The Bosjes Chapel is an astounding concrete structure in Cape Town, South Africa. The Bosjes Estate was founded during the 1870s in the Breede Valley north of Franschhoek and Stellenbosch region. Steyn Studio, a South African architectural studio, was asked to design a chapel to be built on the ground of Bosjes Estate. The necessary designs and conditions for this chapel would become monumental in its category as well as an iconic building for tourists to visit.
This beautiful creation was only made possible using architectural mastery and the help of cement mixers. In the year 2019, the chapel was the winner of the 2019 Architizer A+ Popular Choice in the memorial as well as religious buildings category; the prize was given due to the chapel’s modern design with a mixture of old-world beauty.
We have listed some interesting facts regarding the construction of the Bosjes Chapel. If you are feeling ambitious and want to be the next Steyn Studios, BS Power can help you with all your cement mixers needs at an affordable rate. Read this short guide about why cement mixers are important for the building of big structures.
Some interesting facts about the Bosjes Chapel:
The inspiration for the design of the Bosjes Chapel:
The inspiration that led to the development of the Bosjes Chapel was based on a scripture from the bible in Psalm 36: 7 which states that “We will receive protection under the shadow of Your wings” this was emphasized through the interesting architecture of the chapel through its wings. From a poetic point of view and interpretational architecture, it is seen as a structure that glides or floats, but the structure is physically static. To achieve the visual lightness of the roof, the structure of the chapel had to be unified, simple, and very structurally efficient. The builders of this structure, therefore, decided that the roof could become its supporting structure through its columns and walls.
The Construction facts of Bosjes Chapel
This construction has a complex roof form and therefore the architects used 3D CAD models to calculate the volume requirement of the material. The shell of the chapel consists of 74 cubic meters of concrete and 8175 high tensile steel reinforcement. The structure is supported by four hidden reinforced concrete buttresses and each of them is a vertical load of close to 50 tons. Due to its unusual form each of the reinforced bars was individually cut and hand bent to fit the shape of the design.
The cement that was used to form the roof was poured in the form of shotcrete which was pneumatically projected at a very high speed through a hose. The reason for this process was that the forming had to be done by mobile platforms. The whole process was often delayed due to strong winds and the rain that lasted for six weeks instead of the two weeks as planned. The rain that gathered in the middle of the roof was discharged via a submersible pump.
The Bosjes Estate and all its extra-curricular activities:
The Bosjes Estate doesn’t only host the award-winning Bosjes Chapel but offers some extra happenings. This historic farm has evolved into a breakaway chance for families searching for a day in nature. People often visit the destination for functions such as having the perfect wedding day in the historic structure. The Bosjes Chapel can take a capacity of 120 people to have all your closest friends and family experience this concrete wonder with you on your special day.
The Bosjes kitchen and garden are also available at your disposal. You can take in the breathtaking garden while dining at the contemporary restaurant that offers panty-styled delicacies and drinking tea in the garden while the children play at the playground.
This restaurant also offers a gift shop that sells local products which include crafts and products from the Bosjes farm. You can take home some of Bosjes to make your friends and family part of the exciting journey.
Finally, you wouldn’t be able to enjoy all these beautiful sites in one day and therefore Bosjes estate offers luxury accommodations. Just like the Bosjes Chapel the accommodations are made of the finest materials and continue to surprise its guests with the cultural and creative sight. There is a rejuvenating spa on site where you and your partner can experience some relaxing treatment before continuing with your daily busy lives.
How to choose the right cement mixers:
The main factor that should be taken into consideration when selecting a concrete mixer is to know the volume of concrete that would be needed in mixing a single batch. Something to always keep in mind when selecting a concrete mixer is that it can only be filled with 80% concrete mixture.
If the concrete mixer manufacturer says that the mixing volume is only 80% it would mean 80% of the volume of the tank. You shouldn’t get confused between the volume of the whole tank and the volume capacity of the mixture.
Some technical factors that should be considered when selecting a concrete mixer include the following. The level of power that the concrete mixer provides, the volume of the drum, the blades of the concrete mixer, the wheels on the frame, the drum’s rotational frequency, the voltage of the concrete mixer, and finally the noise level of such an object.
It’s important to take note of the technical factors associated with different cement mixers and apply these to your own needs of what will be useful for your construction site. For example, you wouldn’t need a huge concrete mixer with a lot of power if you are paving your driveway, but you would need this power and size to build the Bosjes Chapel.
Why is cement important for the building of large constructions?
If you have an idea to build something as special and large as the Bosjes Chapel, cement would be the best material to use as it is durable, strong, reflective, and flexible. The properties of cement make this material long-lasting, but also sturdy for numerous commercial and domestic settings.
Cement also has some environmental benefits since it’s so robust and sturdy the cement structure can withstand any natural disasters and doesn’t need additional material to prevent it from blowing over or crumbling due to natural causes.
When building on a bigger scale such as the Bosjes Chapel cement is often mixed by use of cement mixers which is environmentally beneficial as you then don’t have to transport the material around such as in the instance of concrete trucks.
The top benefits of choosing to work with cement in construction:
1.Cement constructions are low in maintenance.
Once the cement mixture has been poured and set it requires very little or no other maintenance. The construction can remain in a good shape without the help of chemical treatment or protective coats. The benefit of cement is the fact that it can remain stable for decades without needing any interventions. For example, things like steel and wood often need intervention to remain robust which makes concrete structures the top choice for construction.
2.Concrete buildings are efficient in energy.
Concrete buildings have the ability to store energy as a decent insulator which means that they can regulate the interior temperature conditions. These buildings can stay warm in the winter seasons and cool in the summer. It can reduce the cooling and heating demand over its lifespan by up to 8% which will reduce the strain of investing in a heating system. The bulk of energy saving that is produced in a concrete building comes from the thermal mall which also allows it to gain natural energies from the sun as a lighting system in the building, but also as thermal energy.
3.The building of cement building is cost effective.
As previously mentioned, concrete buildings are low-maintenance and durable which means that the structure is built and thereafter has lower operating costs. In many cases building a concrete structure is a once-off investment that only continues to pay itself off over decades. Even in instances where disaster has hit the rebuilding of a concrete building is a less financial strain in comparison to other types of buildings. Up front, the cost of a concrete structure is more than one would pay for another material option but in the long run, it’s beneficial.
4. Cement can be recycled.
When you are cautious about avoiding waste cement is the best building material option. With regards to concrete you can measure out the exact amount that would be needed and therefore waste is prevented. In some instances, concrete structures aren’t used anymore and can then be broken down and the material such as cement can be reused. Cement is often recycled as an aggregate and used as the sub-base material for the use of building roadbeds, shoreline protection, and parking lots.
5. Concrete buildings are silent.
This is a strange comparison to make towards concrete buildings, but in comparison to wood, steel, and glass structures concrete doesn’t make a sound. These buildings have soundproofed capabilities that have been repetitively proven in numerous residential constructions. It’s also useful in an industrial building where noise control is an important factor. With regards to the Bosjes Chapel, you can see the relevance of the cement construct as it gives the tourists the ability to enjoy the beautiful construct in a quiet and peaceful environment as you would want in a chapel.
6. The use of cement enhances the safety of a building.
Concrete buildings can be evaluated as being safer as they can keep you safe from things such as fires. However, being fireproof isn’t the only safety precaution that concrete buildings offer. Because concrete doesn’t rot it will not contribute to the worsening of air within the building. Concrete buildings don’t give off any harmful emissions and it doesn’t develop the growth of mildew which means that they wouldn’t release toxic compounds.
When you look around you from the buildings, motorways or even paved grounds concrete is all around us. There are only a few building materials that are as useful and durable in construction projects as cement. Concrete mixtures can be produced on any site where there is sand, cement, and water at your disposal. For you to fully enjoy all the benefits of concrete, you should choose the right type of concrete for the project you are interested in.
Where can you buy affordable cement mixers?
We hope this evaluation of the Bosjes Chapel has inspired you to build your wonder and that BS Power has the tools you would need to make it a reality.