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How savvy products raised construction standards for the Silo Hotel

Setting a new standard for luxury hotel accommodation, the new Silo Hotel sits above the recently opened Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA), occupying six floors in the museum’s grain elevator area.

Janet Thompson, Saint-Gobain Gyproc’s regional technical and specifications manager in the Cape detailed some of the challenges which Saint-Gobain needed to address. “The original Grain Silo building was a heritage site and because of this the developers at the V&A Waterfront required materials that would support the building’s unique construction requirements for both the museum and the Silo Hotel.

The project called for lightweight yet high-strength wall and ceiling materials that would enhance visual appeal while adding practical value.” Saint-Gobain was contracted to specify material for the Silo Hotel, and with drywall lightweight construction proving to be the best way forward, Thompson brought in 15 different types of plasterboard which were selected based on their sustainability, acoustic, fire rating and thermal properties.

“These components are particularly necessary in a luxury establishment like Silo Hotel, where privacy within rooms, safety of guests, aesthetic appeal and reducing maintenance become important considerations,” explains Thompson. Taking into account privacy for guests, her first port of call was to introduce Twin Stud and tracks, and as a result achieved a 63 decibel sound rating (dB), a great improvement on the traditional 48dB. For further acoustic comfort, Gyproc Acoustic Rigitone was installed in the study and private restaurant area to allow for quiet and discretion and to ensure thermal comfort, Thompson recommended Isover EnergyLite Acoustic Insulation in the ceiling.

Following this, Gyproc’s Cretestone, an earthy wall covering, was specified for all the rooms and bathrooms to complement the drywalls and provide aesthetic appeal. Thompson also considered the elements and selected plasterboard that helped the building reach a one-to-two hour fire rating. To control moisture levels in bathrooms, Gyproc Moisture Resistant RhinoBoard was installed. “The bathrooms look spectacular,” she says and explains that the toilets and vanities are hung to the drywalling thanks to a special bracing that helps to reinforce strength.

Throughout the hotel, the ceilings comprise Gyproc Cretestone skimmed 9.5mm RhinoBoard and the rooms are adorned with decorative bulkheads. In addition to looking beautiful and being practical, using plasterboard also allowed for a sustainable construction project. “Our products are made using less water at factory level and require no water on site, a meaningful advantage considering the drought in the Western Cape,” she says.

There were also time and money-saving benefits to using drywall construction materials. Thanks to plasterboard being ten times lighter than brick work, there was a 17.5% structural cost saving as well as a significant time saving component, as the project was completed three months earlier than anticipated. “Specifying materials for this extraordinary luxury hotel and considering products that resulted in an end-product which is not only sustainable, but encompasses the safety and comfort features we set out to achieve, has truly been both a privilege and highlight,” Thompson concludes.

Contact: Saint Gobain


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