PROJECT Orbic Architects
altering the raw visual character of the material. In hightraffic areas, UV-stable colour pigments were used to minimise visual damage and enhance resilience.
The project also had a significant socio-economic impact. With Lafarge setting up a batch plant on site, local labour was trained and employed extensively. This allowed for skills transfer, job creation, and community upliftment. Quality control processes ensured consistently high concrete performance across the entire precinct.
Notably, the construction sequence was guided by a single horizontal datum line set at the upper ground floor. This line informed the casting of slabs, lift shafts, and formwork alignment, ensuring cohesive visual flow. Curved soffits and detailing, such as panel patterns and LED strips, were achieved through meticulous planning and experimentation with traditional methods.
Art curation added another layer of expression. Artworks, including a large atrium installation made from recycled aluminium offcuts, reinforce themes of justice and transformation. Displayed throughout the precinct, these works engage with the building’ s bold materiality without competing with it, instead using the concrete as a canvas.
The Mpumalanga High Court does more than house legal proceedings; it reflects the ideals of South Africa’ s democratic justice system. Its architecture speaks of accessibility, integrity, and permanence, while its use of local materials and talent underscores its commitment to community and sustainability.
By challenging convention and celebrating concrete in new and meaningful ways, this project stands as a monument to justice – one that inspires confidence in the law and pride in local design. ■
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