11 of the coolest new structures in SA - including a massive 'bubble' building
Over the past year, despite the challenges in the local construction industry - of late exacerbated by the pandemic - there was no shortage of innovative structures erected across the country.
Last week, the Southern African Institute of Steel Construction (SAISC) awarded its Steel Awards 2020 to some of the most exciting projects completed in the past year in the country.
They included a house built from light steel within 28 days, as well as a cool farm school and a massive warehouse built in just six months.
The new bridge was the bigger winner this year, winning the overall prize as well as triumphing in the bridge category. Last year, it replaced a 22-year-old bridge. Every year, the bridge carries 2.4 million people per year and it has to open and close 60 times a day, to allow boats to pass.
The bridge itself is more than 40m long and 3m wide with the mast section extending over 10m into the air. Once completed it weighed more than 40 tonnes.
It was praised for "the combination and integration of mechanical, structural, marine, geotechnical, construction and architectural expertise to create a simple but beautiful structure that moves". It also made use of a so-called "slew bearing" - a technical innovation not seen before in Africa
To limit disruption to the V&A, the bridge was assembled on a nearby jetty. Once completed the bridge was carefully craned onto a barge and towed to its final position. The bridge was then lifted off the barge and mounted onto the slewing bearing.
The development consists of Barloworld's head office as well as a Caterpillar showroom and a new training campus.
The 4,500 m² project actually consists of two elongated buildings, that are bubble-shaped: a double-storey north building and a three-storey south building linked by an enclosed glazed bridge.
The 3,200 m2 showroom was built to face directly onto the R24.
"Architecturally the only straight feature in the double structure is the glass frontage," says Paragon Architects.
