Start Project BriefClimate & Global Projects · Buildings & Large Structures guide
A steel building is not a catalogue object that can be copied unchanged from one country to another. Start with the building use, geometry and destination, define the design criteria and project interfaces, then select the manufacturer and structural pathway that can support the actual brief.
Record the building use, expected occupancy, approximate length, width and height, required clear span, bay spacing, major door or access openings, floors or mezzanines and any equipment that affects the structure. A sports hall, church, warehouse and hangar can share steel construction while requiring very different geometry and interfaces.
Country and city are only the starting point. The project should identify available wind or cyclone criteria, seismic requirements, snow where relevant, terrain or exposure, coastal corrosion, rainfall, temperature, fire and any nominated design standard. Where criteria are not yet known, record that explicitly and assign them to the appropriate local engineer or project professional.
Portal-frame or pre-engineered steel buildings can be efficient for many regular low-rise projects. Truss, lattice, tubular, space-frame or other systems may be more appropriate where the span, form, loads or architecture fall outside a conventional frame. Do not select a structural family solely because a supplier brochure shows a similar-looking building.
Roof and wall panels, insulation, ventilation, daylight, condensation control, drainage, acoustics, glazing, doors and corrosion protection can determine whether the finished building works for its users. Tropical heat, heavy rain and coastal salt should be written into the brief rather than added after the steel frame is designed.
Manufacturer calculations and foundation reactions can support the project, but site geotechnical conditions, foundations, drainage, civil works and destination code review remain local project interfaces unless a qualified party is expressly contracted for them. Apollo's supply role does not replace the appointed local engineer or approving authority.
Member lengths, bolted connections, temporary stability, crane access, working space, erection sequence and site supervision can affect both manufacture and shipping. Confirm whether the local contractor will erect from manufacturer drawings, whether a manufacturer supervisor is required and which party owns site safety and temporary works.
Containerisation, break-bulk requirements, bundle identification, weather protection, packing lists, bolt and accessory control, unloading equipment, storage and inland transport should be considered before the final fabrication package is released. Remote-island and difficult-access projects need extra attention to spares and replacement risk.
For structural projects, ask for the legal manufacturing entity, relevant certificates, welding and quality-control evidence, engineering capability and completed project references that match the proposed application. Distinguish normal capability from one-off maximum achievements, and do not convert a supplier's landmark-project claim into an Apollo project reference without evidence and permission.
Comparison reference
The structural family follows the building use, geometry, loads and destination. This is an early briefing comparison only; final structural selection belongs to the project engineering and manufacturer design process.
| Planning criterion | Portal / PEB | Truss / lattice | Tubular / architectural steel | Space frame / custom large-span |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Typical fit | Regular low-rise halls, warehouses, workshops and other efficient repeated-frame buildings. | Wider clear spans, halls and roofs where deeper triangulated structure is practical. | Projects where visible structure, curved form or architectural geometry matters. | Very large spans, complex roof geometry, arenas, terminals or projects outside conventional frame logic. |
| Main planning strength | Efficient repeated bays, established fabrication logic and straightforward envelope coordination. | Can create longer clear spans while distributing loads through triangulated members. | Combines structural function with architectural form and exposed-steel expression. | Supports complex three-dimensional load paths and broad column-free roof forms. |
| Early information needed | Length, width, eave height, clear span, bay spacing, openings, cranes or major loads. | Required span, roof depth, support locations, suspended loads, services and architectural limits. | Geometry, curves, connection intent, finish, exposed structure requirements and fabrication tolerances. | Overall geometry, support grid, roof form, point loads, cladding / envelope strategy and erection constraints. |
| Do not assume | That every long-span or architecturally complex building should be forced into a standard PEB frame. | That truss depth, transport and erection remain practical as span and complexity increase. | That an architectural steel form can be priced or engineered from appearance alone. | That a landmark maximum-span reference proves suitability for the current site or code environment. |
Apollo does not rank one structural family as universally better. The selected manufacturer and qualified project engineers determine the appropriate system from the actual building brief and destination design criteria.
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