"Cities must have
iconic buildings and structures; this is key to a citys uniqueness and
character," says Mohandas Saini, Managing Director and CEO of Shapoorji
Pallonji International. Akin to how Manhattan is defined by the Empire State
Building, Kuala Lumpur by the Petronas Towers and Dubai by the Burj Khalifa.
Saini made these remarks on one of his periodic visits to Colombo to review
Altairs progress, scheduled to complete in end-2019.
S & P CEO Mohandas Saini
Shapoorji Pallonji & Co. Ltd., regarded as one of Indias most valuable private companies with a legacy spanning over 150 years, is no stranger to such iconic construction projects. The company was the main contractor of the tallest residential development in India, the 60-story Imperial Towers in Toledo Mumbai, completed in 2010. Other iconic projects by global construction giant include the palace of Sultan Qaboos Bin Said Al Said of Oman, Park Towers Dubai, Taj International Hotel Mumbai and the Hilton Riyadh.
Altair, adjudged the best condo in Asia for architectural design at the 2018 Asia Property Awards, was designed by Moshe Safdie, a pre-eminent architect of our time. Safdies works can be found across the globe and have become revered regional and national landmarks, including Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum, Jerusalem; Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, Kansas City; United States Institute of Peace Headquarters, Washington DC; and Marina Bay Sands Integrated Resort, Singapore.
The unique design of Altair incorporates a 63-story inclined
tower connected to the 69-story vertical tower via a strong outrigger at the
39th level. At the height of 240m, the vertical tower is now the tallest
residential building in Sri Lanka.
The inclined tower utilises structural steel diagonal grids
on the exterior of the building giving a permeable surface for expansive floor
to ceiling windows as well as acting as a load bearing membrane, minimising the
use of interior columns. According to Mohandas Saini, these unique design
features led to a particularly complex project from a construction standpoint
due to the high degree of precision work required to maintain uniformity that
cannot be achieved through traditional fast-tracked methodologies that are
commonplace now in high-rise construction in Sri Lanka. Despite the challenges,
the superstructure construction work was carried out at a commendable speed
with one floor added almost every week, notes the CEO.
Commenting on the outcome of the superstructure works Saini
remarks, "The entire weight distribution was so well engineered, and the
workmanship is of such good quality that the level of deviation from original
specifications were substantially lower than allowable structural engineering
tolerances."
Structural engineers to this project have been Dubai based
Predag Eror of Derby Design, and well known Sri Lankan structural engineer, Deepal
Wickremesinghe. Structural elements of the building were independently verified
by the University of Moratuwa.
The CEO also says that Shapoorji Pallonji has earned their
global reputation not only for their expertise in construction, but for their
enduring commitment for the projects they undertake. "We believe in long-term
value-added relationships with all stakeholders, often investing our own money
in projects we undertake, as we have done so in Altair." The main shareholder
of this $ 250 million project is Kolkata based South City Group, a consortium
of firms which has collectively delivered over 150 real estate projects
consisting of more than 15 million square feet.
Along with Altair, Shapoorji Pallonji is involved in four
other projects in Sri Lanka, including an office building and a water supply
project. The CEO remarked that his company is considering engaging in a
public-private partnership with the Government with regards to another key
project and are open for further investment opportunities in the country.
Speaking of his experience of working in Sri Lanka, Saini
says that local engineers have excellent skills and expertise. However, the
company had to resort to employing a large foreign workforce due to the
shortage of skilled labourers and specialised technicians in the domestic
market.
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