Work on the civil infrastructure for the new $50-million Diamond Technology Park in Gabarone, Botswana, is set to begin this month month. This is according to project man- ager Ryan Machet, who tells Engin-eering News that the project will be managed from Johannesburg by Images 2000. A project management company, Images 2000 was established by architect Tickey Klawansky and Machet in 2000, although a subsidiary has been established in Botswana to help manage the construction of the 35 000-m2 park. Machet explains that the company is almost through the formal process of submitting plans to local authorities, which should be approved before the end of the month. Following this, construction of the roadworks, the perimeter fence, the guardhouse and the first factory building will begin in August. Machet adds that Botswana-based com- panies will be contracted to do the perimeter wall and the civil works. There are two buildings that have been planned in the initial design plans, which Machet envisages will be completed within a year and a half, although this depends on the legal process of approving plans. Construction on a central services building is also planned.

In terms of costs, Machet states that the company does not have fixed costs for the project, as it has not been determined how many factories will be built on the property and what size these factories will be. However, the entire project has been estimated at $50-million.

The construction of the first building, including the perimeter fence and the electrical and civil infrastructure, will cost in the region of P25-million. In terms of the design of the park, Klawansky tells Engineering News that the design of the park is based on a metaphor relating to the process of polishing diamonds. “Each building will contain rough elements, which will be transformed into polished smooth surfaces,” says Klawansky.

“This is an unusual concept and is meant to be suggestive of the diamond industry.” The first building that will be built is the Safdico building.

In terms of the materials that will be used to construct the buildings, Klawansky explains that the building will have cladding to represent the smooth texture of a polished diamond, there will be material edges to the roof canopies, and the roof canopies will have overhangs, which will be symbolic of the clasps on a diamond ring. This new diamond theme park is the brainchild of two South African companies, South African Diamond Corporation (Safdico) and Steinmetz, who unveiled their vision of a state-of-the-art diamond centre last month.

Modelled on similar successful international developments, the concept of Diamond Tech- nology Park is that of a supply-chain cluster that can house the entire diamond industry in a centralised, finite manner.

It will be built in a phased development. The model creates opportunities for small, medium and microenterprises and tenants will be drawn from the world’s leading diamond companies.