African Design Magazine October 2015 | Page 65

Feature Steel Awards 2015 A visitor entering the building is immediately greeted by a grand volumetric atrium space with a wonderfully elegant tubular strutted arch structure supporting air inflated ETFE cushion cladding. The strutted arch spans 24 metres and its form is ideal for resisting the more dominant uplift wind forces of such a structure, whilst being quite slender in form as a result of the very light (in mass) ETFE cushions. The atrium space is further complemented by beautifully detailed structural steel staircases. The front of the building facing west on Bram Fischer Drive has a very large cantilever ‘peak cap’ roof that cantilevers out towards the street. This roof has been sculpted to ensure that form follows function with a ٕ