Fourways Mall, situated in the Northern Suburbs of Johannesburg, officially opened on the 22 August 2019. Estimated to be worth approximately US $604m and at 178,000m² in size, Fourways Mall is now the largest mall on the African continent. Prior to its expansion, the mall was 64,000m², the next biggest mall is Menlyn Park in Pretoria at 169,000m².
Integral to Fourways Mall is a massive new parkade built to accommodate the increase in visitors to the newly expanded Mall. The new parkade has been designed to allow for the construction of a two-storey hotel above it. Echo Prestress were appointed to provide the precast structure for the carpark, and all columns were erected utilizing Peikko’s innovative bolted connection systems for precast concrete.
Daniel Petrov, Managing Director,PEIKKO, states, “Using Peikko connections simplified the structural design and improved site productivity by shortening the floor to floor construction cycle time providing substantial cost savings for the project.” Added to which, safety on site was enhanced as columns erected utilizing Peikko Column Connections do not require temporary propping.
Petrov states “The beauty of a bolted, mechanical connection is that it can be done with a small crew on site and no temporary bracing is needed. As soon as the nuts are tightened, the connection is movement-resistant and the crane can move on to the next column.”
Peikko’s innovative products are making a positive impact on the efficiency of the building industry. The company is the leading manufacturer of bolted connection systems for precast concrete. Peikko is the global forerunner in slim floor structures and connection technology for precast and in-situ applications. Peikko’s Bolted Connections provide a fast and more cost-effective way to design and build, ensuring that the construction process is simpler and safer.
