GVK-Siya Zama-constructed student accommodation block in Cape Town
Privately owned construction company GVK-Siya Zama has completed construction of a 20-storey, 3 000-bed student accommodation block in Cape Town.
The 77 000 m2 development also includes 6 700 m2 of retail space and a public square.
The project marks one of the company’s largest undertakings – by value – to date and opens a direct corridor between Strand street and the Cape Town railway station.
The property, first having served as a train station called Cape Station, was developed into a mixed-use residential and retail space following a R1-billion contract awarded to GVK by Eris Property Group.
The redevelopment forms part of Eris’ RISE Student Living brand, a major student accommodation provider in South Africa.
GVK Cape business unit MD Chris Maughan says the purpose of the facility is to introduce student accommodation in a transport node that could service the University of Cape Town, Cape Peninsula University of Technology and other education campuses.
The building required hoisting of about 9-million bricks, which meant many hours using cranes amid what was one of Cape Town’s wettest winters in ten years last year.
The site includes several study hubs, seven-a-side football fields, a cinema and relaxation areas to create an enjoyable and practical living space.
Maughan says the building boasts solar and energy efficient appliances, as well as centralised water heating to ensure efficiency and safety.
For GVK, the project is testament to the company’s ability to work on large, complex projects within budget and on schedule.