Cutting-edge lighting comes to Joburg

By Nicole Barnes (Editor, ProSystems Africa News)

In May of this year, the City of Joburg opened the new Council Chambers in Braamfontein. The 38-metre tall structure is set to be the first project in an extensive plan to rejuvenate the whole precinct- which is surrounded by landmarks such as the iconic Constitutional Hill and the Joburg Theatre Complex, among others. The district will also offer office space for Joburg Council members, as well as metropolitan entity employees in a single, centrally managed area once the project is complete.

The original City of Johannesburg Council Chambers were built in 1973. Over time, the building has fallen into disrepair and in 2015 the city opted to construct a new building for the City Council.

The new Council Chambers can accommodate 361 councillors and officials in a single meeting space- complete with fully integrated modern communication and public address technology courtesy of Dimension Data. The Chamber has a second-floor gallery that circumvents the ground-floor meeting space and can hold 160 spectators, including media members and visitors to the Council Chambers. The building also features a spacious informal caucus space behind the gallery and chamber, and a large entrance with amenities.

The building is engineered to be completely transparent, with vertical columns holding enormous glass panels in place around the periphery of the building. This means that passers-by can see right into the chambers during meetings, representing the “openness and accountability that the city of Johannesburg aspires to deliver.”

Nicole Barnes's full article can be read here: "Cutting-edge lighting comes to Joburg".