1. BUILDING MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY- 5
SHELL STRUCTURE
BOSJES CHAPEL / STEYN STUDIO
SUBMITED BY :
VIPASHA DARUWALA – 4
VIBHA DUDHWALA – 5
HETVI PATEL – 15
SHELL STRUCTURE
2. ARCHITECTS STEYN STUDIO
LOCATION BREEDERIVER VALLEY, R43, WITZENBERG
MUNICIPALITY, SOUTH AFRICA
CATEGORY CHAPLE
AREA 430.0 M2
PROJECT YEAR 2016
PHOTOGRAPHS ADAM LETCH
MANUFACTURERS TERRAZZO & MARBLE, SIKA, PERI,
PG SMARTGLASS
BUILDING MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY- 5 SHELL STRUCTURE
3. • A VINEYARD IN SOUTH AFRICA, IS DESIGNED BY SOUTH-AFRICAN BORN COETZEE STEYN OF
LONDON BASED STEYN STUDIO.
• SURROUNDED MOUNTAIN RANGES, PAYING TRIBUTE TO THE HISTORIC CAPE DUTCH GABLES
DOTTING THE RURAL LANDSCAPES OF THE WESTERN CAPE.
• CONSTRUCTED FROM A SLIM CONCRETE CAST SHELL.
• THE ROOF SUPPORTS ITSELF AS EACH UNDULATION DRAMATICALLY FALLS TO MEET THE
GROUND.
• ARCHITECTURAL CONCRETE FINISH.
• HEIGHT OF CHAPEL IS 6 METER.
BUILDING MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY- 5 SHELL STRUCTURE
4. • WHERE EACH WAVE OF THE ROOF STRUCTURE RISES TO A PEAK, EXPANSES OF GLAZING
ADJOINED CENTRALLY BY A CRUCIFIX ADORN THE FAÇADE.
• ELEVATED UPON A PLINTH, THE CHAPEL RISES FROM THE FLAT LAND ITS SITS UPON, PROVIDING
A HIERARCHICAL FOCAL POINT WITHIN ITS SURROUNDINGS.
• A REFLECTIVE POND EMPHASISES THE APPARENT WEIGHTLESSNESS OF THE STRUCTURE.
BUILDING MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY- 5 SHELL STRUCTURE
5. • NEW PLANTING INCLUDING A VINEYARD AND POMEGRANATE ORCHARD CREATE A LUSH
GREEN OASIS ON THE OTHERWISE EXPOSED SITE.
• INSIDE, A LARGE AND OPEN ASSEMBLY SPACE IS CREATED WITHIN A SIMPLE RECTANGULAR
PLAN.
• HIGHLY POLISHED TERAZZO FLOORS REFLECT LIGHT INTERNALLY.
• THE UNDULATING WHITEWASHED CEILING CASTS AN ARRAY OF SHADOWS WHICH DANCE
WITHIN THE VOLUME AS LIGHT LEVELS CHANGE
THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
• THIS MODEST PALETTE OF
MATERIALS CREATES
A NEUTRAL BACKGROUND TO THE
IMPRESSIVE FRAMED VIEWS OF THE
VINEYARD AND MOUNTAINS BEYOND.
BUILDING MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY- 5 SHELL STRUCTURE
6. • EXTREMELY COMPLEX ROOF STRUCTURE WITH STRONGLY CURVED SHAPES (LENGTH: 20 M,
WIDTH: 12 M, HEIGHT: 6 M)
• RAINWATER IS DISCHARGED FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE ROOF VIA A SUBMERSIBLE PUMP WITH
SUMP, THROUGH A PIPE CAST INTO THE CONCRETE WHOSE OUTLET IS HIDDEN UNDER THE
LOWEST PART OF THE ROOF, WHERE IT MEETS THE REFLECTION POND.
• THE ROOF STRUCTURE IS FORMED USING A COMBINATION OF TRUSSES AND RIBS. A TOTAL OF
584 TRUSSES ARE ENGINEERED WITH AUTODESK INVENTOR AND THEN PRODUCED AT A LOCAL
ROOF TRUSS MANUFACTURER. ALL TRUSSES ARE MARKED AND CHECKED BEFORE THEIR
DELIVERY TO THE JOBSITE.
BUILDING MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY- 5 SHELL STRUCTURE
7. BUILDING MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY- 5 SHELL STRUCTURE
• ALL FORMWORK WAS PURPOSE-MADE, AND WAS DESIGNED AS A SYSTEM OF PREFABRICATED
TRUSSES WITH A BENT PLYWOOD SKIN. IT TOOK ALMOST FIVE MONTHS TO CONSTRUCT THE
FORMWORK ON SITE. A 1:2 SCALE SAMPLE SECTION OF THE ROOF WAS CONSTRUCTED IN THE
CONTRACTOR’S CAPE TOWN YARD TO WORKSHOP ALL DETAILS AND FINISHES.
• THE SHELL COMPRISES 74 CUBIC METRES OF CONCRETE AND 8175 KG OF HIGH TENSILE STEEL
REINFORCEMENT. IT IS SUPPORTED BY FOUR HIDDEN REINFORCED CONCRETE BUTTRESSES,
EACH WITH A VERTICAL LOAD OF CLOSE TO 50 TONNES.
• DUE TO THE UNUSUAL FORM OF THE SHELL, EACH REINFORCING BAR (TOP AND BOTTOM) HAD
TO BE INDIVIDUALLY CUT AND HAND-BENT TO FIT. THE CONCRETE WAS POURED IN THE FORM
OF SHOTCRETE – PNEUMATICALLY PROJECTED AT HIGH VELOCITY THROUGH A HOSE. THIS HAD
TO BE DONE FROM MOBILE PLATFORMS, AND WAS FREQUENTLY DELAYED BY STRONG WINDS
AND RAIN, TAKING SIX WEEKS INSTEAD OF THE TWO ALLOWED IN THE ORIGINAL PROGRAMME.
8. • THE WHITEWASHED CEILING
CASTS AN ARRAY OF SHADOWS
THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
BUILDING MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY- 5 SHELL STRUCTURE
• POLISHED TERAZZO FLOORS HELP
REFLECT LIGHT.
• A NEUTRAL MATERIAL PALETTE
ENABLES THE VIEWS OF THE
SURROUNDING LANDSCAPE TO
TAKE PROMINENCE.
