GENESIS ON FAIRMONT

In Site Architects’ mind there was no other solution to cover the 1000m2 atrium at their latest project Genesis on Fairmont in Johannesburg other than a tensile structure. Tension Structures saw the project through from the development of the conceptual design through to the installation.

To create a clean open space underneath the large structure, the design called for two 14m long flying masts which were suspended on eight cables. Paired with 16 tensioner connections around the perimeter, this enabled us to install the entire structure in just one day, albeit by using one of the biggest cranes available in the country.

Once complete, the structure immediately became an iconic landmark on the Fairmont skyline and extended the boundaries of what could be achieved with tensile structures in South African architecture.