FEATURES
Armed with its unique shape, Gateway West Building in Waterfall City, Midrand, Johannesburg is a prominent example of modern architecture
and light steel frame building.
C
ranes continue to dominate
Pretoria’s prime precinct of Menlyn
Maine, a mega mixed-use
development that’s taking shape by the
day. What’s been dubbed as ‘Africa’s first
green city’, the precinct is also home to
several exquisite buildings that make use of
light steel framing.
To find out more about this intriguing
building method, SA Roofing explored
Menlyn Maine with John Barnard, director
of the Southern African Light Steel Frame
Building Association (SASFA). A division of
the Southern African Institute of Steel
www.saroofing.co.za
Construction (SAISC), SASFA has played the
role of advocate for light steel frame
building in South Africa for almost 12 years.
“I believe we have established an
industry that’s here to stay,” says Barnard,
adding that the association has been at the
forefront of establishing the sector’s codes
and standards since its inception. More
than half of light steel frame building
activity takes place in the roofing sector,
adds Barnard.
With 30 years behind him as a structural
engineer, Barnard is no stranger to the steel
industry. Practising what he preaches, his
very own home is a testament towards
steel frame building. “I will never forget
the first time I witnessed the construction
of a light steel frame building – it was in
2006, before SASFA was born, when I saw
this exciting project go up in Pretoria
North. Since then this building method has
grown tremendously,” Barnard elaborates.
Barnard points out that South Africa was
shown the ropes of light steel frame
building in Australia. “We have learnt quite
a lot from the Australian market, although
they used to focus on low rise residential
building only. Development of the industry
CLADDING // CONCRETE // INSULATION // STEEL // THATCH // TIMBER // TRANSLUCENT // WATERPROOFING // COMPONENTS
JAN - FEB 2019
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