Architect and Builder Magazine South Africa September/October 2013 | Page 8

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Caesarstone Student
Designer 2013 awards

The winning concept, The Heart

of South Africa, was designed by
Leon van der Westhuizen of Nelson
Mandela

Metropolitan

Univer-

sity’s Department of Architecture,
with oversight from his lecturer,
Donald Flint. All the judges felt a

connection with the historical event
that Leon selected, namely, the first
human heart transplant performed
by Chris Barnard.

Judge Jonathan Anstey comments

Shanghai Tower, China

“Leon embraced this excellence

At the time of its topping out in August 2013, the Shanghai Tower was China’s tallest
structure and the centrepiece of the city’s skyline. With a distinctive helix-like façade, it
will also become the world’s tallest double skin building.
Aurecon was engaged to provide engineering design for mechanical, electrical and
plumbing (MEP) services, as well as facade engineering design with Gensler Architects
and building science services.
This involved integrating services design with environmentally sustainable design
objectives, the structural framework and varying surface geometry. To achieve this,
Aurecon undertook extensive analysis to address the building’s complex design issues.
Aurecon also undertook extensive building science, geometric analysis and wind
tunnel testing to address the building’s complex design issues, integrating sustainable
design objectives, the structural framework and varying surface geometry. The project’s
unique double layer system combines an inner façade with a fully unitised curtain
wall with a warped outer surface. The façade system design achieves tolerances from
-10 millimetre to +19 millimetre from thermal, wind pressure, seismic load, fabrication and
installation movements.
The tower’s intelligent skin is setting new benchmarks in tall building façade design,
with the innovative upward spiral design reducing wind loads and capturing rainwater for
air-conditioning and central heating. www.aurecongroup.co.za

on why this design won first place,
within the medical field by taking

the concept much further than
anyone else in the competition.
Not only is the building a physical

demonstration of the heartbeat,
but he was able to employ the

idea that cardio vascular health

can be celebrated through exercise
activities within the building in

celebration of the memory of
Chris Barnard.”

“The annual first prize of a trip to

an overseas design fair is awarded
to both the student and the lecturer
as an acknowledgement of the role
that the lecturers play in mentoring

students through the conceptual
development

and

competition

entry process,” says Caesarstone
South Africa’s marketing director,
Trevor King.

Music City Center in
Nashville, Tennessee
by tvsdesign
An all-new landmark in Music City’s
iconic downtown opened its doors earlier
this year. At 1.2 million square feet of
convention center area, Music City Center
gives Nashville a bigger stage to host
larger conventions and meetings and,
ultimately, to make a greater impact on the
economy of the city and state.

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News Watch