PROJECT REPORT: HOTELS


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Carving out such a huge amount of concrete from the heart of the building was a tough construction challenge, made trickier by the fact the concrete cylinders were just 180 mm-thick with limited structural strength.


A new 250 mm sleeve of structural concrete had to be cast inside each of the tubes to boost integrity before they were cut into with jack hammers and circular saws. “The labyrinth of 5.5 metre-diameter tubes, only connected together via openings at the bottom, was a very tough space for the builders to work in,” says Martinovsky.


The method of construction made it difficult for the designers to see progress on site, as the final form was only revealed section by section, like a stone sculpture slowly chiselled away by an artist. “The big reveal only came when a large portion of the atrium was cut out and we realised, thank god, this was actually working,” he adds.


ADF OCTOBER 2017


Beyond the atrium space, interventions were made into the sides of other tubes to create space for footbridges that provide access to galleries. A different approach was taken to create the galleries themselves, the museum’s director had specific vision for white rooms with no architectural detail to distract visitors from the art. As a result, around two thirds of the existing silo tubes were removed, on either side of the atrium, to create space for a series of minimal white cubes that slot into the voids. As visitors walk through the building the cubes can be seen hovering above the ground floor, and they can be viewed from below and from the side.


Glittering pillows


The Silo Building is like an architectural pandora’s box, its flamboyant sculptural interior concealed behind a largely unadorned concrete facade.


A light-touch approach to the exterior WWW.ARCHITECTSDATAFILE.CO.UK


PROJECT FACTFILE


Client: Victoria & Alfred Waterfront Holdings (Pty) Location: Cape Town Completion date: September 2017 Total area: 102,000 ft2 Exhibition space: 65,000 ft2 Designer: Heatherwick Studio Project manager: Mace Structural engineer: Arup / Sutherland


M&E / sustainability engineer: Arup / Solution Station


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