Overview
Jalcon Homes builds modern well-constructed homes in a variety of residential settings with land and home packages. As a developer, Jalcon performs two functions, developing superlots and building homes on individual lots. This case study demonstrates how a unique set of circumstances demanded a different approach to solving the problem of maximising the building envelop in a
residential setting with retaining walls.
(Jalcon Home's Hobsonville Point)
This case study is about Jalcon Homes' Hobsonville Point development. Jalcon wanted to maximise the building footprint and comply with council regulations creating retaining walls that not only looked aesthetically pleasing but also provided the necessary function. The retaining wall needed to be built completely at the edge of the unit title and deliver a loading strength that meant heavy traffic could drive alongside the edge of the structure.
Traditional timber retaining walls utilise more land than is desirable and take considerable time for labourers to install. Stonebloc minimises the building envelope and its interlocking system makes for a fast and stable platform when constructing.
(On the left is a timber retaining wall, and on the right is a Stonebloc retaining wall)
The Challenge
Jalcon Homes had two superlots (21 & 25 unit titles) for high density housing. In both cases there were shared driveways and parking bays which back onto individual land owner sites. The retaining walls ranged in height from 0.4 metres to 1.7 metres high and were up to 85 metres long.
Fencing was to be erected on top of the retaining walls to give individual unit title holders’ additional privacy. This fencing needed to be erected quickly and in a simple fashion. Stonebloc retaining wall cappers and flat top blocks were used to achieve this. With height variations along the retaining wall structure a custom build plan was developed in conjunction with Jalcon, its engineers and the
subcontract installer.
These modern homes needed exterior landscaping to match the housing design. Stonebloc retaining walls create a backdrop that blends into this setting and offsets planting and functional aspects of urban living.
The Result
Stonebloc was able to be used with a simple gravel base for its gravity walls system, yet still providing the loading capacity to allow heavy traffic along driveways and into parking bays.
Stonebloc can be built quickly with lower labour costs due to the modular nature of the interlocking system. Cantilever walls were also available as required.
Vertical walls were erected at the edge of the boundary to maximise land use and build within a unit title holder’s envelope.
A total of 855 blocks were required and a competitive pricing model was achieved when compared against other building materials and methods. Overall Stonebloc met and exceeded the requirements for Jalcon.
