Why sandcastle sculpture is more than child s play

Why sandcastle sculpture is more than child’s playA month of sun, surf and sand beckons. As we head to the beach, our property leaders share their secrets to building the perfect sandcastle. But are these childhood constructions a precursor to a life in property?Building sandcastles is about building memories. But for master sand sculptor Ted Siebert, sandcastling is a serious business.The current world record holder for the tallest sandcastle – which soared to 13.97 metres in 2015 – Siebert says it’s a misconception that building sandcastles is easy. “It’s hard work,” he says.Among his top tips are keeping the sand wet, using the right tools (sharp knives, straws and brushes) and starting out with the end in the mind. “If you don’t bring an idea, you’ll waste time shovelling something you don’t have to shovel,” he says. Sand sculpture is a “collaborative sport”.”Don’t go it alone,” is the advice of Lendlease’s chief executive officer for property, Kylie Rampa.”Develop a plan, and get to work with the right mix of sand and water in the best location,” she says.Digging deeper, experts say getting the sand-to-water ratio right is essential for stable sandcastles.Daniel Bonn and his team at the Laboratory of Physical Statistics in Paris have modelled a range of theoretical and real-world sandcastles, discovering that a liquid volume of just one per cent is key. The team concluded that “if this optimum concentration is used, sandcastles reaching five metres in height can be built”.But if that sounds like hard work, Chris Palandri, regional managing director of Multiplex and president of the Property Council in WA, has a simple solution.”Put cement in the sand. That way your sandcastle won’t fall apart.”So, what are the best tools? Bucket, spade or your bare hands?Physicists have confirmed that our hands are the best tools for the job. Compaction is an essential component of sandcastle building – and hands are more sophisticated tools than spades. But don’t throw away the bucket. Scientists have noted that these tools are needed for the heavy lifting to make the first mound.Bob Johnston grew up in country Queensland, and says “a visit to the beach was a rare thing. I spent more time building tree houses.” But his secret is to ensure a sandcastle has solid foundations.But how high can you go?Here’s where the height-to-radius ratio is key. Bonn’s team found the maximum height of a sandcastle varies with its width. But surprisingly, they found the height-to-radius ratio decreases the wider you make your column. So, a wider base won’t provide that additional stability needed to build up extra height. Instead, by building a cylinder with a base radius of just 20 centimetres, the researchers could reach a height of 2.5 metres.Stockland’s managing director and chief executive officer Mark Steinert, who is also the Property Council’s national president, says it’s easy to spot those with “lofty development dreams” because their sandcastles “tend to take on a more ambitious or monolithic scale.”If this sounds like you, Steinert says roping in the kids will “give your efforts an air of legitimacy”. And of course, the old adage of ‘location, location, location’ applies. “Similar to larger-scale developments, good sandcastles should be well located and have a good design – and good builders,” says Louise Mason, AMP Capital’s chief operating officer for property.Finding the perfect spot is paramount. Too far away and you’ll be too far from the surf and the all-important wet sand. Too close to the water and the waves will soon wash away your hard work.But for the Property Council’s chief executive Ken Morrison, that’s all part of the entertainment.”Sandcastles on a rising tide are great fun – it’s the drama of frantically building away to try to hold back the sea.”Phil Soumilas, director of Buildcom Australia and the Property Council’s president in Victoria, takes a more cautious approach, arguing that any good builder “checks the flood levels before buying land”.Darren Steinberg, chief executive officer of DEXUS Property Group, thinks the lessons learnt on the beach can be applied to property.He says any good sandcastler should “make sure it’s well located, consider potential occupiers in the design phase, build a solid foundation and incorporate room for expansion” .”Ensure it contributes to the surrounding community,” he says, adding that ideally, any sandcastle should be constructed on Sydney’s Northern Beaches or in South-West WA.For Rampa, safety during the construction phase is paramount, and advises constructors to “slip, slop, slap”.But is a childhood building sandcastles a precursor to a life in property?For the Property Council’s chief executive Ken Morrison, summer sandcastles “are all about kids letting their imaginations run wild and being a part of their creative process”. And a final lesson for the property sector?”Don’t put your kids in charge of your project,” says Morrison.