Lagoon low-down

Zone 3: Belhasa has finished block works on the basements and will soon start work on the super structures.

Zone 2
With an estimated completion date of December 2012, Zone 2 can afford to be a bit behind. Having only just finished the concrete blinding, and with 40% of the waterproofing still to go before the contractor can add the protective concrete layer, managers at Commodore Contracting anticipate it will take two months before the raft foundation will be completed.  Nevertheless, the Zone appears to be making excellent progress, the steel reinforcement already delivered to site and a large proportion of it laid down in preparation for casting.

“The blinding concrete layer is done, and we have started laying down the steel, so we shall start casting the first part of the reinforced concrete some time in July,” says Commodore’s project director Salah Yatim.

“We have 200 workers across the two Zones, which will peak at around 750. Add that to the 250 subcontractor workers, and we’ll have 1000 workers across the two sites.”

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As it happens, there are seven subcontracts still open on Zone 2, including those for the MEP, finishing and elevator works. “We will be finalising the other packages with Schön in the near future,” confirmed Yatim.

“One or two subcontractors will be required for each set of works, depending on the size of the company and whether they can cope with work across two Zones.”

Schön Properties’ vice president Danial Schön says: “We will be inviting companies to bid for the additional subcontracts for the Zones in the next three to four months, depending on the market conditions.”

Already awarded are the contracts for the steel supply, (won by BRC), waterproofing works, (awarded to BMC) and the concrete supply, (won by Ghaladari).

On completion, the 425,24m² built-up area will accommodate 491 residents across five towers. To make this possible, the contractor has already gone through 5,129,226kgs of steel, 47,000m³ of concrete and 1,017,900 man hours.

Zone 3
Zone 3 is somewhere between 1 and 2. Main contractor Belhasa has awarded all of its subcontracts, bar the finishing works, and completed the block work required for the sub-structure/basement.

With a view to completing in 2011, it will begin the block work for the super structure in four months. “M/S Sensaire is contracted to do the MEP works and Al Arabia will most likely supply the lifts,” says Alvi.

“We have 250 people on site now but that will to go up to at least 300 when we start on the super structure.”

With the aim of providing 688 residential units, Zone 3 is the biggest section under construction, with a total built-up area of 676,40m².

In contrast to the other Zones, the two largest buildings will divide into two from the sixth floor upwards to provide rooftop apartments. Also unlike other Zones, the firm is getting its steel from three suppliers - Emirates Rebar, Al Gurg Building Services and G2 International.

Safemix and SS Lootah are providing concrete, and Helios was responsible for the waterproofing.

Alvi, who seems happy with the progress the Zone is making and pleased that the project is finally picking up after so many delays, said: “To date we have used 4,457,155kgs of steel, cast 35,644m³ of concrete and used 1,515,969 man hours.”

Zone 4
Identical to the buildings in Zone 2, Zone 4 is also being handled by Commodore Contracting. With the hopes of providing 497 apartments across a built up area of 425,24m² by the end of 2012, contractors have made a good start on the excavation and backfilling work in order to even out the ground levels.

Concrete blinding is set to begin soon, increasing the amount of steel used, concrete cast and man hours, which respectively stand at 5,129,226kgs, 47,000m³, and 1,017,900. Though it has a lag period of one month behind Zone 2, contractors believe it will take less time to complete construction on Zone 4 due to its location and ease of access to the site.

Commodore branch manager Shadi Khuzam says: “Zone 4 is moving faster due to logistic reasons – it is easier for workers, machinery and materials to access the site.” He adds: “At the moment we have 170 workers across both sites but we expect that to increase, especially when we start the block work and masonary work for the Zones.”

To speed up construction, he refers to use of a post-tension system. Faster than the conventional system, it will allow work to speed up and money to be saved.