This article has been supplied and will be available for a limited time only on this website. Refurbishing a high-rise building is seldom simple. When the project involves replacing an entire glass façade on a structure that rises 160 meters above ground, the difficulty increases significantly. At those heights, every engineering choice affects safety, productivity, and project timelines. This makes access solutions just as important as the refurbishment itself.
That was the challenge SkyJacks faced when chosen to design and deliver a custom suspended access system for the refurbishment of a landmark high-rise building in Johannesburg. With traditional access methods eliminated due to the building's height, limited ground access, and complex design, the company created a tailored solution to ensure the façade replacement was completed safely and efficiently.
Designing a bespoke suspended access solution
According to Stephan Naude, Operations Director at SkyJacks, projects like this require much more than standard equipment. “Every building has its own engineering challenges. Success comes from understanding the structure, anticipating risks, and designing an access solution that is made for the project instead of trying to use a generic system.”
