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PROJECT

TALLEST HEMP BUILDING IN THE

WORLD: 84 ON HARRINGTON

84 on Harrington is a 12-storey building situated on Harrington Street in the east
city precinct of Cape Town, a trendy vibrant area close to the city centre. It will be

the tallest hemp building in the world using hemp materials, according to Steve
Allin, a founding director of the International Hemp Building Association.

The Hemp Hotel at 84 Harrington Street

he project is the result of a partnership composition of the blocks themselves, thermal modelling of the building, has
between the owner and developer, Afrimat Hemp tested and adapted a eliminated the need for mechanical
TDuncan Parker, and the architects, hempcrete formula developed over many heating and cooling;
Wolf & Wolf. R + N Master Builders is years by the architect, Wolf. The company • double glazing on all the relevant
the principal construction company, and now makes hemp blocks, hemp lime windows helps to keep temperatures
Afrimat Hemp has developed and supplied plasters and hempcrete, which it regards inside the building constant, as well as
the hemp construction materials used on as the construction material of the future reducing noise from the street;
the project. both for its uses in buildings and its • the installation of solar panels results in
Hemp is regarded as a new green sustainability, especially regarding the a lower consumption of electricity from
construction material, according to the sequestration of carbon. the grid;
New York Times, as it is a carbon neutral Hemp blocks have been used in 84 on • a borehole with an ample supply of
product which is fast-growing and Harrington for most of the internal walls water acts as an insurance against
resistant to fire, mould and weather. It - they are excellent for soundproofing, possible future water shortages;
can be used as blocks or poured like thermal insulation and have a fire rating • corcoleum, 80% made from recycled
concrete in the form of hempcrete, a higher than conventional bricks. Fifty wood shavings, is widely used as
combination of hemp fibres, lime and thousand hemp blocks were used for the flooring throughout the building;
a chemical binder. It is a variety of the construction, which amounts to 50 tons • master switches at the door of each
plant Cannabis sativa which is grown of hemp. The hemp lime plaster finish of apartment make controlling the
specifically for industrial use and has the walls shows the natural fibres, which lighting both easy and efficient;
been used for many years in a variety makes the surface beautiful as well as • hemp is used in blinds, carpets,
of products including rope, textiles, interesting to look at. bedding, cushions and cosmetics,
biofuel, cosmetics and clothing (see The principle of sustainability was kept supplied by Hemporium.
https://www.hemporium.com). Its use in mind throughout the development,
in construction however has up to now resulting in the following features: The “Hemp Hotel” will consist of 50 short-
been slow, since it was both expensive • the energy efficiency of the building is stay apartments ranging from studios to a
and mistakenly linked to recreational use. enhanced by the use of TABS (thermally three-bedroomed penthouse, with a co-
Because of hemp’s load-bearing activated building systems), which working space available to all residents.
limitations, a traditional structural combine heating and cooling functions Hemporium’s flagship store will occupy the
concrete frame was used for the building, through the use of pipes embedded ground floor and will offer self-branded
and R + N carried out many tests to in the floor slabs. The concrete slabs items along with a multitude of other
ensure that the hemp blocks were effectively become a thermal battery. designers who have used Hemporium-
suitable for the internal walls. For the The use of TABS, in conjunction with supplied hemp in their products.

Landscape SA • Issue 127 2023 13