projects, with the objective to encourage sustainable development in
order to improve the symbiotic relationship of both the natural and built
environments. It is a multi-disciplinary practice of architects and town
planners, offering an extensive range of planning and related professional
services.
“I realised from the start of the project that Coetzee’s design on paper was
very creative and special, but now that it is actually fully transformed into
reality, I feel that the team has created a bit of South African construction
history,” says Swanepoel. “We made the impossible, possible and have
proven that there is still knowledge, skill and determination in our South
African construction industry. An achievement that we are all very proud
of!” And so they should be – having already received recognition around
the world, the Bosjes Chapel, and its ancillary structures, is a project you
are bound to hear more of in the future.
• The design and documentation period took two years before the date of
the official site handover. Stage 3 will be completed in another year.
• The construction period (site handover till Practical Completion) took
48 months.
• A 1:2 scale sample section of the roof were constructed in the PERI
Cape Town yard to workshop all details and finishes.
• TV3 produced 130 drawings sections through the chapel roof.
• The whole structure was divided into 8 sections, of which 4 were
identical quarters and mirrored on the centre line.
• The size of this intricate structure is 20m long x 12m wide, and 6m
high.
• 584 purpose-made trusses have been designed and manufactured by
PERI to support the intricate form-work.
• 3,13km of timber battens have been installed on the trusses for the
formwork.
• 4mm and 12mm Plywood was drenched in water for 24 hours to form/
shape the various curves.
• Rebar used in the structure = 10mm High Tensile bars Total = 7300 kg &
12mm High Tensile diameter bars Total = 875 kg.
• Total steel/rebar used in the structure = 8175 kg.
• Shotcrete was used as the principal structural material.
• The engineers (Henry Fagan & Partners) required a 30 day strength of
30MPa for the shotcrete. The laboratory test results indicated 40MPa after
30 days.
• Chapel roof volume (shotcrete concrete) = 74m 3
• The concrete structure weighs about 185 ton, which means that the
vertical loads on each of the four support columns, is about 50 ton,
including the grano screed and finishes.
ents of the project overleaf