Elegant office

18 Glenhove in Melrose, a speculative office building designed by GLH Architects, required an elegant building that could flexibly accommodate a selection of small to medium sized office tenants.

The building is accessed from a quiet side street. Generous parking leads to a welcoming triple-volume glazed entrance atrium.

With the coming of the Gautrain station to Rosebank, this already unique Johannesburg neighbourhood, known for its artistic leaning, walkability, and characterful retail and working spaces, has grown dramatically. New developments have largely capitalised on the individualistic nature of the area, with a variety of striking galleries, boutique own-door and co-working spaces, as well as larger corporate offices, and creative independent shopping along with high-street retail.

18 Glenhove is a speculative office building designed for joint venture developers Barrow Properties and Bird and Company, and built by Barrow Construction. The site occupies a prominent corner on the major thoroughfare of Glenhove Road, which directly links the M1 motorway to the heart of Rosebank. The clients required a timeless and elegant building, which could flexibly accommodate a selection of small to mediumsized office tenants. Good design and energy efficiency were prioritised, and as the client was also the contractor, buildability and quality construction were foremost from conception.

Approximately 3 600m 2 of office space is provided over three office floors in a strong L-shaped plan, which comfortably opens its wings to the Glenhove intersection. Access to the property is from the quieter side street, where generous parking is provided for visitors and staff on grade and below the building. At the centre of the L-shape, a welcoming triple-volume glazed entrance atrium draws people in. The lift and a sculptural open circulation stair in steel, timber and glass, along with the generous open bridges crossing the atrium and linking the office wings, activate this space and provide areas for casual meeting and incidental exchange. The core is supported with an efficiently planned service block of toilets and service risers. Backup water and power are provided to the building.

Each office wing is well lit from two sides, and the spaces are two structural bays deep, providing flexible areas for a variety of space-planning solutions and ways of working, as well as future changes and churn. The western office wing is modulated with an angled façade that echoes the road geometry outside, and both wings have north-facing balconies, suggesting ideal locations for break-out and pause areas with relaxing views over the verdant suburb. The groundfloor planted garden and terrace space offer further entertainment options for building users. The gardens throughout the property are indigenous.

A combination of finishing materials are used in their natural state, setting the tone for an elegant and enduring palette. Off-shutter concrete is paired with stone cladding in a light crema marfil and a dark Zimbabwe black granite. Performance glazing is chosen to respond to the various orientations. The deep concrete roof overhangs assist in solar shading and stormwater runoff. The City Council had stringent requirements related to stormwater management and future road widenings along Glenhove, which the design respects and embraces with an attractive landscaping solution.