Architect and Builder Magazine South Africa May/June 2014 | Page 33
of this iconic precinct. This exceptional accomplishment is pioneering in that it is the
first 6-Star rating of commercial office space of this scale in South Africa and the first
building to achieve this rating in the City of Cape Town. We also wish to acknowledge the
insightful collaboration between the developer, tenant and professional team involved on
this ground-breaking project,” he concluded.
FIRE CONSULTANT’S REPORT
This 30m high building, with its underground parking, office component and adjoining
apartment section, required careful consideration be given to fire safety. It was also
necessary to take specific measurements to try and reduce capital costs plus make as
much of the building area as possible useable space.
The General Fire Safety Services
As per most high-rise buildings, the following services were provided:
• An adequacy of pressurised fire escape staircases. These all complied with the
requirements of disabled persons.
• Fireman’s lifts with their pressurised lift shafts and lobbies that would also be used for
the evacuation of wheelchair bound people.
• Full fire separation between the 1 Silo office block, the residential component and
the parking garage with individual fire separated areas within these overall fire
compartments.
• The building is fully sprinkler protected with hydrants, fire hosereels and portable fire
extinguishers.
• Full fire detection and alarms throughout with all the fire alarm / services interfaces in
place plus automatic (with manual override) voice evacuation system.
• Smoke control via mechanical extraction in the office block and parking garage.
Special Fire Safety Aspects Introduced
The points of interest with this complex that could be considered different from a general
fire safety design were:
• The two fire escape staircases on the east side of the complex were for the use of both
the 1 Silo Office Block and the residential block in emergencies. One stair is given to the
normal vertical travel in the residential block and falls into the same fire division as their
(fireman’s) lift. The other is used for 1 Silo internal vertical travel.
• The 1 Silo smoke extraction was designed for the open atrium feature to form the relief
air path. The east and west sides of the atrium had their own extract shafts (shared by
the AC return air) at the rear of the space. Only the floor with the fire signal, and then
No.1 Silo
BRIAN WILKINSON
CEO, GBCSA
Brian Wilkinson, CEO of the
GBCSA, said, “The Green
Building Council of South
Africa extends our sincere
congratulations to the V & A
Waterfront as the building
owners on No. 1 Silo for this
outstanding achievement.
A 6-Star Green Star SA rating
signifies ‘world leadership’
and further affirms the
Waterfront’s bold leadership
and continued commitment to
environmental sustainability
in the development of
this iconic precinct.
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