African Design Magazine ADM #42 July 2018 | Page 39

LANSERIA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
A
s the tallest building
at this burgeoning
domestic airport, the
27.685 metre high concrete
control tower building houses
the air traffic control level on
its top floor, with a communal
area on the level below and the
offices of the weather bureau
beneath this level. The adjacent
fire station mirrors the style of
the surrounding environment of
charter plane hangars, creating a
definite workshop language in this
highly functional building.
Reinhardt von Solms, principal
architect at Cottle & Bergh (C+B)
explains that the company was
invited to aesthetically enhance
the existing design of the new
buildings. Main principal project
agent Delta Built Environment
Consultants, who were
responsible for the quantity
surveying, engineering and project
management components of the
project, worked closely with C+B
to create buildings that would be
recognised by their internal form
and functionality, rather than
relying on external aesthetics.
Design brief
“This was rather a unique situation
for us as we needed to provide
specific elements that would
offer the occupants optimum
comfort and practicality, whilst still
remaining within the parameters
of the Civil Aviation Authority’s
(CAA) regulations. Added to this
was the fact that there were
severe budgetary constraints, so
an out-of-the-box approach was
necessitated,” says Von Solms.
The position of the buildings
on the site was very important.
C+B was provided with the
coordinates for placement of the
buildings in terms of accessibility
to the runways for the fire station
personnel and trucks as well
as maximised visibility from the
control tower.
AFRICAN DESIGN MAGAZINE © | JULY 2018
39