PROJECT INFORMATION
Contract Value: Withheld – available on request
Building Area: 4 410 m²
Contract Period: 323 days
Site Handover: 2009
Project Team: Gavin Schönknecht, Piet Jacobs and Steve Knott
The site is prominently located in the industrial area of Korsten, Port Elizabeth, along the north-western edge of North End Lake.
The area of construction for the proposed new Oral Solid Dosage (OSD) Unit, as identified by the client lies in the heart of the operational General Facilities (GF) complex, specifically the area housing the canteen, clinic, female changerooms and various ancillary service areas.
The identified works area is bounded by the recently completed Unit 2A manufacturing suites to the west, existing liquids manufacturing suites, female changerooms and service zones to the north, existing personnel entrance, male changerooms and office area to the east of the existing car park, and the electrical transformer, steam and waste yard facilities to the south.
BRIEF
The client required a column-free, flexible manufacturing area over two floors with interstitial areas to allow for services reticulation and servicing of the production spaces below.
Plant and electrical transformer rooms were to be provided. The proposed OSD facility was to be linked back to existing manufacturing suites.
Fundamental requirements included: retaining the existing piled and reinforced concrete framed structural envelope housing the existing canteen/clinic and accommodating/working around existing equipment servicing the GF facility, which remained operational throughout the construction process.
Construction activities were not to affect nor interrupt existing production and personnel flow to the GF Complex. Compounding these issues were a limited site yard, limited site access and the fact that the canteen and clinic were to be seamlessly relocated into adjoining areas in order to free up the space allocated for the new OSD facility.
SOLUTION
To achieve the above, the following was decided on:
- Structural steel frame was to be erected over the existing RC structural envelope
- Overhead production and plant room areas were suspended from structural steel
- Framework circulation areas were brought forward and outside the existing building
- Envelope taking advantage of natural light and views across North End Lake
- New cantilever double volume pods were provided to accommodate specific service units, providing specific areas for fresh air intake/exhaust requirements and access points for equipment handling
SAIA AWARD OF MERIT
AWARDS COMMITTEE CITATION
“As the largest pharmaceutical manufacturer in Africa, the upgrading and expansion of the manufacturing facilities of Aspen Pharmacare in Port Elizabeth has been an ongoing and complex process.
Its most recent addition − the new Oral Solid Dosage Unit − was undoubtedly the most challenging due to yard constraints, limited access and the accommodation of an existing reinforced concrete structure. The coordination of the logistics for the complex to remain operational whilst the new addition was under construction, also had to be taken into account. The design brief called for a barrier-free and flexible new manufacturing area, serviced by extensive and complicated reticulation systems.
The architects skilfully erected a steel structure over parts of the existing reinforced concrete structure, with the various production and plant rooms suspended from the new steel framework. Circulation was moved to the front of the site, taking advantage of natural light, as well as of views across North End Lake – considerations not generally associated with facilities of this nature. Prominent cantilevered service components, conspicuously clad in bright blue corrugated sheet metal and hovering above the transparent circulation areas, modulate the street facade and provide an attractive backdrop for panoramic views from the city.
The new addition, accompanied by the sensitive landscaping of an awkward and tricky site, form a well-composed counterpoint to the disparate assembly of buildings, yet without relying on any superfluous design gestures to camouflage a utilitarian facility of immense engineered complexity. The architects are commended for creating a well-considered work of architecture, executed under severe time and economic constraints, and for reaffirming the role of architects as principle agents in a challenging design environment.”
