Chryso South Africa supplied a variety of products for the Lafarge Artevia concrete mix for the construction of House Bozwana, overall winner of the 2013 Lafarge Artevia Decorative Concrete Awards, which showcases the innovative and creative use of decorative concrete finishes.

Sponsored by Lafarge South Africa’s Readymix concrete division, and Chryso South Africa in collaboration with global pigment producer Lanxess of Germany (for which local distribution is excluvisely handled by Chryso SA), the Lafarge Artevia awards were introduced in 2009 to show how decorative concretes can create better, more durable structures and enhance the environment in which they are located. Chryso South Africa has for many years supplied a variety of products that form part of the mix for Lafarge’s acclaimed Artevia range.

As part of the Lafarge Artevia concrete mix for House Bozwana, Chryso supplied a specially formulated Lanxess Bayferrox Sandstone pigment to colour the concrete in selected areas; as well as other Chryso products such as Chryso Fluid Optima 100, Chryso Fibre Plus, Chryso Deco Lav PO5, and Chryso Deco Mat.

Admixture Chryso Fluid Optima 100 is a ‘new generation’ super-plasticiser which substantially extends concrete workability and is compatible with most types of cement. It provides the solution whenever there is a problem of compatibility between the cement and the additive, and is particularly suitable for the readymix industry and construction sites.

Chryso Fibre Plus is a high performance product that controls cracks and prevents bleeding while also enhancing the fire rating of concrete. Safe and environmentally friendly, Chryso Deco Lav PO5 – which can be used with different types of aggregates from different regions - economically improves the definition of exterior forms and improves the technical quality and durability of structures. Chryso Deco Mat is an acclaimed surface protector for concrete and mortar. 

The installers and polishers of House Bozwana were Johannesburg-based, Ocean Side Trading,  which won the overall top award of R40 000; while the house’s architects, Nico van der Meulen Architects, were also among the professionals honoured at a gala function at the Michelangelo Hotel in Sandton.

The judges were Paragon Architects’ Hugh Fraser; Lafarge Artevia’s Anathi Zitumane; and Chryso SA’s Kirsten Kelly. They found that House Bozwana was exceptional in that it “showcased various finishes of decorative concrete: Polished finishes to create a stylish impact for the entrance, stairs and entertainment areas; Exposed finishes to provide low maintenance and gravel-texture appearance in the driveway; while on the stairs and entrance areas, the beautiful Artevia finishes were set off to stunning effect through the use of natural, off-shutter Lafarge Agilia, combined with steel”.

Other category winners in the 2013 Lafarge Artevia awards included QS Concrete Grinding and Polishing (Polishing Award), Horticare (Exposed),  Melt Wahl (Colour), Boogertman & Partners (Exposed), and Panmixer SA (special award for showcasing Lafarge Artevia decorative concrete in the company’s showroom).

Commenting on the merits of decorative concrete in the design field, award-winning House Bozwana architect, Nico van der Meulen, said the concept has great potential in SA but called for skilled and experienced applicators capable of achieving the desired standard. “The standard of the applicators’ workmanship and skills ultimately determine the quality of the finished product,” he added.