Heritage Cases

Summary of Proposed Construction work The proposed alterations are shown clearly on the attached set of drawings but can be summarised as follows: • Boundary to Jabu Ndlovu Street, visitor and staff parking The client needs basic security along this boundary to control access into their new parking area. This will be done with brick piers and wrought iron panels along the boundary in a way that maintains views of the buildings for the public. A security fence will be positioned at the back of the parking so that access into the buildings can be carefully controlled. • Entrance and security building The old library will be used as the reception/security building. Everyone will have to enter the complex through this point and will be screened before being directed to the two separate entrances. Alterations will be made to the fenestration of the library, with the memorial stained glass window being retained. New covered walkways are proposed which will link the entrance building to the main building, and deal with the level changes between the two. • Block B The visitor’s entrance will take one into Block B, where a waiting area, public toilets and tea kitchen will be created off the entrance passage. The main board Room will be positioned on the north-west end of this block, utilising the existing tall gable windows and keeping the ceiling at the original level below the trusses. The Oregon floor will be re-instated. Beyond this point – and via an access controlled doorway - the large classroom spaces will be opened up, the timber suspended floors changed to concrete, and a mezzanine slab introduced to provide open plan office space at the upper level. This will only cover a portion of the ground floor leaving a double volume space along the side, and a visual link between the floors. The trusses will be exposed, with new ceilings running above the main cross beams, and across the apex of the roof to conceal new service routes. • Block D On the opposite side, the public entrance will take one into the Tender Room, where large gatherings of public are expected on occasions. This is served by new public toilets. Like the Board Room on the opposite side, the Tender room will be restored to its original form with the Oregon floors reinstated, the tall gable windows retained and the ceiling put back below the existing trusses. Beyond this point, an access controlled door leads into the working part of the building. Like Block B, it will have new concrete ground floors, a new mezzanine structure, and exposed roof trusses. • Block A The old school hall is the biggest double volume space, although it is not very well served by windows. The floor is already a concrete slab, and the parquet flooring will be re-instated here. A new mezzanine structure will be introduced, which once again will be open down the one side. Cellular offices will be provided at ground floor level using the present windows, while the mezzanine floor would all be open plan. Skylights will be introduced into the roof facing the courtyard to boost the natural lighting without changing the building appearance from the street. A hydraulic lift and two new staircases will be built in this space. The original curved ceiling will be reinstated in t+g boarding. • Block C This is the most recently built block (1941) and as such it is different from the others. There is insufficient height to consider a mezzanine floor so these offices will have a conventional ceiling. New dry wall partitions will be used to divide up the space, with minor changes proposed to external doors. As this building is at a different level from the others, a new ramp is proposed in the internal courtyard. • Blocks E and F These are completely new buildings. They will be set at the same floor level as Block C, with similar access verandahs, and stairs down to the back of the site. Their form will be similar to the existing structures, but roof coverings will be chromadek, and windows will be made from powdercoated aluminium. Roof slabs between Block C and the new structures will provide plant room space for the A/C equipment. • New services All existing services and surface pipework will be removed - New electrical reticulation will be carefully integrated into the new structure and the new ceilings. Lighting will be contemporary in style, and will be both functional in work areas, and decorative where the existing architectural detail can be shown off. - Security, fire detection, data and telephone will be concealed in a similar way to the electrical reticulation - Air conditioning is to be handled by a VRV system. The equipment will be positioned either on the existing roof slab in block B, or on the two new roof slabs between block C and blocks E and F. Refrigerant piping will run in trunking concealed in the new ceilings, while limited fresh air will be drawn in through the existing roof ventilators (x2) and distributed via ducts in the closed ceiling at the apex of the roof – see detail. - Sewer reticulation – because of the age of the original system and the concern about earthenware pipes, a complete new pipe network will be installed. Ablution areas have generally been relocated as well. - Stormwater – for similar reasons allowances have been made to replace the existing stormwater lines. In addition an attenuation tank is required which will be located on the north-east boundary in a position where it will not affect the proposed Phase 3 development.