Civil Engineering March 2021 | Vol 29 No 2

WINNER IN THE SAFINTRA SOUTH AFRICA METAL CLADDING CATEGORY AND THE FACTORY AND WAREHOUSE CATEGORY Bakers Transport Cato Ridge Ries Shaw Architects were commissioned to provide a 25 000 m 2 distribution ware­ house and a 3 000 m 2 office building on a sloping, triangular site alongside the N3 Freeway. The professional team was able to design a warehouse structure that is both contemporary and aesthetically impres- sive but also as financially economical as a typical box-type warehouse. The use of structural steel offers several benefits, including extensive off- site fabrication resulting in fast on-site erection and installation; large roof spans resulting in high volume spaces with a low density of internal columns; and structurally efficient lightweight construction resulting in cost effective structures. The versatility and relatively slender structural strength of steel also facilitated the design of an aesthetically pleasing building. Design & construction A single, large, steel sheeted warehouse was designed, with steel cladding as the main aesthetic. The steel structure measures 14 m at the eaves and consists of reinforced concrete perimeter columns on a 24 m × 24 m grid supporting steel lat- tice trusses. Three spine lattice girders rationalise the spans and member sizes and the resultant configuration was easy to fabricate and erect. The architects modulated the ware- house form with a subtle stepped roof and angled gable planes. Extended eaves added practicality and are joined in an angular configuration at the gables. Hot rolled structural steel girts were selected in lieu of the conventional cold rolled girts connected with additional cleats to the concrete corner columns in order to establish stable raking gable wings. The steel aesthetic is thus further celebrated by these contrasting sheeting planes that make great use of sunlight. The warehouse structure is clad with dark grey concealed fix steel sheeting and opaque white translucent sheeting, posi- tioned to form a starkly contrasting white frame against the dark grey background. For the office block, a simple trio of concrete boxes was erected with large vertical steel louvres that dominate the aesthetic of the freeway elevation. The result is an impressive ware- house structure immediately adjacent to the N3 carriageway that provides passers-by with an unexpected and visually appealing building outline with striking angular features. KEY PLAYERS Client/Developer Growthpoint Properties Architect Ries Shaw Architects Structural engineer Kantey & Templer Main contractor WBHO Steelwork contractor/erector Paragon Steel Structures Cladding manufacturer Safintra South Africa Cladding contractor MJC Industrial Roofing Civil Engineering  March 2021 43