paving car park 10

Constructing this massively impressive hotel and casino resort, called for radical solution to its car parking requirements, with in particular the casino likely to create an intensive use, when compared to the normal visitor/parking ratios of more traditional hotels. A significant factor in the design was the need to introduce an effective surface water control system, without a requirement for major changes to the drainage infrastructure and local eco-system.

The key focus of the design fell on the need to establish parking for over 1000 cars in an overspill area beyond the immediate vista of the hotel, with a surface that would promote a low maintenance regime.

Grasscrete was selected as the best solution with its cast-in-pace reinforced concrete surface able to feature demarcation for individual parking bays using monolithically cast solid concrete panels, so that no paint marking was called for.

Instead of the usual matrix of topsoil and grass the individual pockets were infilled with a dark diabase aggregate, this not only helped by removing the need for grass maintenance but its 20-5mm grading also serves to enhance the permeability of the paving such that entirely natural ground water re-charge can take place without the need for additional piped surface water drainage.

The contrast provided by the dark aggregate infill helps to promote an aesthetic appeal across this large area.