CSIR ICC: CSIR International Convention Centre's innovative expansion progressing rapidly

Modernised pause areas with interesting conversation pieces will be located throughout the facility.

Workers cast the slab for the new exhibition hall. The position boasts a spectacular view over the city centre in the distance.

New bathrooms will be smooth and sleek with hygiene being the determining factor in choice of sanitary ware and technology installed.

The CSIR ICC upper floor plan with the new additions highlighted in colour and labelled.

The CSIR ICC lower floor level with the new additions highlighted in colour and labelled.

The innovative expansion of facilities at the CSIR International Convention Centre (ICC) is progressing rapidly. The construction project, which is currently 50% complete, is aimed at ensuring the Centre remains up-to-date with international standards.

The need to conserve earths' natural elements and to use eco-friendly products, commonly dubbed "greening" of buildings has become vital and is a hot topic in the conference and meetings industry. The Centre has also committed to play its role in reducing waste and pollution and conserving the environment. Over and above the environmental management strategies and programmes already employed by the Centre, the main contractor for the building project has been encouraged to prepare, implement, monitor and report on environmental management at bi-weekly site meetings. Within the expanded facilities, opportunities to apply modular design have and will on an ongoing basis be applied throughout the design and documentation phases by the construction project professional team. The main contractor and his sub-contractors, in terms of the environmental management plan, are implementing efficient reduction, re-use and recycling of waste where applicable and economical and this is monitored by the professional team.

The green rating or eco-friendliness of finishes and fittings was considered when selecting products with an awareness of the need for a sustainable design approach. For example, natural stone quartz tiles have been chosen as one of the floor coverings to be used in significant amounts and energy efficiency in the lighting design has also been extensively investigated along with incorporating motion sensor activated lighting, which turns off automatically when a room is not in use, says Nadia Franco the interior architect. The Centre's current building management system, which controls all air conditioning and heating to optimise and minimise energy use, will be expanded to control all the systems in the newly constructed areas.

Mike Knoll, the project architect, stated that "the design was in response to the Centre's brief which required a new space integrated onto and into the existing facilities providing the Centre with a flowing, convenient collection of spaces to accommodate exhibitions and other needs associated with the conference business. Attention has been paid to small but important details such as dedicated storerooms for organisers and exhibitors. Private bathrooms, lounges and offices for VIPs and organisers are also planned".

The architects went on to compliment facilities being constructed such as the exhibition space which is designed to be multi-functional in addition as an assembly auditorium for presentations, a banquet venue or used for product launches, etc, the large outdoor entertainment or function deck within the natural bush, and the nature of the finishes. The design generally had to be in keeping with the distinguishing features of the existing building and serve to modernise the facilities at the same time without dating easily to remain classic and stylish and suit the prestigious events the ICC has become known to host. It was also of utmost importance to convert the whole building into a facility fully accessible to persons with disabilities as a few areas within the existing structure, such as the auditorium stages, were previously inaccessible to physically disabled persons. This has cleverly been achieved with innovative architectural designs incorporating lifts and bespoke access points to these areas.

According to Nadia, all the new facilities will integrate classical qualities of the original existing building with aesthetics of the new extensions by subtly contemporising the existing, while including a sense of timeless design into the new spaces.

As with all construction programmes, timeframes and completion dates can be uncertain and erratic, Joseph Manamela the project manager explained that "this year's early rainy weather, unforeseen massive boulders underground and, of course, the need for ICC to continue operating throughout construction with the least disruptions to its clientele are the only challenges confronted so far. The project is proceeding on schedule and is to be completed on 30 November 2009."

Raynold Zondo, CSIR Executive Director and member of the building project steering committee expressed his excitement and his anticipation for the new facilities. "I am personally looking forward to the Centre's new facilities as they are truly on an international level. The project is progressing beyond expectation with compliments to the management of the project of course".

According to Bronwen Cadle the Centre's Marketing & Sales Manager the brilliant new facilities will be available for use by the Centre's clients from the beginning of 2010. "We are very proud of the end product that this construction project will produce as we know it will perfectly complement conference organisers' growing and changing needs. Such a custom designed facility makes organisers' events a lot easier for them to run and a facility such as the 500 seater deck gives organisers possibilities to create something different within an urban environment and promises much more success in terms of delegate experience".