Posted on 1 March, 2019
Recently, the new, multi-level BMW dealership in Hillcrest, KwaZulu-Natal officially opened. Since the end of August 2017, it had been under construction by specialists in construction, renovation and restoration, GVK-Siya Zama.
Justin Meder, Managing Director at GVK-Siya Zama’s KwaZulu-Natal operation says: “We believe that the new dealership reflects BMW’s style, by encompassing functionality and classic luxury.”
The project began with bulk earthworks, excavations and the installation of beams and bases for the building’s foundations. This was followed by the construction of columns for the lower ground floor, upper ground floor, mezzanine and roof levels. A main parking slab consisting of sloping soffits and a sloping top surface was then laid which reduced the need for screeds to falls. Cantilevered flat slabs were poured for the show rooms, as well as the upper ground floor, mezzanine level and roof.
The finishes included aluminium curtain walls surrounding the perimeter of the building, partitions and glazed shopfronts for the office areas, double volume ceilings and bulkheads, as well as internal brick feature walls constructed and painted to look like old weathered brickwork. Various types of flooring was used in the building’s different areas including polished concrete in the Motorrad area, tiles in the passages and showrooms, timber in the offices and epoxy in the workshop. The structure
was finished off with glass balustrades surrounding the perimeter of the upper levels while the roadways and parking areas were paved.
Meder shares that some of the challenges encountered included losing three months of construction time due to inclement weather and ensuring that the intricate structure was constructed in accordance with the architect’s drawings and specifications. “These were overcome thanks to the
dedication of the GVK site team, the professional team headed up by Impendulo Design Architects, and their combined efforts and persistence to complete the project on time.”
The site team utilised local labour from Pinetown on the project who were empowered with skills such as concrete placing, formwork erection, bricklaying and plastering.
“The client is extremely pleased with the quality of the building and, with the dealership being located so close to the highway, we know that all eyes are on it too,” concludes Meder.
For more information, visit https://www.siyazama.co.za.
Leave a comment