Page 35 - SAICE book proof 2 LATEST JULY 2014

s a i c e
GAUTENG PROVINCE

2. The Voortrekker Monument on the hills to
the south of Pretoria is visible from quite a distance all
round. It commemorates the heritage of the Boer or
Afrikaner pioneers. Designed by Architect Gerhard Mo-
erdyk, it features local granites and other local stone but
also marble from Italy and glass from Belgium, these
materials not being available in South Africa at the
time of construction. Construction started in 1940 and
was completed in 1945, although it was only opened in
1949. For the main floor at entrance level a clear 30 m
concrete span was used, something unheard of at the
time. This monument is one of the most popular tourist
attractions in Gauteng and has recently been renovated
with funds from the current government.
◊ Above: OR Tambo International
Airport
25°46’34.68” S, 28°10’31.08” E ◊ Left: Sentech Tower

3. Or Tambo International Airport is one of The most recent rebuilding en-
the world’s highest major airports in terms of elevation sures that it features as one of
at about 1 400 m above sea level. In order to enable the most modern airports in the
modern aircraft to take off with full loads of fuel and world. It also features a Gau-
passengers the two runways are 03L/21R (4 418 m) train station that connects Sand-
and 03R/21L (3 400 m). The 03L/21R runway is one of ton City with the airport where
the longest international airport runways in the world. the civil engineering structures
This is due to the rarefied atmosphere problem in which in this magnificent complex are
fully laden aircraft require a far greater length of run- mostly in the form of exposed
way to achieve take off velocity at this altitude. As is steel and concrete roof trusses,
common with airports it was extended and rebuilt many columns and piers. Colourful lo-
times after the first airstrips were built around 1947. cal granite floor finishes feature
The name changes went from Jan Smuts International in the various halls too.
Airport, to Johannesburg International Airport to OR
Tambo International Airport.
26°08’06.63” S, 28°13’44.80 E
In 2006 the first phase of upgrading included three
triangular 210 ton structures which added 7 000 m²
of floor space to the international departures hall at 4. The three major communi-
first floor level. The idea for using triangles came from cation towers in Gauteng can
the fact that aircraft noses could still get close to the be seen from afar and became
building in between the triangles whilst the wings could iconic beacons on the hills of
not. the province.

The steel structures were pre-fabricated about a kilo- • The Sentech Tower or pre-
metre away since the regular operations at the airport viously the Brixton Tower and
could not be interrupted. Each of these huge structures before that, the Hertzog Tower,
were subsequently transported on a special set of bo- named after a cabinet Minis-
gies, wheeled into place and lowered onto the concrete ter, was the first of the triplets
plinths which was a major achievement at the time. to be constructed in 1961 and
Each procedure took only seven hours and commenced reaches up to a level of 233 m.
after the last outgoing international flight at night and This tower had to be built in an
the first incoming flight the next morning to enable incredibly short time span of 12
aeroplanes to move out and dock again the next morn- months to accommodate dead-
ing without disruption. This same technique was subse- lines set for broadcasting from
quently used at Heathrow Airport. there. The tenderers were in-

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