Ries Shaw Architects were commissioned to design a distribution warehouse of 25 000 m2 with an office building of 3 000 m2 on a sloping site alongside the N3 Freeway on Cato Ridge. The warehouse development won the Metal Cladding category and the Factory and Warehouse category in the South Africa Institute of Steel Construction Awards of 2020 and received commendations from the judges in the overall award winning category.
The design brief
The client required a distribution warehouse for the storage and subsequent distribution of a diverse range of transported products. The additional requirement was for a corporate headquarters with an administrative support building.
A dominant position
The siting for the warehouse was chosen for ease of access and is located along the longest boundary of the triangular property, which is the highest elevated point on the site.
The design response took note of this elevated position by means of a ‘sleek but detailed response, celebrating the linear qualities of steel construction’, say the architects, Ries Shaw.
The Roof
The main warehouse structural frame comprises interconnected trusses and lattice girders supported on a column grid of 24m by 24m. For economic and practical reasons, the lattice girder trusses comprise I-beam sections and angle sections and the trusses comprise angle sections. The canopies comprise triangular tubular trusses for aesthetics, where required and I-beam sections and angle sections elsewhere for economical and practical reasons. Overall, the focus was on a lightweight structure with optimal prefabrication of steel elements offsite.
According to the architects, the warehouse structure cladding is in a dark grey colour using Colorplus® Thunderstorm, a standard colour in the Safal Steel range. This was formed by Safintra offsite into the specified profile and road-hauled to the site, being below the 12m road limit size. Additional vertical cladding consisted of Widek (pierced fix) formed from Colorplus® Ultima AZ200 pre-painted in colour Raincloud. This is a concealed fix steel profile, broken by the opaque white translucent sheeting of the ridge line step. These were positioned to coincide the sloped apex ridge step and sloped gable step with a horizontal eaves strip thereby forming a narrow starkly contrasting white frame against the dark grey background, a highly eye-catching exterior feature. The mono-pitched roof supplies a linearity which moderates the bulk of the warehouse with a quintessential steel aesthetic response, say the architects.
The main warehouse structure at the gables is clad with the same Widedek profile with dark grey Colorplus® Thunderstorm, and also opaque white translucent sheeting. The translucent white sheets were positioned to coincide the sloped apex ridge step and sloped gable step with a horizontal eaves strip over the loading dock canopy, thereby forming a narrow starkly contrasting white frame against the dark grey background.
About the roofing
The roofing and cladding is formed from 0.55 mm thick Colorplus® Ultima AZ200 in colour Thunderstorm, based on the Safal Steel Zincal® AZ200 pre-painted technology.
Zincal® Ultima AZ200 offers the best corrosion protection in a maritime salt-laden environment, or otherwise aggressive/corrosive location. Pre-painted, Colorplus® is available in a range of coating options including modified Polyester, Textured and Matt finishes. These meet the specifications called by the most demanding architectural and design challenges.
The metallic coating protects the steel substrate in two ways: The aluminium part of the coating provides a tough physical barrier, while the zinc component provides sacrificial protection, also protecting the steel at the cut edges.
An additional huge advantage of Zincal® or Colorplus® is its lightweight nature when compared with typical galvanised steel. This lends itself to modern sustainable construction methods, promoting dematerialisation, lower transport costs, longer life in service and reducing the footprint of the building on the earth.
Safal Steel is a licenced user of the highly respected 55% Aluminium, 43.5% Zinc and 1.5% Silicon coated steel technology from BIEC International Inc. The company is the first and only licensed producer of this patented coating alloy in Southern Africa, which is used to manufacture the highest quality metallic and pre-painted coated steel used in roofing, cladding, and many other structural applications. Zincal® is made with a range of coating thicknesses, AZ100, AZ150 and AZ200 which are suited to differing degrees of corrosion environments, providing the durability that will deliver an investment with a warranted lifespan.
Safal Steel warrants its Zincal® and Colorplus® (colour coated steel) to have a service life (prior to perforation by weathering in the natural elements) from date of installation. Warranty periods are determined by Safal Steel and may vary according to project design and location. A Provisional Warranty may be applied for at project design stage; this warranty serves as a guideline as to the final warranty Safal Steel may issue on project completion. A Final Warranty application form may be submitted to Safal Steel by the roll former on project completion, requesting Safal Steel to issue a warranty for the specific material used on a specific project.
Look for the trademark. All Safal Steel prime material is branded on the backing coat – insist on Safal Steel material.
Professional team:
Client/Developer: Growthpoint Properties
Architect: Ries Shaw Architects
Structural and Civil Engineers: Kantley & Templer
Quantity Surveyors: Kantley & Templer
Main contractor: WBHO
Steelwork contractor and steel erectors: Paragon Steel Structures
Roofing and cladding contractor: MJC Industrial Roofing
Roofing and cladding former and supplier: Safintra SA
Roofing and cladding material manufacturer: Safal Steel
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