Groundbreaking achievements in Hub infrastructure

An exterior view of the entrance to the Innovation Centre. The "Koppie Room" in the Innovation Centre, overlooking the natural hillside on the site. The blue "Tribute to Innovation" wall in the Innovation Centre. The yellow glass wall that showcases the data centre in the Innovation Centre. A view from the on-site restaurant at the Innovation Centre across the piazza to the Enterprise Building.

Effective partnerships between The Innovation Hub and its service providers have resulted in many groundbreaking achievements, says project infrastructure development Project Manager, Martin Schindler of Arup. Following two years of effective collaboration with The Innovation Hub Management Company in establishing the two core buildings at the Science Park, Arup is now one of the tenants in its state-of-the-art Enterprise Building.

"We have built a good relationship with The Innovation Hub and its stakeholder Blue IQ - the latter a Gauteng Provincial Government initiative - over the past two years. Transparent and effective decision making on both sides has enabled us to deliver what was expected of us on time and under budget," according to Schindler. Phase 1 of the infrastructure development is largely complete and most of the work currently being undertaken relates to tenant fit-out. Notwithstanding The Innovation Hub's stringent entry criteria, indications are that approximately 90% of the Enterprise Building will be occupied by the end of June.

Schindler says they are ready to rapidly roll out Phases 2 and 3 of development, as soon as the necessary approvals have been obtained from the City of Tshwane. "Initially, the interface with Tshwane was quite challenging on both sides," he says. "The appointment of a senior project manager on the City's side has smoothed things significantly, enabling us to go ahead with the work. The high level involvement from government at provincial and local level shows that they appreciate the significance of this initiative."

"Being involved in a project of this nature has forced the Hub and its partners to push the boundaries and this has resulted in numerous groundbreaking and immensely exciting achievements," says Schindler. These achievements include a state-of-the-art ICT infrastructure, which is a joint venture with Telkom and a massive data centre based within the Innovation Centre, which is showcased via yellow glass walls. In addition, a sophisticated security system that uses biometric readers instead of the more common access cards makes the Hub the largest single site in South Africa where biometric readers are used.

Innovative and flexible design and architecture enables the Hub to accommodate a wide range of tenant requirements. All tenants enjoy 24/7 stand-by power, which means that even if the entire city experienced a power outage, The Innovation Hub would continue to function. In addition, both core buildings have an energy-efficient air conditioning system and wireless technology that makes it possible to have power and data points in every space, including the on-site restaurant. The conference facilities are quite elaborate and the boardrooms have exceptional acoustic quality.

"A unique feature, designed to make future developments much easier, is the approximately 35 km of sleeving - flexible tubular insulation for electrical wiring - that has been stored in the pavements for future development," says Schindler.

Future plans include an off-ramp from the N1 from the South of Lynnwood Road, to ensure easier access to the precinct via a more level bridge. As Schindler concludes, "This is a fantastic address for anyone who wants to be at the forefront of technological development." For more information, contact Martin Schindler at
tel +27 12 844 0024.

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