Cornel Hugo

Dream and Equity

Cornel Hugo- 2nd Year Degree

For the design of a dance studio and coffee shop on the corner of Diagonal and Bree street in the Johannesburg CBD, I identified the values of Dream, Originality, Equity, Perseverance, Candour and Thought and interpreted them architecturally.

Perseverance is a 24-hour building that makes provision for multiple programmes that can run simultaneously. The building has shaded spaces and seating where people can linger for long periods of time.

Dream in a building uses light to inspire creativity. The design is clad in multi-coloured glass panels that cast tinted natural light into the dance studios.

Candour is associated with architectural transparency. The floor levels of the building are offset sothat users of the building can peer into the different dance studios.

Reason is about creating spaces within the design where people can gather by providing ample seating and large communal tables in the coffee shop.

Originality is interpreted as an iconic building that adds a sense of place to the area. This is achieved by the use of vibrant colour and the steel arches that connect with the pedestrianized diagonal street across the intersection.

Equity is expressed through the rainbow-hued colours as well as the accessibility of the space. The building is perforated so that users can easily move

through the building to access the shop beyond. These values of architecture are also incorporated into a UDF for the area. It includes added public seating as spaces for reason and provision for people with disabilities to make the street more equitable.