Revelstone Wins Prestigious CMA Trophy

Cape-based cast-stone manufacturer, Revelstone, was one of four Overall Trophy winners in this year’s CMA Awards for Excellence competition.

The award was made at a gala dinner ceremony in Melrose Arch, Johannesburg, on March 24, for a wall-cladding project at Cape Town International Airport’s international departures hall. The mural initially took an Aesthetic Excellence Award, however, the judges subsequently ruled that it was the outstanding entry in the Aesthetics category and the award was escalated to Overall Trophy Winner status.

Commenting on the project, the judges said that besides displaying an African wildlife scene, the mural embodies the creative use of precast concrete, demonstrating how the material can be successfully deployed for works of art.

Revelstone director, Alexander Cyprianos, says that the project is a prime example of how precast concrete cladding, in this instance Revelstone’s Viking Random Cladding, can be used to mimic natural rock, and how it assisted the artist on this project to skilfully portray cheetahs in their natural habitat.

Based on inspirational input from the conceptual team of the main contractor, Matrix Communications, the mural design and the construction of the wall was executed by Matrix Communications artists, Warren Barren and Archie Birch.

Once the concept and its ensuing design had been approved by the client, it was transposed onto the wall which measured 25m x 2.5m. This process involved identifying the shape, size and colour of each cladding block and its precise position, much like a jigsaw puzzle.

Before site work began only dry walling separated the departures hall from the adjacent chamber. Therefore, to provide a structure which would support the weight of the blocks, a wooden framework, covered by chicken mesh and bonding cement, was mounted against the dry walling.

Produced in three colours, Autumnstone, Charcoal and Robben Island, and cast in 20 individual moulds, some of the cladding blocks were cut by hand to achieve a faithful rendition of the design.

Family-owned, Revelstone has been producing customised cast-stone products since 1993 for both the domestic and commercial markets. The company uses traditional masonry skills combined with modern moulding techniques to painstakingly produce master moulds from original rocks and stone. This hands-on approach allows the creation of custom-made products, enabling Revelstone to supply pavers and cladding uniquely tailored to its clients’ specific requirements.