Architect and Builder Magazine South Africa March/April 2014 | Page 47

The envelope design employs a simple
north / south orientation strategy. The north
and south façades are fully glazed, with the
northern façade deeply shaded. East and west
facades are predominantly solid, apart from the
top level clear storey which spills down each
side to reveal a central spine and horizontal
strip windows allowing for strategic views to
the railway line and the City of Johannesburg.
Roofs are insulated to improve performance and
reduce the need for heating and cooling.
In specifying the façade glazing, a
combination of single and double glazed low
emissivity glass was opted for. Varying colour
tints were added to assist in reducing glare and
heat gain. The deeply shaded north elevation
and minimal glazing to the east and west

44 on Grand Central

façades, are single glazed and solar coated.
The south elevation is double glazed to prevent
heat loss.

The north and south
façades are fully glazed,
with the northern
façade deeply shaded

Engineers Report
Sutherland Engineers facilitated the structural
aspects of the building. The building is
designed as a concrete frame structure with non
loadbearing infill brick walls and is founded on
end bearing piles with varying depth (5-10m).
The basement, P-1, is a split level on grade
parking area. Reinforced concrete retaining
walls create the basement walls and the floor
slab is a conventional surface bed cast onto
a stone layer with herringbone sub-surface
drainage connected to the storm water system
by gravity flow.

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