An international collaborating trio builds protective facades for skyscrapers and overcomes such daunting challenges as tight schedules and intricate building designs.

When Enclos, a US design, engineering and installation firm, secured the deal to build the curtain walls, or protective facades (see sidebar), of two high-profile skyscrapers in 2006, it knew exactly who to turn to for help.

“Our manufacturer in Thailand, Envelex, was looking for a highquality supplier of gaskets,” recalls Dan Green, Enclos’s US West Coast General Manager. Gaskets are elastomer seals wedged between a curtain wall’s frame and its glass panels, which prevent air and water from leaking into the building. “We recommended Envelex to contact Mike Scanlon and Trelleborg EPG since it is one of our preferred gasket suppliers. The US-based Trelleborg company has consistently provided quality materials, prompt response and proactive design input.”

SOUTH AFRICAN ARCHITECTS DESIGN WORLD-CLASS MALL IN INDIA IN LANDMARK MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT

South Africa, Johannesburg - May 2008: South African architects Bentel Associates International (BAI), pioneers in commercial architecture, have been making their mark on the Indian architectural landscape for the last few years. Currently, they have about 50 projects underway in the country with one of their recently completed projects, South City Mall in Kolkata, creating substantial international interest.

The one million square feet (93 000m2) South City Mall on Prince Anwar Shah Road is part of a mixed-use development project across 31 acres in south Kolkata. The development includes four residential towers with 1 600 flats, a 75 000 square feet (7 000m2) art club and 125 000 square feet (11 650m2) dedicated to school and car parking facilities for more than 1 600 cars.

"The planning for the one million square feet (93 000m2) South City Mall is based on symbiosis between large and small retailers to create a micro environment that encourages visitors to shop," says architect and senior director at BAI Nicolas Kyriacos, who coordinates the development of new business in India for the company and oversees concept, development and design direction.

Kyriacos says that ten years ago India did not have a single shopping mall. "Now, nearly 50 million sq ft (4.7 million m2) of mall space is in various stages of completion, across seven major cities. Calcutta and its fringes alone will have about 40 new retail centres in the next three years."

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