General News

Steel Studio are proud to announce their involvement with the development of the trendsetting 90 Grayston commercial building. This iconic project is the first of many for the future of property development solutions in the area.

We are very excited to be involved in this prestigious project and to be a part of these groundbreaking construction projects is a real honour for us. We were involved in the design and manufacture of the stainless steel moving façade which we are extremely proud of. This has shown the level of our innovation and technology used to complete a project of this type.

90 Grayston is a 19 000 m2 trendsetting development offering premium grade office space in Sandton. The project will contribute to the constant upgrade of the Sandton area, ensuring it keeps pace with advanced cities around the world. The building includes 11 levels of parking – 5 levels of basement parking, and 6 levels of parkades – while the other 9 levels make up the office space.

These offices are situated above an elevated atrium and also has its own cafeteria. Included in the forward thinking in the design of the building, the top two parking levels will be able to be reclaimed as office space as South Africans increase their future use of public transport. The building is a perfect example of sustainable office development and will reduce running costs and optomise energy consumption.

These factors have helped the development with being awarded a 4 star Green Rating. We are constantly striving to reduce our impact on the environment, so it’s been important for us to know that this project holds a high level of sustainability and such forward thinking in regards to reducing the building’s impact on its surroundings. 90 Grayston is situated in the heart of Sandton and is easily accessible from the highway and has close access to the Sandton Gautrain station.

With South Africa moving towards a far more regulated building industry, it is becoming evident that sub-contractors are finding themselves on the wrong side of these regulations. We at Steel Studio have spent the last two years testing our balustrade systems and understanding the South African National Standards with regards to balustrades.

With the technology, innovation and knowledge we have gained from understanding SANS, we have designed, engineered and developed a range of balustrade systems that comply with SANS 10160 and SANS 10400, thus making our balustrades safe for all that utilise them in Commercial and Residential applications. On completion of each balustrade installation we submit a professional engineers certificate stating that the balustrades meet or exceed SANS 10160 and SANS 10400.

As a client, it is important to take note of the following:

• If you are appointing a balustrade sub-contractor, you need to make sure which SANS codes the balustrades comply with. If it is stated that the balustrades comply with SANS 10400, it is simply not covering all of the regulatory codes in regards to balustrades.
• The installation must also comply with SANS 10160 and where glazing is present in the balustrade installation, the balustrades also need to comply with SANS 1263-1:2006 and SANS 10137:2011. We urge homeowners to look out for this generally overlooked area in regards to balustrades where balustrade installations are only complying with one of the SANS codes as there are many more that are important in balustrade installations.
• For professionals in the industry: Often the drawings and/or BOQ’s state that the balustrades must comply with SANS 10400. Unfortunately, this is just one of the many SANS codes relating to balustrades. Another code, which is very critical, is the loading code SANS 10160, which ensures that the balustrades structurally meet the loading requirements for the different occupation categories.
• There are many different codes relating to balustrades, and stating that the balustrades must comply with SANS 10400 simply does not cover all the requirements set out by SANS.
• Currently there is no regulatory body governing balustrade specialists.

We at Steel Studio will assist you in limiting your liability and ensuring that you receive a product that, most importantly complies with the requirements as set out by SANS. Steel Studio will continue to design beautiful balustrades with your safety in mind.

We at Steel Studio are proud to announce our involvement in some of the more notable building projects that have been taking place in Johannesburg over the last couple of months. These building projects are all seen as high profile developments within the property sector, due to either their location or project profile.

Extension of the Mall of Rosebank

Construction of 12 000m² for the expansion of the Mall of Rosebank in Bath Avenue, Rosebank, Gauteng. The expansion crosses over Bath Avenue and once completed, the new floor area will be approximately 62 000m² including old and new. The Rosebank Gardens (formerly Nedbank Gardens) building will be demolished to make way for the expansion. Value: R 650 million (unconfirmed). The new section will have 8 levels – 6 levels parking and 2 levels retail.

Sandton Skye

Construction of the mixed-use development to be known as the Sandton Skye, which consists of three 15 storey buildings, with 180 apartments per tower. Sandton Skye is a lifestyle development that will be managed like a luxury hotel development. Features of the development will include 5 Star Luxury Hotel Living in a Prime position, dedicated front desk & concierge, restaurant, cocktail bar & delicatessen, personal in-room Chef by arrangement, private butler service & 24 hour room service, private lounge, library with fireplace, wellness spa, gym with linear indoor heated pool, outdoor rim-flow pool in garden setting, day beds, business centre, executive conference facilities, travel agent, car valet, laundry & housekeeping, health bar, hair salon, kids zone, high security. This development is situated in the heart of Sandton, Stan Road, Morningside Ext 6, Johannesburg in Gauteng. Value: estimated around R243 Million(unconfirmed).

Newtown Junction (Potato Shed) – Mall

Construction of a mall for the redevelopment of the derelict Potato Shed in Newtown, Johannesburg, Gauteng. Plans include a mall, and a hotel. Newtown Junction, as it is called, will bring the first 21st century mall and four-star City Lodge to the precinct. The 2ha plot behind Museum Africa offers flea market and retail shopping, offices, a 180-room hotel and an open public square. The entertainment sector also benefits, with additional facilities for the Market Theatre, including parking for 700 cars. New is combined with old by incorporating a major portion of the existing Potato Shed structure into the design. The shed is just four years shy of a century old and, in keeping with its heritage status, Atterbury has brought the existing structure into the plan, keeping the original roof trusses and iron work found on site. Value: R743 Million(unconfirmed).

Refurbishment of BMW Head Office

Alterations, additions and refurbishment to the 3 level BMW Headquarters at 1 Bavaria Avenue, Randjes Park, Extension 17, Pretoria, Gauteng.

As a homeowner embarking on a new balustrading or staircase project, it is common practice to take your sub-contractor’s word as gospel and expect your project to meet or exceed all building requirements set out by SANS. However there is some crucial information that your should be aware of when employing the services of a balustrade subcontractor.

At Steel Studio we often address the concerns of homeowners being supplied with offers from competitors that do not serve their best interests. For example, a common experience that we are facing is that the client is guaranteed an engineer’s certificate for the balustrade installation that ensures that their building project complies with SANS.

Little do the homeowners know that in circumstances like this, they will experience an additional cost from the competitors to send out an engineer to their property to sign off on the project, and often the installation only complies with SANS 10400. Although the installation is compliant with SANS 10400, this is just one of the numerous codes that need to be met during the project. In order to ensure that you, as a homeowner, are receiving all the information you need in order to appoint your balustrade sub-contractor, we have outlined what we at Steel Studio offer on completion of a balustrade project for you to use as a reference when speaking to your balustrading sub-contractors:

• Steel Studio provides a professional engineers certificate on completion of your project stating that the balustrades comply with SANS 10160 and SANS 10400.

Where glazing is present in the balustrade installation, our products additionally comply with:

• SANS 1263-1:2006 – Safety and security glazing materials for buildings – Part 1: Safety performance of glazing materials under human impact.

• SANS 10160-2:2011 – Basis of structural design and actions for buildings and industrial structures – Part 2: Self-weight and imposed loads. Point 9.4.7 Resistance to impact will be proven using an impact of 400 J, delivered by means of a 250mm diameter bag filled with dry sand to a mass of 30kg, representative of the most severe conditions likely to occur. The impact test may be reduced to 200 J for instances where the perpendicular approach distance is less than 1,5 m.

• SANS 10137:2011 – The installation of glazing in buildings

By making sure that your balustrade installation complies with these codes, you are ensuring the safety of all that utilise the balustrades. We urge homeowners to question their sub-contractors about what SANS codes the balustrades must comply with, and not be fooled by contractors who say they will issue them an engineer’s certificate. It is important to remember that the balustrade sub-contractor must take full liability for the balustrade installation and not just partial responsibility. As professionals, we at Steel Studio only install a product that complies with all building regulations and is safe for all that utilise the balustrades.

At Steel Studio, we are often commissioned to build and install custom, one of a kind staircase designs, and we are frequently asked what the installation entails when it comes to these unique features. We recently installed a custom designed staircase in Cape Town, and have taken the opportunity to display what the project looked like on site.

When installing a staircase system, we at Steel Studio ensure that all safety precautions are taken while on site, and most importantly, ensure that the installation is compliant with SANS so that the project can be signed off by building inspectors and our clients can enjoy their new staircase knowing that it has been designed, built and installed to the highest safety standards required by law.

We at Steel Studio are experts in the design, manufacture and installation of balustrades, staircases and pool enclosures for both residential and commercial applications. At Steel Studio we possess the innovation and technology to produce a rage of balustrade, staircase and pool enclosure systems that comply with the South African National Standards.

This range of solutions is skilfully crafted to virtually any custom design or material requirements. As the professional or client on a building project it is important that you understand that in order for the building inspector to issue an occupation certificate the building inspector requires a professional engineers certificate stating that the balustrades meet or exceed the requirements of SANS.

We at Steel Studio hold all of our products and levels of workmanship to the highest standards possible. All of our products undergo rigorous load testing to ensure all health and safety requirements are met in accordance with SANS. On handover you will receive a certified engineer’s certificate guaranteeing Steel Studio’s quality.

Not only does Steel Studio comply with a strict criteria as set out by SANS, but we are also affiliated with SASSDA: South African Stainless Steel Development Association, SAGGA: The South Africa Glass and Glazing Association, and the MBA: The Master Builders Association. Our stainless steel is manufactured to strict guidelines and principles ensuring the wellbeing of our environment.

Our stainless steel is 100% recyclable and recycled materials are used in over 65% of new stainless steel products. As certified experts in our field, we guarantee the highest quality materials and expert installation for all our staircase, balustrade and pool enclosure systems. Don’t hesitate, request a quote now and enjoy piece of mind while Steel Studio takes care of the rest.

At Steel Studio we pride ourselves in only installing high quality, SANS compliant balustrades systems for all of our clients. By taking this approach we can ensure that they will receive a product that will last for years to come and will most importantly be safe for all that use it.

We recently investigated two cases of installations that did not comply with SANS (which you can read here) and have once again come across an installation that does not meet the standards set out by SANS. The installation as seen in the pictures below depicts the importance of working with a trusted balustrade installer and just how important it is to use the correct materials.

In this instance, an inferior stainless steel bar has been used as a pin connector and has been welded onto a stainless steel post. It is possible that the incorrect welding rod was also used doing the installation which can cause more damage to the balustrade system.

This is the work of inexperienced, unqualified installers and manufacturers. The fact that the airgaps between the rails are more than 100mm, and the wrong post size has been used clearly shows that this installation does not comply with SANS 10400 and SANS 10160. When considering a balustrade system, we urge homeowners to make sure that their contractors offer a range of balustrades that comply with SANS 10400 and SANS 10160 and not just SANS 10400 and that the safety of their installation should be of the highest priority.

Up until recently South African Architects had no reason to consider seismic activity when crafting their drawings. However the 5.5 magnitude earthquake on August 5 2014 has basically changed all of that.

In a recent article in allafrica.com, Jae Uk Chong, professor of architecture at Dankook University, South Korea discussed how South African Architects need to change their perspective in regarding earth quakes and that they now need to consider these kind of factors in their drawings.

“Cities in South Africa are very densely populated and architects in the past have not really needed to consider disaster proofing structures, but events like this earthquake force ideas in that direction,” Chong was speaking at the International Union of World Architects Congress, currently being held in Durban. A large portion of the Congress was focused on the 5.5 magnitude quake that rocked the country and how industry specialists need to work towards creating safer cities. Nationally, seismologists agree that we should expect more seismic events in the future.

For us at Steel Studio we feel this new shift only further reinforces the importance of SANS compliance and the need to follow legislation to the tee.  Substandard building projects stand no chance of withstanding a small to moderate seismic event and if seismologists are correct we can expect more earthquakes in the future.

By ensuring that you specify building products that comply with the South African National Standards and by choosing to work with competent sub-contractors that take liability for their products and installation and offer SANS complaint products, you are ensuring that your buildings are built better. All of Steel studio’s balustrades either meet or exceed SANS 10160 and SANS 10400. This means that the balustrades are safe for all that utilize them in all applications possible.

In sustainable design, material selection is becoming more and more critical, not only for its performance characteristics but for its carbon emissions and environmental impact. These days, specifiers are taking on a more responsible role for the “cradle to gate” or production to delivery cycle than ever before, focusing on the environmental impact and energy consumption of selected materials.

One material in particular that is having ever increasing focus placed on it is Steel. More and more attention is being placed on the Carbon Footprint of Steel products in Construction, locality to Site, Transport methods and finishes and coatings. “Green” energy efficient buildings have enjoyed the inclusion of Stainless Steel as the steel of choice for its Green credentials.

When considering Galvanised Steel over Stainless Steel, the energy consumption per Kilogram of Steel produced is arguably almost the same. Stainless Steel however, has an advantage when it comes to the Galvanising process or painting application. Stainless Steels when correctly selected to suit their operating environment, require no special treatment to the surface, coatings or protective layers.

Galvanised Steel on the other hand is a chemical process of Degreasing, Rinsing, Pickling and Rinsing, dipping in a Flux Solution and finally Zinc Coating. All processes which consume a lot of Primary Energy as well as chemicals potentially hazardous to humans and the environment; Chemicals, which require processing as hazardous waste.

Galvanising campaigners speak of the advantages of loss of Zinc to the natural washing by rain over time into natural waterways and as Zinc being the 27th most abundant element in the Earth’s Crust and an Element critical in day-to-day life. The down side however as mentioned, is the extra processes the raw steel has to go through during the Galvanising process. This is not the case with Stainless Steel. Stainless Steel is manufactured using a minimum of 60% recycled material. The surface of the steel is a Chromium rich (Passive Layer) layer, which is self-repairing.

When correctly selected, the surface finish, be it mill finish, bead blasted, pattern rolled, brushed or polished will remain intact for life with a basic maintenance regimen. Even severe surface scratches will not cause material failure, unlike Galvanised Steel, which will leave the area exposed to environmental attacks and corrosion.

Galvanised material can also only be patched on the Site with Zinc- rich coatings or be returned to the Production Plant for stripping and coating from scratch. Stainless Steels can be cut, bent and welded on site and either chemically or mechanically cleaned. The Passive Layer of Stainless Steel will restore itself on exposure to Oxygen!

Often, Galvanised products are painted as an additional corrosion protection. This in itself causes environmental damage with peeling and flaking paint polluting our waterways and environment. These coatings are often also harmful in their production, consuming Energy with a large Carbon footprint. Painting is also not a permanent finish with sanding and recoating required fairly regularly making it a costly exercise when Life Cycle Costing is taken into account, versus the life of Stainless Steel in the same application.

Lately, design trends have moved towards the “look and feel” of Galvanised Steel as an “upcycled” product as opposed to new shiny metals. Please feel free to chat with one of our Technical Sales Consultants about designs and the available finishes in Stainless Steel.

We recently spoke to a well known architect on the importance of working with competent and professional sub-contractors and the relationship between the two: We choose as far as possible when we engage in contracts to deal with professional and competent contractors and sub-contractors and particularly in an environment where there is high risk, such as balustrades and glazing. There are several regulations that require actual compliance. For us as Architects we need to remember that we are not only administering designing and detailing a singular aspect of the building, we may at any point in time be dealing with over a hundred contractors and sub-contractors and suppliers. Obviously, the less the burden placed on us as the Architects the better for the end product. If we know that we engage with a competent and professional sub-contractor such as Steel Studio that are providing a complete end to end solution that for us relieves a lot of our burden because there is a transfer of responsibility across to the supplier and the designer and in the instance where you’re appointing selected sub-contractors or even nominated sub-contractors you want to know that you are entering and engaging in a relationship with professionally competent people that have the right work ethic and the right understanding of the regulatory framework within the scope of their contract. As an Architect we have severe contractual obligations in terms of the fulfillment of our role as principal agent. We definitely find that engaging with a sub-contractor such as Steel Studio, it gives us piece of mind to know that when we do engage with a contractor or a sub-contractor that we can rely on them to deliver a complete and competent end to end solution within a strict regulatory environment. Our experiences with Steel Studio are certainly that they are one of the foremost suppliers of balustrade solutions, in terms of the range of products that are available and also in terms of the way that they manage and execute their projects and the way that they deal on a day to day basis with the main contractor and also the consultants, so we’ve had very good working experiences with Steel Studio and we certainly see ourselves evolving the relationship going forward and we would from a professional perspective encourage involvement by Architects and other professionals with a company like that of Steel Studio.