PROFILE EMPOWERED SPACES ARCHITECTS

EMPOWERED SPACES

Empowered Spaces Architects will soon celebrate their 25th anniversary, having completed well over two hundred industrial facilities during that period. The company has become synonymous with industrial architecture and development in South Africa, receiving the coveted, South African Property Owners Association (SAPOA) award for innovation in industrial development for six consecutive years from 2013 to 2019. We pride ourselves on consistently delivering world-class industrial facilities across South Africa and into Africa.

Empowered Spaces has become the design trendsetter in the warehouse space, pushing the boundaries in steel and sheeted buildings. We are continually evolving our designs to keep up and ahead of the fastchanging logistics industry.

In the lifespan of our business, we have had to develop in parallel with the prevailing technologies, from the founding days of fixed telephone lines and thermal faxes, to the present reality of smart phones, 3D printing and BIM technology. While the Covid-19 pandemic will no doubt accelerate the adaption and adoption of newer technologies and systems, we were already living in world where the rate of these changes was happening exponentially faster.

Over the past quarter century, we have accrued extensive technical expertise in the sector, including bulk warehousing, third party logistics, manufacturing, food processing, pharmaceutical and production. Beyond this technical capacity, Empowered Spaces are renowned for continually pushing the boundaries of lightweight steel frame construction and have set the trend in the design of these building typologies for many years.

While the body of work completed by the firm speaks volumes for our design experience, we have also invested heavily in standards, specifications and detailing, as well as the latest BIM-based software and management team, in order to allow us to offer clients a comprehensive, holistic solution from conception to completion.

Empowered Spaces have continued with our founding philosophy to remain a lean, agile, solutions-based company, focused on delivering more value than cost to our clients. This constant ambition and focus enable us to become the preeminent architectural consultants in this sector, both nationally and internationally.

Our portfolio ranges from small private owner occupied facilities of less than a 1000sq.m, all the way to global brands such as Coca-Cola, Caterpillar and Toyota, with facilities of over 100 000sq.m. Our portfolio includes South Africa’s first 5-star, green star rated industrial facility, Grundfos (Pty) Ltd, completed in 2014, as well as the country’s first net zero carbon rating for the Premier Foods (Pty) Ltd facility, completed in 2018.

In 2020 alone, we are on site with a broad spectrum of projects for Toyota, Sandvik, Coca-Cola, Imperial Health Sciences, DHL, Altron, Torrecid, Emit Logistics, DSV Pharma, Digistics and Takealot, constantly building on the knowledge and expertise gained through historical projects, which include BMW, Cummins, John Deere and Caterpillar South Africa.

Empowered Spaces are proud to service a broad spectrum of developers and funds working within the industrial market, with national representation and exposure to the vast majority of industrial/logistics estates in Gauteng, Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Kwa-Zulu Natal. We have completed building in Western, Central and southern African countries for multi-national clients

With such comprehensive experience in the sector, our team has the ability to conceptualise the optimal planning and operations of the facility, institute the most cost effective details and material specifications for its construction, ultimately optimising the construction, operation and lifecycle of the buildings itself and importantly the business within it.

Empowered Spaces offer unparalleled knowledge and expertise of the South Africa industrial sector with a broad perspective of the national context influencing clients and developers, as well as experience in advising international tenants looking to develop in the country. Beyond typical architectural services, we also offer consultation services covering the planning and development of industrial estates, management and adjudication of development proposals, logistics, principal agency, and project management, all the way through to marketing content, 3D rendering and animations, space planning and interior design.

Empowered Spaces Architects look forward to continuing their 25-year tradition of innovation and excellence for the next 25 years and beyond.

www.espaces.co.za