Ruimsig Campus, Roodepoort
Student Residences
The world famous Monash University of Australia resolved to and started a satellite campus in Roodepoort South Africa in the early 2000’s.
This proved to be a big success and enrolment figures exceeded all expectations with students arriving from all over Africa. The residences initially built were soon too small and new residences on an adjoining property were planned which would consist of 300 apartments.
VIP Consulting Engineers were tasked with the design of the building structures as well as all the wet services.
The site which is situated partially in a worked out borrow pit, is underlain by the Witwatersrand Granite Dome and overlain by sandy hillwash.
Structural movement had to be restricted and the two and three storey buildings were founded on some 500 – 600 ton piles.
The ground floor of each of the four blocks were constructed as reinforced concrete suspended slabs supported for the construction period on collapsible cardboard formwork.
The works were completed on time for the 2010 academic year.
The apartments were sold under sectional title to investors and parents of students. At handover the buildings were sold out.
Further developments of this kind seem likely.
