Braamfontein, October 2015
The University of Witwatersrand built an impressively new building for the Mathematical Sciences Faculty on the West Campus in Braamfontein, Johannesburg of which the building belongs to the university. The previous building was demolished and rebuild in April 2013 to suite the functionality and standards applicable for student accommodation and faculty requirements. The building project encompassed two phases of which the final phase was completed in November 2014.
This aesthetically pleasing building incorporated 380 194 concrete masonry face bricks to create a visually impactful and rustic design element to the building. The look and feel of the building was enhanced with contrast created by choice of paint colours, rustic concrete slabs and rhythmic patterns of glass for an architectural impact. Grey masonry was chosen not only for aesthetic enhancements and theme but also to increase the durability of the building. The irregular pattern of rock face enhances the architectural design of the building illustrating the shadow lines. The masonry bricks are environmentally friendly due to the maintenance factor – no painting is required for the exterior walls of the building.
The installation of the masonry was done in accordance to quality standards performed by the manufacturer and met all building regulation requirements. This included relevant tests being conducted such as water absorption testing, strength factor testing and concluded favourable for the application.
