Space Frames - Steel Frame Construction

Nova-Span Spaceframes have been installed internationally and recently including a S B Series Space Frame Structure at a school near to London City. This Spaceframe was designed to support a plastic domed cover over a children's playground, providing an outdoor weather protection play area.

The Spaceframe components and gridded gutter system were manufactured in Australia and shipped by container to site. Installations of Nova-Span Spaceframe structures are simple requiring only semi skilled labour to assemble and licensed riggers to assist in the lifting and attaching to building or columns. This engineered structural Spaceframe was assembled on a scaffold platform at a level where the Spaceframe was fitted directly to the column capitals. The Nova-Span Space frame system being a light weight structure was chosen by the Architect for its broad spanning capability using minimum supports.

Spaceframes are made up of a design invented by a person known as Buckminster Fuller many years ago using top chord layer and bottom chord layer kept constantly apart by triangulated pattern of webs forming with in the space frame structure a series of pyramids. Each member of the space frame has a part in the distributing the forces whether in compression or tension. These forces are calculated by computer programs and the particular forces in each space frame member are identified and checked against the building code minimum requirements.