THE project to rebuild the Durban Christian Centre’s iconic ‘Jesus Dome’, destroyed in a fire in 2016, scooped top honours at the recent national Steel Awards, hosted by the South African Institute of Steel Construction (SAISC).
Apart from being declared the overall winner, the build also won the SAFAL Steel Innovation category for the geometry of the large roof arches, inclined in different planes which provide support for the roof; as well as the very tight site access.
“The Durban Christian Centre is a very bold project. For the engineer to realise the form the architect envisioned must have been very complex,” said SAISC Chairperson Nicolette Skjoldhammer. The nominator and structural engineer was NJV Consulting, the architect, Elphick Proome Architects and the steelwork contractor Impact Engineering.
“The members of the Durban Christian Centre project team epitomise all the aspects of diversity which the SAISC is striving for within the steel industry, all working in harmony to achieve an amazingly creative and innovative outcome,” she added.
SAISC CEO Paolo Trinchero said the institute had received a record-breaking number of 94 entries for the awards this year as opposed to 70 in 2018 and 59 in 2017. In addition, sponsorship of the Steel Awards has grown by 40% from 10 sponsors in 2018 to 14 this year.
