platforms, projections and glazing at intersections were used to layer spaces off the central circulation axis.
Future expansion opportunities were realised through the placement of full-height shopfronts along each axis to allow for these to be developed into access points.
Consistency of previously adopted construction technologies, aesthetics and limited colour palette, as implemented in preceding projects, was carried through to this project to achieve harmony between developments.
Sustainable initiatives employed:
- Energy savings were realised through use of double glazing, effective thermal insulation, motion sensor technologies and T5 & LED luminaires
- Extensive 3D simulation was undertaken to provide solar shadowing over glazed areas through the careful introduction of building projections
