a.b.e. supplied concrete fairing and repair products for the construction of the Five Green Star-rated Radisson RED Hotel in Oxford Parks precinct, now being developed in Rosebank, Johannesburg, by Intaprop with Concor as main contractor.
Rens Pelser, Technical Sales Consultant for a.b.e., part of the Chryso Southern Africa Group, says a.b.e.’s dura.rep FC fairing compound was applied by Concor to enhance the appearance of the finishes of all exposed concrete columns and the exposed, off-shutter concrete surfaces of the precinct’s Radisson RED Hotel, with dura.rep FR fibre-reinforced mortar used to deal with concrete imperfections. The upmarket hotel, which opened in August 2021, has 222 rooms and features a wide variety of ultra-modern, high-tech amenities.
The two a.b.e. products were previously used for the construction of the BPSA head office and other buildings which formed part of an earlier phase of the multi-million rand Oxford Parks development in Oxford Road, between Eastwood and Rosebank roads in Rosebank.
“dura.rep FC is a single component, polymer-modified cementitious compound that provides a fair-faced finish to concrete and masonry, and can also close blowholes prior to the application of protective coatings. The compound only requires the addition of a minimal amount of water for mixing. It is easy to apply and requires no priming or curing to ensure excellent bonding to concrete and masonry structures. dura.rep FC also contains no chlorides and can be used for vertical and overhead applications,” Pelser said.
“dura.rep FR is a polymer-modified, cement-based mortar widely used to repair voids and honeycombed areas of concrete. The product, which is also chloride-free, provides high ultimate strength and has four to six times stronger resistance to abrasion than plain rendering. dura.rep FR does not shrink and is easy to apply and, as it is pre-blended, constant quality and performance are ensured,” Pelser explained.
The vibrant mixed-use Oxford Parks precinct has become a focal point along Oxford Road in Rosebank and currently houses five buildings on a master basement structure. All the precinct buildings are constructed to be compliant with Green Star design requirements. “a.b.e. is likely to supply more concrete products for the rest of the construction of the Oxford Parks project,” Pelser added.
Noteworthy South African building projects for which a.b.e.’s durarep products have already been used include:
- Impala Platinum cooling tower, Springs;
- Growthpoint Lakeside offices, Centurion;
- N17 Regents Park highway bridge, Johannesburg;
- Val de Vie River Bridge, Paarl;
- Norval Foundation premises, Steenberg; and
- Nuform office block, Margate.
