The head office of McCormick Property Development and Exemplar Reit showcases excellence of design and materiality in its roofing and cladding installation.  

Known for its work developing township and rural retail space in South Africa, the same principles of sustainability and durability were applied to the 2 832m² of gross lettable area (GLA) of its own building. 

Material selection 

For the exterior envelope of the building, Ruan van Rensburg, project manager of McCormick Property Development (MPD), explains that he wanted something that stood out with the rest of the architectural features envisioned. “RHEINZINK was the only product that gave us options in the look and feel we wanted. It is German engineering and craftsmanship at its best,” he affirms. 

McCormick Property Development and Exemplar Reit’s new head office sports a functional and beautiful RHEINZINK roof and cladding installation.

Quality and service 

Derek Lubbe of Living Planet Architects says: “It is a low-carbon footprint material with a lifespan of 80 years and more. At the end of the building’s lifespan, the material should still be fully recyclable.”  

He continues: “Stephan Wilkinson, the South African RHEINZINK agent, was a pleasure to work with. He went out of his way to ensure the tight timelines of the construction programme were kept, amidst the challenges of shipping from Germany through our South African harbour authorities.” 

Design meets installation 

The building is located in Von Willich Avenue in Lyttelton, Centurion, a dolomitic zone with associated sinkhole risk management. The structural engineer recommended a load-sensitive, floating raft foundation for the building.  

“It made sense to elect a lighter vertical wall-clad approach, using the same material as the roof,” Lubbe explains. The first floor’s wall and roof steel portal structure was made off-site and then bolted straight onto the concrete slab.  

Thus, it was clad by the metal crafting company ROHDE ROOFING in a much shorter timeframe, while still offering the advantages of zero maintenance over the years to come. 

Aesthetics beyond function 

On this project, the roof and cladded walls form an integral part of the building’s appearance. It was felt that the “standard” metallic colours would make the building look too grey and stark. After considering the other five colours in the RHEINZINK range, the pleasing “PRISMO Red” colour was chosen.  

“It is a project that I’m especially proud of. Not only did I work for a great client, but also with an excellent consultant and construction team,” Lubbe concludes. 

The RHEINZINK roof and wall cladding responded to both the developer and architect’s needs and vision for this project. 

For more information, contact WILKINSON ARCHITECTURAL METALS (PTY) LTD.:  

Tel: +27 21 671 2600  

Cell: 072 998 0218 

Email: stephen@wilkinson-am.co.za 

Website: www.rheinzink.co.za and www.wilkinson-am.co.za