The design of a multi-purpose motor sports pit complex for Kyalami

Since the invention of the motor car over 100 years ago, people have been trying to improve its technical capabilities by constantly pushing its limits. Motor sport developed out of this desire for technical mastery of speed, which led to the first Formula 1 Championship in 1960 at Silverstone, England. The sport’s popularity increased and spread to the corners of the world. Since 1962, Formula 1 had been hosted by South Africa. Technological developments on Formula 1 cars then would, years later, be adapted for regular road cars. Parallel with the development of the sports cars was the development of the buildings to stay abreast with the requirements of increasing crowds, larger media presence and technologies, and construction methods and materials. These buildings evolved from simple single storey buildings to multi-floor complexes that accommodated thousands of spectators and team players. However, as the buildings pushed the envelopes, and their scale increased, some of the essence of the sports culture from old was lost. Large grandstands and pit complex buildings have created a sterile environment for the spectacle of the sport. Area prolonged absence from the Formula 1 calendar; firstly, from ancones and then, for financial reasons, a newly injected interest and ownership from Porsche South Africa saw a grand return of Formula 1 to local soil. This happened at the historically significant racing site of Kyalami. What is exciting about this project is the opportunity that arises to connect (through design) the spectator back to the track and sport in a more meaningful way that strongly reminds us of the sport of earlier days of the sport. With the influence of old architectural typologies and embracing the technological advances, the proposed pit complex shows a balance between pushing the architectural envelope and increasing spectator value