South Africa : construction of a cathedral
Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG) cathedral, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa.
The project involves the construction of a cathedral for the UCKG on the corner of Plein and Bree streets in Johannesburg, on a site previously occupied by a parkade. The reinforced concrete structure will be eight storeys high, two of which will be below ground, inclusive of a 2 160-m2 lower basement with classrooms, a service area and back-up generators; and a 2 225-m2 basement 1, comprising classrooms, an auxiliary nave seating 2 250 people and a baptismal font. The 2 185-m2 groung floor will have a main entrance and a 2 600-seat nave. A centre of focus will be the 4 015-m2 balcony, with access on three levels, including an upper looby, a bookshop, a lower lobby and the balcony itself seating 2 450 people. The project will use 120 t of structural steel, 13 000m2 of brickwork and 9 000m2 of concrete. The complicated structure will be furhter characterised by ranking beams, providing a colum-free cathedral auditorium. Six elevators will service the facility. Value R200-million.
Duration The facility is due for completion in mid-2009. Client UCKG. Key contractors and suppliers Barrow Costruction (main contractor); Architects@126 (architects); Davis Langdon (quantity surveyor); BKS (consulting structural engineer); WSP Consulting Engineers (electrical); and Spoormaker & Partners (consulting mechanical engineer). Contact details for project information
Barrow Construction, tel +27 11 483 0727 or fax +27 11 483 0728.