Dassenberg Retaining Systems

From Foundation to Flourish: Terraforce® Wall Evolution at Arabian Ranches, Dubai

These progression photos showcase the incredible transformation of a Terraforce® retaining wall - from structural beginnings to a living landscape. Expertly installed by Terraforce recommended contractors Al Aamal Construction.

Stage 1: Clean curves and precision engineering - the Terraforce® L16 blocks with round face finish create beautiful architecture even before planting.

Stage 2: Fresh plantings and irrigation installed - young vegetation begins its journey, establishing roots in the Terraforce® L16 blocks.

Stage 3: Full maturity - lush greenery cascades down the wall faces, creating a living tapestry that blends seamlessly with the Dubai landscape.

Sustainable design in action - infrastructure that doesn't just support plants but transforms into a thriving ecosystem over time.

Terraforce® was specified by Dubai-based architectural design consultancy desert INK and manufactured locally in the UAE by Consent Concrete Products.

We are a Terraforce® recommended contractor, Western Cape:

Anna Niewoudt
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 021 987 2233
Web: www.dassenberg.co.za

Terracrete™: Designed for Stormwater Control

Terracrete™ is Terraforce®'s permeable interlocking concrete paver, designed to let rainwater soak straight back into the ground instead of running off into stormwater systems. Its surface is 40% open, more than double the openness of standard paving with widened joints, so water passes through more easily, and, if grassed, roots take hold and lock the surface together even more. Vegetation also increases surface roughness and friction, which slows the velocity of water moving across the surface compared to a smooth, sealed pavement.

It's proven itself across very different settings. In the Garden Route, a stormwater channel between residences in Mossel Bay manages runoff without erosion challenges, while grass growth further improves water absorption and stability through the root system that locks the surface together. At Vlakkeland near Paarl, South Africa, over 79,000 Terracrete™ blocks line a stormwater channel protecting a low-cost housing estate. Filled with bio-charcoal and mushroom spores to absorb and recharge pollutants, the blocks were planted with water-purifying species, part of a system feeding into the Berg River. And in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Terracrete™ blocks are being installed by newly licensed manufacturer CMMA SARL at a solar plant, forming a U-shaped channel for stormwater management.

With proper design and installation, Terracrete™ turns stormwater control from a legal requirement into a genuinely sustainable surface.

Read the full story: https://www.terraforce.com/6-2026-terracrete-designed-for-stormwater-control/

We are a Terraforce® recommended contractor, Western Cape:

Anna Niewoudt
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 021 987 2233
Web: www.dassenberg.co.za

From Imminent Collapse to Stable Slope — Terrafix™ Delivers on Cape Town's Most Exposed Cutting — 20 Years On and Still Standing

When a failing cut slope on Victoria Road between Camps Bay and Hout Bay threatened to collapse onto passing motorists, the City of Cape Town turned to Terrafix™ blocks as the solution.

Following a geotechnical investigation by Jeffares & Green and M. van Wieringen and Associates, a combination retaining system was designed: gabion toe walls up to 2.5 m high at the base, with a 35° Terrafix™ block-covered slope above, topped by a concrete-lined cut-off drain. The maximum laying density of 10 blocks per m² ensured full interlock against lateral movement, while near-horizontal concrete infill walers at 5 m intervals handled the curved surface geometry. Thousands of water-wise indigenous plants were established to soften the appearance and blend the structure into the surrounding Cape Peninsula National Park environment.

Constructed by Vula Indlela Construction using labour-intensive EPWP methods, the project generated approximately 40 000 man hours of work for the local Imizamo Yethu community in Hout Bay. Construction was completed in August 2006 at a final cost of approximately R3 million.

Terrafix™ blocks supplied by Terraforce® licensed manufacturer Cape Retaining Systems / Klapmuts Concrete.

Installed by Retaining Systems, Terraforce® recommended contractor:

Anna Niewoudt
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 021 987 2233
Web: www.dassenberg.co.za

https://www.terraforce.com/product/terrafix-120/

Client: City of Cape Town
Main contractor: Vula Indlela Construction CC
Civil Engineers: Jeffares & Green (Pty) Ltd
Geotechnical Engineer: M. van Wieringen and Associates
Gabion Subcontractor: Gabion Construction
Landscape Architect: Megan Anderson Landscape Architects
Landscape Contractor: Creations

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Celebrating Success at ! 🏆

A great day for Terraforce Retaining Walls® at the Specilink Specifying CPD event, InnovateX 2026, held throughout the day at the Coastlands uMhlanga Hotel and Convention Centre in KwaZulu-Natal!

Terraforce® was joined by representatives from licensed manufacturers Corobrik, Precast Structural Products, and Retain-A-Wall — a great reminder of the people and partnerships that make the Terraforce® network what it is.

There were plenty of good conversations across the day, with industry professionals sharing their experiences with Terraforce® products and reaffirming the brand's position as South Africa's original hollow core block system.

A big thank you to Specilink Specifying for organising a well-run event, and to everyone who stopped by the Terraforce® display — the continued support keeps the team focused on doing what they do best!

We are a Terraforce® recommended contractor, Western Cape:

Anna Niewoudt
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 021 987 2233
Web: www.dassenberg.co.za