The Sentech Tower, previously named the Albert Hertzog Tower and commonly known as the Brixton Tower,
is a
concrete
Concrete is a composite material composed of aggregate bound together with a fluid cement that cures to a solid over time. It is the second-most-used substance (after water), the most–widely used building material, and the most-manufactur ...
television tower
Radio masts and towers are typically tall structures designed to support antennas for telecommunications and broadcasting, including television. There are two main types: guyed and self-supporting structures. They are among the tallest human-m ...
in the
Brixton
Brixton is an area of South London, part of the London Borough of Lambeth, England. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. Brixton experienced a rapid rise in population during the 19th century ...
suburb of
Johannesburg
Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu language, Zulu and Xhosa language, Xhosa: eGoli ) (colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, Jo'burg or "The City of Gold") is the most populous city in South Africa. With 5,538,596 people in the City of Johannesburg alon ...
, South Africa, near the top of the Brixton Ridge.
It is a well-known and easily identifiable landmark in the city, alongside its "architectural cousin", the
Hillbrow Tower
The Hillbrow Tower (officially the Telkom Joburg Tower, and formerly JG Strijdom Tower) is a tall tower located in the suburb of Hillbrow in Johannesburg, South Africa. At , it was the tallest tower in Africa for 50 years, until it was surpass ...
.
Although always intended for both radio and television transmission, it carried only FM radio transmissions until the 1970s.
History
The tower's construction commenced in 1961, and was completed in 1962. The tower was designed by
Ove Arup and Partners and built by Christiani and Nielsen SA. Upon completion, the Brixton Tower was the tallest man-made structure in Africa in its time until it was overtaken by the
Hillbrow Tower
The Hillbrow Tower (officially the Telkom Joburg Tower, and formerly JG Strijdom Tower) is a tall tower located in the suburb of Hillbrow in Johannesburg, South Africa. At , it was the tallest tower in Africa for 50 years, until it was surpass ...
.
It cost R300,000 to construct.
The first transmission took place 22 December 1961. Presently, Sentech broadcasts 18 FM programmes and seven TV stations. Backup power to the tower is 1 MW using two 500 kVA Volvo generators. Towards 2001, naming rights for the tower were sold to
Sentech, the TV and radio signal distributor in South Africa owned by the South African Government. Up until 1982, an observation deck affording panoramic views of the city was open to the public, but was closed due to security fears. The tower viewing deck has not re-opened to the public since then.
Construction and structure
In architectural terms, the Sentech Tower is a vertical
cantilever
A cantilever is a rigid structural element that extends horizontally and is unsupported at one end. Typically it extends from a flat vertical surface such as a wall, to which it must be firmly attached. Like other structural elements, a cantilev ...
structure with a
reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete, also called ferroconcrete or ferro-concrete, is a composite material in which concrete's relatively low tensile strength and ductility are compensated for by the inclusion of reinforcement having higher tensile strength or ...
shaft. On windy days, the tower has been known to lean up to , as measured from its uppermost mast. In addition, the tower was built to withstand winds of and gusts of up to . The tower's foundation is circular, possessing a diameter of , and it is wide and deep.
The tower's full height is , although some sources state that it has a lesser height of .
Geography
The Sentech Tower is situated in the
suburb
A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area. They are oftentimes where most of a metropolitan areas jobs are located with some being predominantly residential. They can either be denser or less densely populated ...
of
Brixton
Brixton is an area of South London, part of the London Borough of Lambeth, England. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. Brixton experienced a rapid rise in population during the 19th century ...
, in
Johannesburg
Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu language, Zulu and Xhosa language, Xhosa: eGoli ) (colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, Jo'burg or "The City of Gold") is the most populous city in South Africa. With 5,538,596 people in the City of Johannesburg alon ...
,
Gauteng
Gauteng ( , ; Sotho-Tswana languages, Sotho-Tswana for 'place of gold'; or ) is one of the nine provinces of South Africa.
Situated on the Highveld, Gauteng is the smallest province by land area in South Africa. Although Gauteng accounts f ...
, South Africa.
See also
*
Hillbrow Tower
The Hillbrow Tower (officially the Telkom Joburg Tower, and formerly JG Strijdom Tower) is a tall tower located in the suburb of Hillbrow in Johannesburg, South Africa. At , it was the tallest tower in Africa for 50 years, until it was surpass ...
*
Brixton
Brixton is an area of South London, part of the London Borough of Lambeth, England. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. Brixton experienced a rapid rise in population during the 19th century ...
*
Johannesburg
Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu language, Zulu and Xhosa language, Xhosa: eGoli ) (colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, Jo'burg or "The City of Gold") is the most populous city in South Africa. With 5,538,596 people in the City of Johannesburg alon ...
*
List of tallest towers in the world
The tallest structure in the world is the Burj Khalifa skyscraper at . Listed are guyed masts (such as telecommunication masts), self-supporting towers (such as the CN Tower), skyscrapers (such as the Willis Tower), oil platforms, electricity ...
References
External links
*
Johannesburg Landmarks*
Sentech Tower - South Africa :: Plak.co
{{Use dmy dates, date=May 2024
Buildings and structures in Johannesburg
Towers completed in 1962
Towers in South Africa