The Cape Reed Group of Companies, a world leader in the construction and installation of sustainable timber and thatch structures, has completed a Dh15 million ($4.08 million) project for the new Sofitel resort on the Palm Jumeirah.

Cape Reed started work on the project in April 2011 and has completed the design and installation of 7,000 sq m thatched roofing for the hotel, as well as 5,000 sq m thatch tile ceilings, including 100 meters of timber hand rails and 800 sq m of timber decking. The company also designed and built 60 thatched breach umbrellas, 40 thatched beach cabanas, five life guard huts, as well as 200 sq m of timber pergolas.

Special pressure-treated timber columns from South Africa were used to build all the structures, while the group’s unique cape reed thatching was used for all the roofs.

“Cape Reed was involved with this project from the design stage and we are extremely proud to be a part of this tremendous accomplishment and to see this remarkable resort set new standards for sustainable resorts in the UAE,” said Andre van Heerden, managing partner, Cape Reed Group of Companies.

“In fact Cape Reed thatch recently achieved a score of 54.52 and our Eucalyptus timber scored 80.31 in the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council’s Estidama standards (Arabic for sustainability), which further proves the high level of sustainability of the materials we use.”

The company’s primary roofing material, which also gives the company its name, is cape reed, a unique kind of thatch that only grows on a small strip of land in the Southern Cape region of South Africa.

“The natural materials used throughout the resort are key in connecting our guests to their environment,” said Christophe Schnyder, general manager of Sofitel The Palm, Dubai.

“Cape reed definitely falls into this category as they provide a very successful natural product with a high level of installation and quality control. They were selected due to their expertise in dealing with the natural reed product, which was utilised effectively as a unique architectural element throughout the Palm Jumeirah Sofitel Resort.”

The Sofitel Palm Resort & Spa opened on July 1, and is a Polynesian-themed resort with 318 rooms and suites, as well as 561 serviced apartments, 42 beach suite units, as well as three luxurious lodge villas. – TradeArabia News Service