2B+G+14 Residential Building In Tecom
United Arab EmiratesCompany Name: Intex International LLC
Project description
The project involved construction of a 17-storey tower, providing 108 studio flats and 4 two-bed penthouse apartments across 14 levels, with a ground floor lobby and double-level basement below providing secure parking for residents. To meet the client’s expectations for comfort and safety, the architects had to provide very high standards of sound insulation and fire resistance to separating walls, along with a robust finish to prevent accidental damage. Special attention was required for linings to wet areas, and to walls of living spaces, which were required to provide flexibility to allow residents to position heavy fixings to match their individual lifestyles. Contractors had to deliver the project, which was space constrained due to its high-rise design, against a tight build schedule. It is a pioneer building in the UAE’s residential sector as it is the first to use dry lining in demise walls.
Contractor
Intex International LLC
Established in 1993, Intex International LLC specializes in interior contracting works for all types of commercial projects. They work and support their clients at every step of the project from the preparation of shop drawings to supply and installation of drywall partitions, false ceilings and vinyl wall coverings. They have a trained set of installers available under expert supervision to ensure highest standard of workmanship on site.
Key Achievements
- Working closely with the architect, Gyproc’s technical team drew up a complete internal partition and lining specification based on Gyproc® lightweight systems with multiple linings of high performance plasterboards to meet the needs of different building areas, and provided full technical support,
- To meet the client’s demanding impact standards for studio walls, Gyproc manufactured the non-standard 16mm thick DuraLine® board at short notice and delivered this to site without disrupting the workflow.
- An additional requirement for moisture resistance in toilets and wet areas was achieved by substituting the outer layer Gyproc DuraLine® lining with Gyproc® MR board.
- Internal walls were given a new flat aesthetic a secondary internal lining of new Gyproc Habito® board, fixed independently on a GypLyner® UNIVERSAL framework. As well as levelling the walls, this provided flexibility for fitting TV’s and other heavy items whilst maintaining BS 5234 Severe DIR.
- As Habito® is a new product, on-site training was specially arranged for site personnel to ensure that it could be installed quickly, without impacting the build programme.
Key Challenges
- With a tight build schedule, the architects required a partition and lining solution that would provide the flexibility needed to meet performance standards that varied in different areas of the building, yet could be installed quickly and easily within the often space and access limited upper stories of the building.
- With performance requirements for studio walls demanding very high levels of impact resistance, Gyproc recommended an outer layer of 15mm thick high impact DuraLine® board, however, at the last minute the client insisted this be increased to a non-standard 16mm thickness.
- There was a further issue with walls in living spaces, which were constructed around structural columns, interrupting the visual and limiting the space available for wall mounted fixings, such as televisions. After construction of the walls, the architects insisted on a remedial secondary lining that must be completed within the original build programme.