Page 8 - Buzz Magazine

COllABORATIOn
Collaboration is shaking up residential projects
The Residential Collaboration Platform is building momentum.
With most of the planning work done, the members of the Residential Collaboration Platform
are looking forward to getting a lot accomplished in the year to come.
“Being part of this collaboration platform has been great! I have gained a lot from being exposed to my colleagues’ skills and knowledge. This approach is sure to result in some innovative solutions. Together, we can take advantage of synergies in the market!” said Saint-Gobain Gyproc Hotel and Residential Sector Manager Michelle Cerruti.
“Our group has worked
together well to recognise habitat opportunities for Saint-Gobain. It’s all about being the face of Saint-Gobain rather than the face of our various sub-brands.”
The group has created a high-level project plan, with assigned activities and responsibilities for the fourth quarter of this year, which group members are already hard at work on.
“We are meeting soon to map out how to carry our momentum forward in the rst quarter of next year,” said Michelle.
She highlighted three habitat opportunities that are almost ready to give Saint-Gobain a marketing boost: Val de Vie, the Legend project, and KwaZulu-Natal coastal developments.
Home of the future
“At Val de Vie, we hope to be able to show people the rst multi-comfort home in the southern hemisphere.
We have signed a memorandum of understanding with the developer and our rst project planning session was on 26 October,” said Michelle.
“Val de Vie is one of the top three prestigious estates in South Africa, with its own brand equity and in uence. We hope this house will do
even more for the Saint-Gobain brand than Stand 47 at Monaghan Farm did. With 3 000 plot-and-plan properties in the pipeline, we hope to in uence the speci cation of the houses and provide a model that other developers will look to for inspiration.”
She summed up: “Stand 47 was about building a better home. At Val de Vie , we hope to show people the home of the future.”
Bushveld modernity
On the Legend project, the collaboration platform is working with a developer, landowner and investor rolled into one, who is also a thought leader and an early adopter.
His vertically integrated business, which includes a construction company, is developing a golf and safari resort in Limpopo, two-and-a-half hours north of Johannesburg.
“We have a good chance of
success in providing solutions for these weekend homes. We plan to start by building two show units using Saint- Gobain products,” said Michelle.
“Success see our products going into 400 more units, aimed at South Africa’s black diamond market, that will be built in several phases thereafter.”
Coastal growth
Thirdly, Michelle mentioned that Saint-Gobain has recognised the opportunities generated by the sale of large tracts of sugar cane land on the KwaZulu-Natal coast.
“This land is being developed into big hubs and we are targeting several developers to get our solutions into that market,” she said.
“These are just three of the ideas our collaboration platform is working on. We have more in the pipeline, thanks to the opportunity to pool our leads and ideas.” w
8 | BUZZ | SUMMER 2016