Architect and Builder Dec 2017 / Jan 2018 | Page 99

TUBULAR AND ARCHITECTURAL CATEGORY WINNER
Globe Bar – Time Square Casino
The Globe Bar is the focal point of the new Time Square
Casino in Menlyn. The project entailed the fabrication and
erection of a curved plate fabricated main entrance arch
with the suspended tubular round shaped Globe Bar. Steel
was chosen because of the fact that complex shaped
curve could not be achieved in concrete in the short space
of time. Steelwork was the obvious choice to give the
client the architectural shape. The structure was required
to receive glass panels.
The casino arch structure was fabricated using the
biggest possible elements, which left the least site
welded connections for erection on site. Erection of the
arch legs was done using a 220 ton crane on a suspended
fully propped slab while lifts were taking place. The
main contractor and sub-contractor coordinated a full
system of back propping and stripping to accommodate
client budgets. The main arch is a composite steel
and concrete structure with re-bar fitted during the
fabrication process. Once erected and site welded,
concrete was pumped inside the plate arch using a
specially designed concrete slurry.
The Globe Bar was fully constructed offsite to get
the geometry 100% correct. The structure was then
divided into segments and welded in the largest possible
transportable units. Segments were then bolted and
site welded. A sacrificial inner structure of I-beams was
constructed and the external frame of the Globe was pre-
assembled on the inner frame to get geometry correct
and to ensure the fit of glass panels. Mobile cranes and
tower cranes were used during the erection of the Globe
Bar suspended off the main arch legs. The last capping of
the arch could only be installed once the Globe Bar was
suspended from the arch legs.
Some challenges in implementing this project
included keeping elements within transport sizes, within
a 220 ton crane lifting radius, design of backpropping
to accommodate a 220 ton crane on 3 levels of slabs,
erection of the members within crane capacity and site
splicing (bolting and welding at high levels).
Comments Spencer Earling: ”What would we have
done before we had computers? We wouldn’t have tackled
this. Now, with computers, we’ve taken a hemisphere
which has been fully assembled after drawing and
fabrication in the works…we’ve connected it to a curved/
arched plate girder…we’ve hung it off that girder…we’ve
Steel Awards
hung the whole structure and suspended it on top of two
plate box columns which were filled with concrete. Just
think about the technology and engineering specialty that
turns this into an architectural masterpiece. “
Client: Sun International
Architect: LYT Architects
Structural Engineer: WSP
Quantity Surveyor: MLC
Main Contractor: WBHO
Steelwork Contractor: Cadcon
Structural Steel Detailer: DN Design, Beker Steel
Steel Erector: On Par
Cladding Contractor: Façade Solutions
Corrosion Protection/Paintwork: Dram Trading
99