OVERVIEW
Construction and property Corporates are building large new head offices.
T
he R3-billion building in Sandton that houses Discovery’s four businesses is the largest of several new buildings that have been constructed in recent years to accommodate corporate headquarters. The main contractors were WBHO and Tiber in a joint venture (JV) with Aurecon consulting on environmentally sustainable design (ESD) and designing and providing mechanical services. Boogertman and Partners were the architects for the building which was developed by a JV comprising Growthpoint Properties and Zenprop Property Holdings. The project won the 2019 SAPOA Property Development Awards for Innovative Excellence and received a five-star rating from the Green Building Council SA. WBHO also had a hand in the construction of the Thavhani Mall in Thohoyandou, Limpopo (pictured). This 50 000m² regional mall won the SAPOA award for Rural and Small Town Development. Another corporate head office that ticks every available green box is Exxaro’s new building in Centurion. Another Growthpoint development, the building includes innovations such as a nutrient recovery urinal and a pilot project for waterless urinals for women. The imposing Absa Towers Main in central Johannesburg is not new, but it is being renewed via a major upgrade in the course of its conversion to a mixed-use building. Within its 30 storeys, there will be restaurants and coffee shops, child-care facilities and 520 flats in the “afSOUTH AFRICAN BUSINESS 2020
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SECTOR INSIGHT Green buildings are becoming more common.
fordable” bracket. The total value of the investment by Divercity is said to be R2-billion. Sandton, which hosts thousands of businesses and has one of Africa’s biggest shopping malls in Sandton City, is also one of the busiest building sites in the country. Apart from the complete Discovery headquarters, Old Mutual is building new premises and The Legacy Group is building The Leonardo, a multi-use building that will be South Africa’s tallest building when it is complete. At 55 stories, The Leonardo
