By Ivor Markman

The familiar old Tropical House, part of Port Elizabeth’s Bayworld complex, is undergoing a major renovation and Bayworld is hoping some inspired citizen will come up with a snazzy and appropriate new name for the structure.

The name should carry “a sense and energy of its purpose and Bayworld’s vision and mission”.

Bayworld is hoping the new venue will enable them to host various cultural and ecological events.

“The (construction workers) have completed work on the first phase, so that's on schedule,” said Bayworld spokesman Elouise Matthys.

“We have completed the shell of the building and also the electrical work and those kinds of things,” she said.

Bayworld is waiting for more funding for the next phase, which includes furnishings and necessary equipment.

The old domed roof and its family of smaller domes have been removed following irreparable damage to the timber support structure in heavy rains and strong winds last year.

Years of exposure to high humidity inside the structure when it was used as a tropical house also contributed to the roof’s degradation.

A new steel roof has been engineered to take the additional stress from the new heavy audiovisual equipment and lighting. The new roof is also much cheaper.

“There are two different areas – a dedicated conference area which can take about 150 cinema-style seats, and a bigger events exhibition area which can seat about 240 people at tables for a function,” Matthys said.

The 30m long bas-relief, concrete sculpture by Phil Kolby, completed in 1972 and a prominent feature on the north-facing facade, still has to be restored.

The original windows have been cladded so no light will disturb daytime functions in the new conference facility.

A small section of clear glazing has been installed to allow visitors to admire the beautiful sea view.

“We are still waiting for the funding and for the contract to be extended,” said Bayworld director, Sylvia van Zyl.

“The rest of the project is planned, but there is no funding for it.”

The renovation has been a co-operative venture between Brinkman Ndayi McAll, architects and project managers, and ngonyama okpanum hewitt-coleman, architects.

Source: The Herald