Pro Landscaper + Architect Coffee Table Edition 5 by Paper Plane Publications

COFFEE TABLE EDT.

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ED'S NOTE Fine I’ll say it, the 5th Annual Coffee Table Edition is my favourite one yet! I know, I know, that’s unfair to say because the truth is that each of these Coffee Table Editions is like one of our children -But, like children, we love them all differently (wink).

Chanel

The class of 2021 boasts our list of brave builds, builds that have conquered a pandemic people, how can you not applaud them in all their glory! These builds have gone above and beyond in sustainable design with more than one being awarded 6-star ratings from the GBCSA. We’ve witnessed builds and schools that are industry firsts and firsts for South Africa, as well as unique uses of materials, sites, and adaptability to this bright new world which we now have learned to not only live with, but dare I say, embrace! This bold embrace is so echoed by the builds we celebrate in this book. I hope that when you page through this ‘brag book,’ that- like me -your mouth curls upward and your shoulders broaden with pride, because these are some of the magical moments our industry gets to celebrate.

Cover artist: Kyle Jardine kylejardineart

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We’ll be back in 22’ with issues that exude panache, pizazz and promise, exploring landscapes, interiors and architecture. We're ready to travel through the many wonders, spaces and places the new year holds. Until then, come and take a look at what our industry has achieved.

Oggie used their Thermo-treated Nørdic Pine to compliment it’s new contemporary Parkhurst showroom facade. Thermally modified cladding and decking is flexible, scalable and durable for any architectural project.

Cape Town: 021 510 2846 | Paarden Eiland Johannesburg: 011 262 3117 | Parkhurst Durban: 031 000 1000 | Umhlanga nick@oggie.co.za www.oggieflooring.com

Oggie showroom, 31 Sixth Street, Parkhurst, Johannesburg. Architects: C76. Interior Design: HK Design Studio. Thermally Modified Nørdic Pine - 26 x 115 x 3600-4200

...Oggie cladding in beautiful places.

CONTENTS

Coffee table edition

COMMERCIAL, MIXED-USE & HEAD OFFICES

56 117 STRAND STREET Client: Ingenuity Property Investments Limited Architect: Formally KMMA Landscape architect: Tarna Klitzner Landscape Architects Landscape contractors: Contours Landscapes

17 PAINTING THE TOWN RED – ROSEBANK’S RADISSON RED Client: Intaprop Hotel owners: RDC Properties Architects: dhk Architects Landscape contractor: Bidvest TopTurf

62 FIRST OF ITS KIND: CINTOCARE HOSPITAL Developers: Growthpoint Properties Architects: A3 Architects Interior designer: A3 Architects and Lood Architects Landscape: Bertha Wium Landscape Developments

26 BRIDGEWATER CENTURY CITY Client: Rabie Property Group Architects: Vivid Architects Landscape architects: Planning Partners

33 THE BANK Client: Blend Property Group Architects: Daffonchio Architects Interiors designers: Imbewu Design

42 THE RIDGE V&A WATERFRONT: HOME OF DELOITTE Client: V&A Waterfront Architects: studioMAS Landscape architects: Planning Partners Landscape contractors: Contours Group

48 THE MEDIAN Developers: Renprop Architects: Messaris Wapenaar Cole Architects Landscape contractors: Highveld Horticulture

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CONTENTS

EDUCATION, UNIVERSITY & INSTITUTIONAL 88 THE INNOVATION CENTRE: PARKLANDS COLLEGE SECONDARY SCHOOL Developer: Parklands College & Milnerton Estates Limited Architects: dhk Architects

94 AKANYANG: A SAFE SPACE FOR STUDENTS Architects: Two Five Five Architects

100 A STATE OF PLAY: SALVAZIONE SCHOOL

69 ILLOVO CENTRAL Architects: FWJK Interior design: FWJK Interiors Giant Leap (Office 601) Landscape contractors: Life Landscapes

75 ELLIPSE WATERFALL Architects: dhk Architects Landscape architects: GREENinc Landscape contractors: Countryline Africa

80 UP ON THE RIDGE: REWARDSCO OFFICES Client: Zenprop Property Holdings Architect: Hilton Lawrence Architecture Interiors: _novospace Landscape architect: Ochre Office Landscape contractors: Countryline Horticulture

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Architects: Local Studio

106 THE GREEN SCHOOL SOUTH AFRICA Architects: GASS Architecture Studios Interior design: D12 Interiors Landscape contractors: DDS Projects

115 ALMOST ON CAMPUS: 56 JORISSEN (SOUTH POINT) Client: South Point Management Services Architects: LYT Architecture Interiors: LYT Architecture and HK Studio Landscape contractors: Life Landscapes

122 BROOKLYN HOUSE Developer: Mile Investments Architects: Boogertman + Partners

CONTENTS

RESIDENTIAL 158 UXOLO Client: Vredenberg Properties Architects: Two Five Five Architects

SPORT

166

131 JUST DO IT SHAPA SOWETO: HOME OF NIKE

THE LINEAL: A REINVENTION

Client: Nike Architects: C76 Architects

Client: Zenprop Architects: Daffonchio Architects Interiors: Source IBA

174 SOIL + SERENITY Architects: VELD Architects Interior designers: Kira Interiors Landscaping: Yacula & Jones Landscape Designers

RETAIL 140

181 BUFFELSDRIFT FARM

THE SPENS & WINKEL AT BOSJES FARM Design architects: Steyn Studios Project architects: Meyer & Associates Architects Landscape architects: Square One Landscape contractors: Vula Environmental Services

148 RUSTENBURG MALL Owners: Moolman Group Twin City Development JB Holdings Developers: Moolman Group Architects: MDS Architecture Landscape architects: Daniel Rebel Landscape Architects

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Architects in collaboration: Jaco Booyens Architect & SAOTA Landscaping: Fritz Coetzee Interior designer: ARRCC

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PAINTING THE TOWN RED ROSEBANK'S RADISSON RED

PORTFOLIO

Completed: August 2021 Location: Rosebank, Johannesburg Radisson Hotel Group is one of the world’s largest and most dynamic hotel groups. It has now opened its second Radisson RED in South Africa. Designed by multi-disciplinary design studio dhk Architects, the contemporary building comprises 222 rooms, a generous reception area accessible from the pedestrian hub of Oxford Parks, a restaurant, bar and rooftop terrace. Located in the heart of Rosebank in Johannesburg, the new building is an exciting new urban destination in an upand-coming business-meets-cultural district designed to attract discerning travellers, artlovers and local professionals. Radisson RED’s Oxford Parks precinct location informed the direction of the concept. Designed by dhk’s urban design team, the Oxford Parks framework extends the vibrant pedestrian environment of Rosebank along the Oxford Road corridor, linking it to the emerging retail and office node of Illovo. Situated between Cradock Avenue and Oxford Road, it is a new blossoming 300,000m2 mixed-use town centre in the emerging multi-polar structure that characterises the city. Earmarked for a hotel from inception of the precinct, the Radisson RED’s site on the southern edge of Oxford Parks occupies a prominent corner stretching from Oxford Road to the new Parks Boulevard. Public art links the node to the Art Mile that continues down Jellicoe Avenue – further emphasizing the precinct’s design undertone. The brief from client Intaprop, was to design a substantial hotel building that was architecturally sophisticated yet functional.

MEET THE TEAM: Client: Intaprop Hotel owners: RDC Properties Architects: dhk Architects Landscape contractor: Bidvest TopTurf Interior designers: Source IBA Interiors Construction engineers: Concor Health and safety: ComPrac Urban design: dhk Architects Images: Tristan McLaren and Patrick King for Radisson RED.

PORTFOLIO

The intention was to optimise the building’s footprint and floorplates to provide guest rooms along with facilities, including an expansive ground-floor reception area, open-plan restaurant and bar, meeting rooms, bathrooms, roof terrace with a lap pool, as well as the required back-of-house spaces. Furthermore, the building was required to enhance the area and relate to the surrounding buildings within the precinct. Additionally, the new Radisson RED in Oxford Parks needed to remain in keeping with the design of the first Radisson RED hotel – located in the Silo District at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, an equally vibrant mixed-use area. Working closely with interior designers Source IBA, dhk incorporated the Radisson RED brand identity to ensure that the spirit and ethos of the brand was reflected throughout the new building. In response to the brief, dhk proposed a spatially efficient six-storey building that maximises all areas to include the guest rooms and the other required facilities. While following typical hotel design standards and utilising low-maintenance materials such as plasterboard and brickwork, the hotel needed to be architecturally relevant to attract discerning guests and travellers. The contemporary building includes two distinct façades. The eastern and western ends of the building feature glass curtain walls with offset vertical aluminium cladding, offering a distinctly modern impression and allowing for uninterrupted outward views. Meanwhile, the northern façade, which stretches along Rosebank Road, features an attractive yet practical face-brick cladding system. In an attempt to conceal what is a necessary but often unattractive element of a face-brick façade, namely movement joints, dhk opted for a stack bond in lieu of the traditional stretcher bond. This was with the intention of creating a series of vertical mortar joints up the building that seamlessly incorporated the movement joints into the vertical pattern. The result is a clean, seamless brickwork façade that can effortlessly take on board the punched framed windows.

Once inside the building, guests are greeted by an expansive ground-floor reception area, as well as a dynamic and engaging open-plan restaurant and bar. In addition to this, the ground floor includes back-of-house spaces such as an industrial kitchen and various staff facilities for administrative functions. The building also boasts various meeting rooms and conference facilities in keeping with the signature versatile Radisson RED offering. The remainder of the floors contain the building’s hotel en-suite guest rooms with a continuous thematic graphic motif. Each floor comprises 26 standard rooms on either side of a central corridor with staircases on either end. The building culminates in an impressive rooftop terrace with a sociable bar and red-tiled lap pool where guests can enjoy exceptional views across the ridge to Westcliff and Northcliff beyond. The building’s dialogue with the surrounding buildings and the dynamic nature of the precinct pave the way for the area to become a hub of social and commercial activity – and has so far attracted high-profile eateries such as The Shortmarket Club, with The Test Kitchen opening soon. As a brand, Radisson RED is committed to sustainable design and the new hotel contains numerous elements put in place to assist

the hotel in applying for a 5-Star Green Star Custom Hotel rating. Interior Designers, Source IBA chose local furniture and objet makers to complement the hotel while supporting the local economy. Some of the furniture brands used are listed below: FURNITURE: Alifurn Outdoor Living Anatomy Design Crema Design Dark Horse Haldane Martin James Mudge Furniture Studio Lucky Fish Design MONN Carpets Pedersen + Lennard

As a brand, Radisson RED is committed to sustainable design and the new hotel contains numerous elements put in place to assist the hotel in applying for a 5-Star Green Star Custom Hotel rating."

The entire ground floor of the building has been fitted out with glazed frontage and the high ceilings are supported with robust concrete columns. The main entrance on the prominent corner site opens onto busy Oxford Road with a grand full-height entrance canopy highlighted with suspended halo pendant lights.

COFFEE TABLE EDITION 2021

PORTFOLIO

SUPPLIERS: Facebrick: Corobrik – 011 871 8600 Concrete: Lafarge – 011 657 0000 Sealants: Sika SA – 031 792 6500 Tables: Cosentino South Africa – 021 204 0572 Sanitary ware: Bathroom Butler - 011 334 8100 Hansgrohe – 0861 111 941 Duravit - 011 555 1220 Concrete surfaces finish: a.b.e. Construction Chemicals – 0860 223 773 Tiling: RVV – 011 618 1340 Steelwork: A&D General services – 011 402 7580 Vinyl flooring and carpets: KBAC Flooring – 011 608 4270 HVAC system: DucTech – 011 873 8920 Swimming pool: Blue Lagoon Pools - 012 362 1465 Artificial green roof screen: Leaf & Living – 083 287 4590 Composite decking and pergolas: Eva -Last – 010 593 9221 Pool balustrades: Steel Studio – 011 608 1963 Paving and kerbs: Aveng Infraset – 011 876 5100 Precast copings: Modcon Precast – 011 786 2476 Lighting: Megalite – 084 247 3327 Starke Contrast – 021 555 1927 Light World – 021 552 8881 Ironmongery: Ironmongery Warehouse Africa – 021 001 2458 Clear-vu fencing: Cochrane International – 011 394 1788

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Bridgewater Century City CHANNELLING AMSTERDAM ARCHITECTURE

PORTFOLIO

Completed: September 2021 Location: Century City, Cape Town

abie’s ground-breaking, mixed-use development offers inspiring new ways to live, work, play and stay in the security and convenience of Century City. It is a uniquely integrated family of buildings, perfectly positioned between the buzz of Century City Square and the serenity of the new Ratanga Park. Recently completed in mid-2021, the development consists of an 80-room hotel flanked by 122 residential apartments, overlooking three hectares of water and greenery, and three individual office buildings. Between this cluster of buildings, a sunny, sheltered central courtyard will be lined with shops and restaurants. And beneath them, two levels of parking will provide 376 secure undercover bays, offering Bridgewater residents a superb quality of life in Century City’s rapidly maturing Bridgeways precinct. The unique development was designed by Vivid Architects, with soft landscaping elements by the team at Planning Partners. Vivid Architects designed Bridgewater as an entire city block, and it is very exciting to see the conceptual thinking behind the Bridgewater development coming to reality. The building acts as a wonderful interface and transition between the urban neighbourhood of Century City Square and the extraordinary natural environment of the newly re-imagined mixed use Ratanga Precinct, new park and rehabilitated waterbody. The development connects Bridgeways with the new Ratanga Park via a timber-clad footbridge and creates a defined public wharf edge to the redesigned waterway system that emulates the memory of old Amsterdam canal-side row houses and walkways. Bridgewater was designed to allow seamless connectivity and pedestrian access in, around and through the development. The “city block” development was intentionally designed as a number of individual buildings with their own unique language and “personality” all linked and unified around an internal central public square or court. This court acts as a wonderful filter for pedestrian movement linking the many buildings of the overall Bridgeways precinct to the newly designed Ratanga Park and waterfront.

COFFEE TABLE EDITION 2021

PORTFOLIO

The “city block” development was intentionally designed as a number of individual buildings with their own unique language and “personality”, all linked and unified around an internal central public square or court."

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PORTFOLIO

The mixed-use nature of this development will ensure all day activity and life beyond the nineto-five working day. The use of tactile and warm materials was intentional to create a place for people to feel comfortable to work, live, and play. It is important when developing largely greenfield sites and expanding an urban vision not to exclude access, but rather create inclusive spaces with facilities to sit and socialise. Vivid Architects wanted to expand on its clients’ vision for creating a leading urban precinct by ensuring to create a ‘neighbourhood’ that integrates with the immediate context – and a place people want to visit and stay. There are three predominant buildings or typologies that make up the Bridgewater development, including 80 hotel beds, 122 apartments, and three separate office buildings with over 350 parking bays. They each play their own very important, unique role in design, use, scale and materiality to address their particular position on the site. For the residential component of apartments and hotel accommodation, Vivid took clues from the timeless and recognisable design ethos of the Amsterdam canal-edge row house architecture to front onto the wharf that defines the

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water-facing elevation of the development. They interpreted this in a stripped down and contemporary manner with elegant thin façade verticality further accentuated by combining natural and painted face brick to ensure colour variation and elevational interest. As one approaches Sable circle, Vivid wanted a building that literally swept you around it with its sleek flowing flush glazed façade that would speak of high-end office space with a great corporate identity and views back to Table Mountain. To offset this, they created a third building typology of Wharf style warehouse buildings that accommodates small office studios which face Conference Lane and form the focal corner entrance to the hotel porte cochere drop off. As Bridgewater nears completion, many are excited to see the sculptural quality of the varying scales of buildings and public spaces that has resulted between their placements. It is a development that offers the user and public a warm human-scale environment to work, stay, play or just simply relax and chill. Bridgewater has just been completed to promote this active hub that will be a wonderful catalyst

and backdrop to future planned developments. Bridgewater construction process was a unique experience, as any current building contract, due to the interruption of the hard lockdown in March 2020. The construction status was up to second-floor slab in some areas when the site was abandoned for three months. As such, there was an agreed extension of time negotiated between client and contractor to the mutual ‘benefit’ of both parties. Through this experience, with its many challenges, the quality of the outcome was not forfeited and the end result is a project to be proud of for the clients, contractors, and consultants. The entire Bridgewater construction site was built simultaneously with the new Ratanga Park, sharing a site and a main contractor. As such, the environmental impact of the build was mitigated by the rigorous and detailed re-working of the Ratanga canal system which was drained for the duration of the project. The canal system was fully rehabilitated, with all major and sensitive vegetation protected or sensitively moved. This process is ongoing and will benefit the greater Cape Town as a major public facility once completed.

SUPPLIERS: Decking, seating, planters and balustrades: Decks4Life – 076 908 2175 Aluminium façades: Façade Architectural Systems – 011 251 7000 Carpet flooring: KBAC Flooring – 021 464 4320 Wallpaper: Robin Sprong Wallpaper – 021 447 9842 Countertops: Sangengalo Marble & Granite – 021 907 1680 Steel balustrades, handrails and stairs: Schmidt Custom Steel – 021 949 2450 Wall and floor tiles: Tile Africa – 021 511 5815 Signage: UltraSigns – 021 510 3200 Cobble stones: Revelstone (Jura Range) – 021 761 9739 Paving: CEL Paving – 021 905 5998 Clay brick paving and walls: Corobrik – 021 888 2300 Lighting: Regent Lighting Solutions – 021 552 7622

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PORTFOLIO

Bridgewater and Ratanga Park offer sensitively and managed designed public spaces and facilities, offering truly urban and natural environments side by side in a unique setting that will contribute massively to both Century City and Cape Town as a whole. The landscaping Vivid designed and specified all hard landscaping on Bridgewater as it has done for the majority of its projects. The team believes strongly that it is their responsibility as architects to design not only buildings, but positive urban spaces that connect these buildings to the public realm. For this project, the company collaborated with Planning Partners, who designed the soft landscaping elements. The aim here was to add value for the clients and aid them in selling or letting the commercial space. This was achieved by designing contemporary buildings and landscape that have a stylish yet timeless appeal; spaces that have a sense of place, as well as a space that people will want to inhabit. If people want to be there, the development will almost sell itself.

The landscape design ethos for Bridgewater was fairly simple. Where people need to walk, run and move, the harder surfaces were used. In the spaces that have been designed for people to sit or pause, there is timber decking on the surface. The remainder are constructed planters and soft landscaping. Through the years Vivid have specified clay pavers; natural granite cobbles; granite tiles; and all varieties of hard surfaces. For this specific project, precast concrete pavers, specifically the Revelstone Jura Cobble range, provided the necessary robustness, size format, and colour variations that the team were looking for in their designs and to complement the architecture. Vivid had the strong idea from early on that the ground surface needed to unify the development. The brief from the client, which the team fully agreed with, was to design the buildings with separate identities within one development. The paving becomes a simply unifying carpet of cobble. However, the team mixed three colours in an intentional design mix to appear random, but be consistently random. The three shades of grey create visual interest while dealing with imperfections in the installation.

MEET THE TEAM: Client: Rabie Property Group Architects: Vivid Architects Landscape architects: Planning Partners Quantity surveyors: B&L Quantity Surveyors Structural and civil Engineers: Aurecon SA Fire and wet engineer: Aurecon SA Mechanical engineer: WSP Group Electrical engineer: QDP Lighting & Electrical Design Interior designer: Origin Interiors Wet Services and lift engineers: Eckon Consulting Engineers Contractor: WBHO Construction Landscape contractors: Intebe Landscaping

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Alubond was the specified product for all the Aluminium Composite Material installed at Bridgewater One. Font: TerminaW00-Demi Font: TechnicBold

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W I N N E R O F T H E G I FA AWA R D O F E XC E L L E N C E 2 0 2 1 .

The Bank

PORTFOLIO

Completed: April 2021 Location: Rosebank, Johannesburg Size: 15,000m² Originally the site of FNB in the 1970’s, 24 Cradock Avenue is now home to a formidable successor, The Bank. With its vibrant pedestrian and café culture, art galleries, tree-lined avenues and thriving commercial life, Rosebank is a unique combination of Art Deco charm and contemporary metropolitan style. The Bank is a representative of this rich history. The use of local materials to create a landmark that fits into its context was done through the careful use of colour, volume, landscaping and texture. This iconic build was developed by Blend Property Group with architecture by Daffonchio Architects.

The Bank is an exciting new mixed-use development in the hub of Rosebank, Johannesburg and completed in early 2021. It is an approximately 15,000m², 13-storey mixeduse building with three additional floors of basement parking. The structure of the existing 4-storey building was retained and significantly added onto.

floor terrace. The building is home to 4 floors of vibrant co-working spaces by Workshop17, with an additional 2 floors of premium-grade office space on the top 2 floors, with sweeping 360-degree panoramic views of Joburg. The remaining program houses voco, a boutique hotel and the first of its kind in Africa by IHG® Hotels & Resorts. In keeping with the heritage of the site, the tenant that has acquired the top 2 floors is a banking institute. Interior design Nkuli Nhleko of Imbewu Design was tasked with creating opulent but functional latitudes for the hotel rooms, concierge and lobby. The Art Deco heritage of the surrounding suburb greatly influenced the dramatic expanses, screens and detailing found throughout the building. The interior design of the hotel aimed to achieve a uniquely contemporary South African feel with a modern patina. Nkuli accomplished this through the use of considered design elements and incredible local products, such as, Wolkberg tiles, Robin Sprong wallpapers, and Douglas and Douglas furnishings amongst others. In a subtle nod to voco's mascots two mosaic tiled birds can be found perched on the bulkheads in the lobby, an owl and a flamingo.

The design aesthetic celebrates the history of the original building as a banking institute, whilst ensuring it is well integrated into the rich Art Deco contemporary context of Rosebank. The deep face brick façade creates an impression of strength and resilience, which is softened by the greenery along the façade. By building with custom made rough faced black bricks that were locally manufactured specifically for The Bank, the façade retains its strength and stoicism, whilst giving warmth and charm through texture. The subtle use of brass on the façade, Art Deco inspired steel and balustrade detailing as well soft landscaping and lighting imbue The Bank with a cosmopolitan art-deco vibe.

The contemporary cool, luxury rooms executed by Imbewu Design allow light and space to take centre stage, all while ensuring that client comfort is key. Only local artists were commissioned to create unique art pieces for the building, each hand-selected and curated by Art Gazette. There are close to a thousand original artworks throughout the hotel and building, as well as two Eduardo Villa sculptures donated to the public space.

The brief Blend Property Group asked Daffonchio Architects to create a new iconic development which incorporated the existing building structure on site, and added 8 storeys onto it to accommodate mixed uses. The building was to be representative of the rich Modern and Art Deco heritage of Rosebank, whilst creating an exciting new destination. The ground floor of the building contains high-end retail stores and a fantastic new restaurant concept; Proud Mary, with an additional bar and eatery on the first-

The client’s brief called for a vibrant, eclectic, and rich design approach. Inspired by the Hoxton Hotels abroad, they wanted the design narrative and style of the interiors to be an authentic reflection of their location. This narrative was directly informed by the old-world delineation of the Rosebank suburb. The client wanted the atmosphere to be tranquil, a home away from home, to serve as a point of respite from the bustling energy of the surrounding business district.

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We asked Nkuli Nhleko from Imbewu Design more about the Interior Design process... Q: What was your brief from the client?

MEET THE TEAM: Client: Blend Property Group Architects: Daffonchio Architects Structural engineer: JRMA Consulting Mechanical engineer: VMG Consulting Electrical engineer: SOLelec Wet services engineer: MG Building Services Fire engineer: Building Code Consultants Main contractor: Gothic Construction Quantity surveyor: DMS QS Project managers: Davidoff Project Managers Interior designers: Imbewu Design Landscape designer: Grace’s Glory All glass & aluminium work: Alunite PV panels and co-generation system: Blackdot Energy HVAC installations: Tempkor Drywalling & ceilings: Titan Ceilings & Partitions IT, electronics and access control infrastructure: 3G Consulting, Infra Base & Systems Africa Painting contractors: First Class Projects Shop fittings: The Innovation Factory Joinery Worx Timber Innovations Images: Juane Venter Photography

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PORTFOLIO

The concept and narrative that informed the interior design was the harmonious integration between old-world charm and afro-contemporary elegance. The building is a reflection of the Rosebank landscape in the true sense. Q: As the exterior of the building is so dark, how did you incorporate colour into the interior? How do the two correlate? The colour palette came together as an amalgamation of our mood boards, the kind of atmosphere we wanted to set and create an oasis within the middle of Rosebank. The colours we chose are quite uplifting and echo the bustling vitality of the Rosebank CBD; it’s a melting pot of ultra-modern developments intermingled with old Art Deco and Neoclassical buildings dotted around Rosebank, and this is a distinctive, complex and unique quality. The intention was for the interior to personify past, present and future Rosebank in all its complexity and richness. One of the ways we achieved a lighter palette internally that both juxtaposed with and complemented the exterior, was through the application of a wall treatment in the lobby and reception by Earthcote called “Worn Leather”, it’s a wall wax that imparts a comforting

texture, similar to that of an old worn leather couch. Similarly lighting was key to achieving a welcoming air, and softness in contrast to the brick façade. The concierge with its coffered ceilings, tessellated tiles and ribbed amber glass pendants is a chic entryway to the novel, luxury hotel rooms that allow light and space to take centre stage. Q: The interior is very Art Deco themed, what was your inspiration? Our design approach was hugely influenced by a beautiful book called ‘Hidden Johannesburg’ by Paul Duncan and Alan Proust. The book earmarks established homesteads and structures in the greater Johannesburg under the lens of the historical Art Deco and Neoclassical design language. We took the majority of our cues with regards to colour scheme and use of materials from this gem of a book. Q: From the entrance to the bathroom – the finishes are all so unique – what made you focus on this aspect in the design? As our client wanted an other-worldly feel to the bathrooms, we felt this was an opportunity to veer away from traditional design and be more explorative and whimsical. We wanted the bathrooms to provide an immersive experience removed from everything happening outside.

This led to some unique and ‘out there’ choices from the beautiful wallpaper to the fanciful fringed detailing on the light fixtures. Exterior elements The Bank has been used to further extend the pedestrian access of the Rosebank CBD along the “high street” that runs from the Gautrain on Oxford Road, up to Cradock Avenue and along towards the Zone. Providing a wide pedestrian friendly pavement along the western street facing façade was an important consideration, for both the safety of travellers through this space and also as a way to encourage commuters in the area and surrounds to walk instead. The privatised road has been resurfaced with a cobblestone-styled paving brick instead of the usual asphalt and tar, which softens the roadway and prioritises the pedestrian. All of the high-end retail spills out directly into this public interface, as well as the integrated coffee shop, which contributes to the publiccentric cosmopolitan city culture. To create the envisioned design within the parameters of the complicated existing building, the structure was viewed as an opportunity rather than a hindrance. The minimal design aesthetic, mixed with the strange structural grid, created some very unique spaces in the building. Where possible, major demolitions of the existing building were kept to a minimum. The new staircase and elevator circulation core was integrated through an existing building atrium. One section of the building did have major demolitions in order to get access to additional natural light. In the rear South-East corner, far away from pedestrians, a large hole through 3 existing floors was cut out. This created a dramatic 4-storey tall courtyard light well. To highlight this space, the existing slab edge beams that were not demolished were used as shelves for cascading landscaping and a local artist, Cameron Platter, was commissioned to cover the 4-storey tall internal walls of the courtyard with a stunning mural.

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Key challenges It was a very constrained site that could only be accessed on one side, with only 2 active edges, both of which are on the periphery of very busy pedestrian routes in the heart of Rosebank. There was also the challenge of incorporating a new iconic design, with a very minimal façade aesthetic, into a complex existing building structural system. We also had to work around the structural limitations of the existing building which included limited parking facilities and restricted development opportunities.

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SUPPLIERS: Steel fabrication: A & D General Services – 011 402 7580 Ironmongery: Ironmongery Warehouse – 011 444 8677 Architectural metal finishes: Graytex Metals – 011 793 3695 Selected furniture pieces & shopfront feature door handles: Douglas & Douglas – 082 498 7244 Selected furniture: Anatomy Design – 010 594 5397 Rugs and accessories: Hertex – 011 025 8483 Planters: Liebermann Pottery – 011 482 2215 Wall tiles and reception desk tiles (lobby): Wolkberg – 071 506 4829 Other feature tiles: Tile Space – 011 796 5100 Floor tiles: Union Tiles – 011 663 2000 LimeGreen Sourcing Solutions – 011 325 2893 Wallpapers: Robin Sprong – 021 447 9842 Wall finishes: Earthcote - 021 447 0217 Skylight: Rainbow Skylights – 011 462 4448 Granite and marble work (lobby, reception desk and main bathrooms): Rock Solid Recreations – 076 344 6333 Black brick façade: Union Bricks – 071 363 7134 Bathroom taps: Axor HVAC system: Mitsubishi Hybrid VRF System - 011 830 2080

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Solutions The site had to be very carefully co-ordinated with regards to deliveries, storage and management of construction materials on site. The existing basement foundations as well as the top-structure had to be significantly reinforced in order to carry the load of the additional floors. We also worked very closely with the engineers and suppliers to ensure the materials we used in the new build were as lightweight and efficient as possible. The existing basement was left as is. Due to the restrictions of the site and the existing building, it was not possible to extend the basement. The entire existing building would have to be demolished in order to lower the foundations. To resolve this, we re-looked at the entire basement, and through intensive design process, many new parking bays were added, redundant storage and service areas were demolished – and the existing bank vault hidden in the basement mezzanine was even involved. This created a space large enough to house an additional 10 parking bays. Finally, we added a series of car lifts which allow one car to be stacked on top of another. Through this process we significantly increased the amount of parking bays in the existing basement. The entire basement will be managed by an experienced valet service that will coordinate the car lifts on a daily basis for all patrons.

Project innovations Environmental perspective: The building's overall bulk was upgraded by more than three times, however, no upgrade to the existing municipal power supply was done. The area of Rosebank has an already constrained electrical grid and upgrading the supply would have incurred significant costs. Instead, the project team elected to utilise those costs to implement much more sustainable solutions. The electrical shortfall was supplemented by the use of multiple interventions: •

•

A high yield photovoltaic array was installed on the roof. The power generated by the 259 PV panels provides approximately 100.000kWh per annum, equating to about 10% of the building’s total requirements. Making use of the existing Egoli gas supply that feeds the site, a large gas generator was installed. This generator was designed as a critical component in a cogeneration system that supplies the building with a significant amount of electricity. As the generator is essentially an internal combustion engine, a massive amount of waste heat is generated as a byproduct. This heat was captured through a heat exchange system and stored in large water tanks. These tanks provide

free hot water for the entire building without any geysers or additional utility costs. The cogeneration system provides an approximate R1.1million saving per annum. Other environmental considerations: The HVAC system that has been utilised is one of the most energy efficient, state of the art systems available and is linked to a smart management system that will constantly monitor the internal zone temperatures and make changes to ensure no energy is lost and that no unoccupied areas of the building are being chilled or heated unnecessarily. All the glazing for the building is to an extremely high spec, to ensure there is minimal heat gain through the façade. The Bank utilises double glazed, low-e coated glazing panels with argon gas filled air cavities, seated inside double sealed, thermal break aluminium frames. Motorised sliding shutters with precisely angled shading blades have been installed to block out the intense western afternoon sun, whilst still providing for incredible sweeping views to the north. All landscaping for the building has been specified as water wise and fully indigenous. No irrigation is required. By increasing the pedestrianisation and green plantings, the path is laid for new developments

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in the Rosebank CBD and surrounds to build a healthier urban environment. Climate change and its influence on health and well-being pose increasing challenges for cities with heat stress and carbon emission higher in urban than in rural settings. Architecture Principle architect Enrico Daffonchio explains that the building has revitalised a site that was "for all intents and purposes, dead. So much so that the landlord across the piazza had built a wall to hide it from view. It reactivated this part of Rosebank and its surrounds. Our consideration in the design was to bring back in a contemporary key some of the Art Deco language. There has been a major revamp of the public space not only of the site itself". It is unusual in Johannesburg that a developer would give generously to the concourse surrounding a project, more typically they’d close off the building with parking on the ground floor, whereas here not only is there a great activation of the retail area within the building facing the pavement, but also a big investment in upgrading the road, rehabilitating the trees, creating an Uber lane, relooking at the traffic flow and how one could connect this building with the surrounding buildings that were very separated before. Technically this was an incredibly difficult project because we retained the structure and built around and on top of it, rather than demolishing. So the engineering of this project was extremely complex, the energy aspect was also challenging because we didn't have enough

reliable power available to the site and had to come up with innovative solutions. While it is an outstanding principal from a sustainability perspective that the building is mixed-use; housing, co-working offices, a hotel, restaurants and so on, because half of the building is countercyclical with the other half, it adds another level of complexity in integrating all of these different functions. We asked Daffonchio Architects more about this stunning build... Q: Why did you choose black brick for the façade? “We love dark buildings, especially when designing in the Highveld because of the very strong light characteristic of this ecoregion, so we’ve got to make buildings that become soft visually by being dark and not reflecting very harsh light. A lot of our buildings are like that, particularly for the Bank, we were looking for that direction and colour, but also for a low maintenance material, so we started examining the black brick option and found a supplier, Union Bricks. They produced a black brick, and created a mould especially for it that would form a very particular rough texture on the façade, so that notwithstanding the dark colour, one could still appreciate the texture with the play of shades and light. The bricks are made in one mould with four bricks, and when they are split apart the cracking is random. Therefore there are no two

bricks that would have the same look and feel. We later touched up the façade with sealants and darkening agents to create the richness and depth of colour. Q: Furthermore, why did you position lighting on its façade? Robert Dos Santos, lead architect says that due to the building's iconic and central location in the Rosebank shopping district, we wanted to ensure that the building had great visibility throughout all hours of the day. Due to the mixed-use programme of The Bank, there are some elements that will be very active during the night-time hours, such as the restaurant, bar and the hotel. This meant that it was very important to ensure that the building felt accommodating, warm and inviting both during the day and at night. The façade has such a dynamic and striking relationship to light, due to its colour, texture and deep recesses. The lighting ensures that this relationship is carried through into the night as well. The lighting does wonders in highlighting the beautiful rough faced brickwork. The lighting also assists to highlight the focal crown of the design. During the day, the overhanging boxes of the top floors cast very deep shadows and creates a very strong visual language. During the night this is flipped around by illuminating the underside of these boxes, which enhances their ‘floating’ nature and draws one’s eyes up to the crown of the building.

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THEV&A RIDGE: WATERFRONT HOME OF DELOITTE

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Completed: March 2021 Location: V&A Waterfront, Cape Town Size: 8,500m² The Ridge commercial office development which has just been completed in the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, features several 'firsts' for South Africa’s green building industry. From a centralised core which was built to mimic the ventilation of an anthill, to timber and eco bricks, it has some surprising innovations and, because of these, has achieved a 6-star Green Star rating from the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA). Pro Landscaper + Architect takes a tour of this outstanding build and catches up with studioMAS, responsible for the unique architecture and Paragon Interface who were responsible for the project’s exquisite interiors. The brief to studioMAS was initiated by Deloitte and put out into the market for their new regional offices. The requirements were for commercial office space of approximately 8,000m2 with additional parking and a star rating from GBCSA was an absolute must. The V&A Waterfront expanded on this initial brief by requiring a minimum 5-star rating (with desire for 6 star – which was achieved). They required a building which fitted into the precinct plan and vision of connecting the Green Point area with the V&A precinct. The Vida Café on the corner and pedestrian ramp connecting to Dock Road form part of this masterplan. Another important part of the brief called for a landmark building due to its entry point position into the V&A Waterfront. How the brief was achieved The design involved a close collaborative process between studioMAS and engineers, Arup. The result is a rational design in which architecture and engineering are thoroughly integrated, having being developed side by side from the earliest conceptual stage. Part of the façade was executed by XLAM and gives the building its distinct identity. The site, previously a parking lot, is rectangular and orientated at a slight diagonal from north to south. The pleated timber façade corrects this by folding the timber or glazing onto a direct north-south which assists with the sun control strategy. The carbon savings involved in the use of Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) in the build are significant. It is local, renewable, and

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highly durable. It requires no additional finishes to interior or exterior, no insulation, it’s a room temperature material, and ultimately it allows for the timber façade to improve with time as its weathers and ages. The impressive and completely unique engineered timber-pleated façade warmly clads the Waterfront’s newest building. The Ridge’s new façade speaks to the sustainability ethos of the developers. Tessa Brunette, lead engineering and facade consultant for Arup on the project, says that the use of CLT is a large contributor to the green credentials of this building. The Ridge’s extraordinary façade is designed to compensate for the slightly off north-south orientation of the building. While an ideal orientation for a building in the Southern Hemisphere is north-facing, the Ridge actually orientates north-west/ south-east in relation to the main entrance and the Dock Road side of the building, owing to the constraints of the ground available for development. It is the job of the saw-tooth angle façade to correct this to a north-south, east-west orientation for the exterior. Effectively, this means that you can control the effect of direct sunlight in line with a traditional northern orientation. Cooling is achieved using primarily natural ventilation. Windows are either manually or automatically operated. The deep rectangular floor plates are centrally split with a naturally ventilated street/atrium which allows for cross ventilation and natural lighting. This central natvent street has a row of large high-level drums which act as both chimneys and light sscoops. Automated windows at roof level control air movement through drums. Dimensions of the floor plates, the central street, the façade design and the thermally activated building system, makes it possible to control the temperature of the building passively for approximately 82% of the year. The drums and central street define the interior space: it’s where people circulate, meet, interact. This street and entrance piazza also speaks to the larger urban plan which will unfold as the precinct develops, which opens connections between the V&A Waterfront and Green Point

MEET THE TEAM: Client: V&A Waterfront Architects: studioMAS Project manager: MACE Quantity surveyor: Smith & Co Mechanical, electrical, civil and structural engineers: Arup Fire and wet services: Arup Interior design: Paragon Interface Main contractor: GVK Landscape architect: Planning Partners Landscape contractors: Contours Group Images: David Southwood

and which will ultimately contribute to creating a more integrated connected city. The buildings success relies on a behavioural change from the corporate user – for example the opening and closing of windows. This relationship between inhabitant and the outside has a direct impact on the energy/carbon consumption, fresh air, the clothes you wear to work, one's connection to the outside environment, and ultimately happiness levels. The Ridge building has truly fulfilled the V&A Waterfront’s vision to set new standards for what the future of commercial office buildings will look like. This project has not only defined our new normal by meeting the original brief but exceeded all expectations by achieving the highest 6-star GBCSA rating to date which includes an unprecedented nine credits for innovation.

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The collaboration and blue sky thinking of the professional team has resulted in a certifiably sustainable, timelessly designed, living, breathing building that focuses on the health of its occupants as much as minimising its impact on the environment. The bespoke façade has created yet another iconic building within the V&A Precinct that is not only architecturally striking but innovative in its design and application.

visions align and the focus is placed back on our most important asset, our people. Interiors This was a high-profile project for the interior architecture company Paragon Interface, part of the Paragon Group.

Every carefully considered aspect of the building encourages mobility and engagement not only between co-workers but between the occupants and the building and the occupants and their natural environment. Despite pandemic conditions the building is enjoying a high occupancy with safe, naturally ventilated, flexible and technologically advanced working spaces available to the users.

'Maintaining the design integrity of the base building architecture while successfully incorporating the distinctively Deloitte brand experience was our aspiration for the interior of this ground-breaking "green" building,' highlights Paragon Interface director, Claire D’Adorante. 'The result has been a project that we are immensely proud of. The Ridge has quite a unique aesthetic – it’s industrial but still very elegant and well-detailed in response to the technical requirements of the sustainable design brief.'

The Ridge is an example of what can be achieved when a client and end user’s business

The ground floor accommodates the more public functions such as a Deloitte reception,

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client-facing meeting rooms, a staff restaurant and a Vida Café that can service both Deloitte employees and the public realm through a service hatch inserted into the covered entrance façade. The ground floor experience is completed by Deloitte’s ‘Xcelerator’, an immersive environment where clients can experience the potential of digital transformations in an innovative environment that enables the creative development of customised digital solutions. To facilitate and encourage active movement for both employees and visitors, The Ridge has a light-filled internal atrium conceptualised as a street that runs through its centre. The workspace planning focuses on activating this street edge through the deliberate positioning of agile workspaces around the atrium to create a bustling working corridor. It includes a balance of collaborative workspace such as touch-down points, casual lounge

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SUPPLIERS: Lighting: LED Lighting SA - 021 510 0028 Cross laminated timber: XLAM – 084 661 1095 Aluminium curtain façade: Geustyn & Horak – 051 432 5104 spaces, focus rooms and pods. Social relaxation areas are positioned in the vertical circulation core. Lifts and a sculptural steel staircase allow employees to easily connect with each other between floors. New ways of working such as desk-sharing practices are also being successfully implemented here, aligned with Deloitte’s global workspace practices. Apart from the application of similar branding elements in the signage, finishes and colour scheme as at Waterfall City, The Ridge has a distinctively different atmosphere. Extensive use of natural materials such as exposed concrete, timber and glass echoes the external façade. The indoor planting completes a holistic wellness experience for users. However, perhaps the biggest differentiator at The Ridge is the presence of exposed slabs and services, a technical requirement of the innovative chilled slab cooling solution – one of the many unique sustainability features of the building. Special acoustic panels float underneath the slabs to provide appropriate levels of sound absorption for a comfortable office environment and suspended linear lowenergy LED lighting between the panels follows a similar design rhythm. 'From the beginning The Ridge was always going to be unique, and the interior really needed to respond to that brief. At the same time, it aligns the threads of Deloitte’s branding philosophy and the workplace strategy implemented at Waterfall City,' says D’Adorante. The sustainability features at The Ridge that contributed to its green rating from the GBCSA include energy-efficient and passive climate control measures, the use of renewable energy, sustainable water handling, reducing the carbon footprint of the building and a focus on the use of natural lighting, including natural ventilation through openable windows. Energy performance has been integrated fully into the design, which maximises natural light, ventilation and manages water and waste resources efficiently.

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Completed: July 2021 Location: Rosebank, Johannesburg

pedestrian artery from the Mall of Rosebank to the taxi rank at Jellicoe Avenue.

he Median is a brand-new residential apartment building in the heart of Rosebank, Johannesburg. Over the past few years, the business hub of Rosebank has seen significant redevelopment of both commercial and residential property after The Rosebank Management District uplifted the area considerably. This has once again made Rosebank a very desirable area, and given way for developments like The Median to take centre stage. It is in the centre of one of Johannesburg’s largest business and entertainment hubs, where large corporates such as Standard Bank and Sasol have relocated.

The building is walking distance from almost every eatery, fashion outlet, entertainment venue and service in Rosebank including the Gautrain, effectively connecting it to the rest of the Johannesburg.

At the end of 2014, Messaris Wapenaar Cole Architects were commissioned to design what was intended to be a 14-floor apartment building. Positioned in the prime of Rosebank, The Median was envisaged by the client to be an icon for apartment living within the heart of the busy hub that is Rosebank. Due to the nature, size and complexity of the building it was estimated that it would take a total of five years to complete from start to finish. With this estimated competition date, the design for the building had to be at least five years ahead of its time. The site for the new building is the corner of Tyrwhitt and Craddock Avenue, the gateway to the pedestrianised upper Tyrwhitt Avenue where it intersects the with north and south

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MEET THE TEAM: Architects: Messaris Wapenaar Cole Architects Developers: Renprop Interior designers: BT Interiors

The brief What the brief required was a world class response. The site, as with most urban sites, is compact and the footprint of the building is small. Access for both vehicles and pedestrians is on Tyrwhitt Avenue, occupying most of the south façade at street level.

Civil and structural engineers: KCE Consulting

To accommodate the necessary levels of parking as well as the services that would be required, the building was set to have five levels underground, resulting in the total height of the final build to be 21 floors. The excavation hole required to accommodate the build was possibly the deepest hole in Rosebank at the time. This required careful planning and precision engineering to achieve without compromising surrounding structures and services.

Project manager: Devcon

The basement levels and the ground floor would be entirely occupied by services and parking, with the exception of a small retail offering (addressing the building’s contribution to the Rosebank retail precinct), vehicular access and a tiny entrance lobby for pedestrian access to and from the street.

Mechanical engineers: ACS Consulting Engineers Electrical engineers: CPE

Quality control: MCS Project Management Contractor: Vlaming Health and safety: Pure Safety Land surveyor: RD Clark Land Surveyor Fire consultants: SFT Landscape contractors: Highveld Horticulture

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Above the street, the private apartments of the building would surround a 15-floor covered atrium away from the busy streets. The apartments would face outward, with views directed diagonally from the building to secure a feeling of space in what will ultimately become a fully high-rise environment. At the top would be the ultimate penthouses with views as far as the eye could see over the whole of greater Johannesburg. What was not known at the time was that the project would become fraught with delays resulting from matters beyond the control of the developers and the rest of the team, not least of which was the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, which continues to be a problem. To manage the development through the issues that arose the developer had the site rezoned twice during construction to allow for the everchanging market take-up. Each time a redesign was required to facilitate additional floors and a revised unit mix. Changes and delays resulted in the delivery of the building having to be put out to the end of 2020, six years after the first sketches were done. The 2014 design would therefore have to be highly flexible and futuristic in order to try to live up to the client’s brief. The lead architect initially drew inspiration from images and sources found online and thus from what other designers, charged with similar briefs, had done before. Thereafter, historical precedent became the informative backbone of the design. What was clear from the get-go, however, was that if the building were to become any sort of icon at all, it would need to be a type of urban scale sculpture, boasting an urban scale iconography whilst addressing the human scale of the largely pedestrianized mall of upper Tyrwhitt Avenue that it would become part of. Quite early on in the design process the sensuous curve of the skeletal balcony arrangement was thus decided upon as the form that was going to pull the design together on an urban scale, together with the full height atrium window over the entrance in Tyrwhitt Avenue. The bay window was later embellished with a 16-floor finial which would reflect in the glass by day, much like the floral reflections

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SUPPLIERS: Kitchens and joinery: ProReno – 012 644 2113 Balustrades: Steel Studio – 021 551 3510 Skylight: Rainbow Skylights – 011 462 4448 External finish: Terraco – 010 025 2009 Tiles: Northern Wholesale Tiles – 011 803 9444 Vinyl flooring: Wanabiwood – 011 028 9498 Wallpaper: Wall Design – 011 704 9780 Paint: Dulux – 0860 330 111 Taps: Hansgrohe - 0861 111 941 Bathroom accessories: Bathroom Butler – 011 334 8100 Glass: Clearline Frameless Glass – 011 485 0557 in the windows of Mackintosh’s Glasgow Art School, and would be silhouetted in the glow of the back lit window by night. On the east the ribs of the exposed skeleton received a similar but backlit finial which would become a giant glow-stick at the end of the Tyrwhitt Avenue pedestrian mall at night. The Median’s 140 apartments would then be suspended as a midnight blue block in the hopefully iconic skeleton of the Tyrwhitt and Craddock corner in the new cosmopolitan, pedestrian Rosebank. This blue box would be characterised by modernist L-shaped exposed elements and four reflective screens to augment the now 16-floor bay window entrance to the south. The play between the curve and the rectilinear, although reminiscent of the modern movement, it is hoped will prove timeless, and the use of colour, contrast and materials

sufficiently futuristic to see The Median into its future. Internally, the entrance – although small for a building of this size – was masterfully designed and detailed by Blue Tangerine Interiors to take one’s eye up for a tiny taste of the 15 floor internal atrium above. Hints of the famed modernist designers Mondrian, van Doesburg and Rietveld are particularly evident in the lobby as well as the apartments themselves.

Air conditioning: Blue Hemisphere – 0861 002 665 Product – Daikin Fire, smoke and evacuation system: Origan Electronic Solutions – 011 425 0681

The atrium is fiercely modernist in its simplicity. The skylight washes the walls of the atrium while the walkway ceiling lighting is designed to softly illuminate the atrium and the walkways themselves without disturbing the privacy of the units beyond at night. The atrium garden on the first floor of the apartments is a structured park-like space designed to showcase the space itself, like a pocket park in a city of apartments surrounding it. The building’s 140 apartments are ultramodern, mostly two-bedroom apartments, with a pocket of one-bedroom units catering

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for “semigrators” who commute to and from Rosebank, and four luxurious penthouses on the 14th and 15th floors. The finishings are elegantly pared back to allow the purchasers to decorate their apartments in any colour and style. As The Median finds itself in the centre of the action in Rosebank, it was decided not to add communal facilities other than the pocket park in the atrium. The building surrounds are abound with activities and night life. The building uses a conventional concrete frame construction with brick infill, most commonly used for mid-rise and high-rise buildings in the country. The finishes internally and externally are plaster and paint, with the out-of-reach light coloured areas of the façade coated with a colour fast plaster product for ease of maintenance. The balustrades and the external screens are galvanised unpainted steel. It is hoped that as these age with time these elements of the building will attain a patina, a little like one would expect from a lead or copper roof. All the glazing elements are powder-coated aluminium using performance glazing to SANS XA standards. The water heating is achieved by way of a central natural gas boiler system located in the lowest basement and circulated around the building for instant hot water to all the apartments. This system, together with the gas cookers in the units, contributes to the building’s energy efficiency. The Median also boasts state-of-the-art full back-up power generation and safety equipment, as well as a full height observation lift from which the Rosebank street life can be seen as one travels up the building to the apartments. The Median took almost seven years to come to life and create its own mark in the Rosebank skyline. As a residential apartment block, this build will bring life into the Rosebank area that has drastically changed over the past five years and turned from a dated commercial centre to an inclusive walkable city.

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C E L E B R AT I N G C A P E T O W N ’ S C I T Y B O W L

117 STRAND STREET

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Completed: December 2019 Location: Cape Town CBD Size: 16,600m² 117 on Strand is situated on the boundary of trendy suburb, De Waterkant. It boasts a cosmopolitan, vibrant lifestyle in the heart of the city. This new city landmark was completed at the end of 2019, comprising 5,200m² retail space, 6,700m² of premium grade office space and 117 residential apartments. Included in this development is a high-end Planet Fitness Signature Health Club, taking mixed-use living to a new level of contemporary luxury. There is also premium grade, inner city office space to make the development even more attractive, with five floors dedicated to providing the Cape’s finest office address. There is ample parking, customised security systems, stunning views and proximity to major bus and rail services, which means you’re never too far away from the action. 117 on Strand offers retailers over 2,550m² on the lower ground and ground floor levels to complete the premium mixed-use package of this development. This impressive landmark with its colourful façade, was developed by Ingenuity Property Investments with architecture by KMMA and landscape architecture by Tarna Klitzner Landscape Architects (TKLA).

SUPPLIERS: Timber Decking and benches: Decks 4 Life – 076 908 2175 Pavers and stepping-stones: Revelstone Jura Paver and Jura Tiles – 021 761 9739 Nurseries: Veld and Fynbos – 082 877 9838 Garden King – 083 658 0750 Irrigation: Hunter – 021 551 0790 Stones: Afrimat – 021 917 8840 Soil: Red Tractor – 021 987 1650 Perforated aluminium composite panel: Etherington Aluminium - 021 981 9667 Troughs: Classic Stone - 021 701 7611

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We ascend to the ninth floor podium roof garden with TKLA to find our more... Visiting the ninth floor of 117 Strand Street is a gratifying experience. Tarna Klitzner eloquently explains “the concept of the foreground landscape blending into the distant borrowed views is realised when you sit within the garden niches surrounded by the sound of birds, flowering Watsonias, Scabiosa, Osteospermums, Polygala, Salvia and more.” The concept to implementation was a landscape journey made possible by the client’s willingness to trust TKLA’s proposals, the professional team's support and the main and landscape contractors diligence in working with the proposals. How did you manage to turn constraints into opportunities? Turning constraints into opportunities, we utilised the following strategies to achieve both the client’s and architect’s brief to create a habitable landscaped deck space, that would be able to accommodate individual visitors, small groups, as well as larger functions, and simultaneously be read from the tower above (12-18th floor apartments) as an interesting changing visual landscape. The wide podium on the east-facing side of the building is exposed to both the south-easterly and north-westerly winds. The design strategy was to place the planting beds as an undulating central spine that could protect and hold entertainment spaces, alongside the immediate face of the building in the wind protected zone. These provide small pockets or niches along the edge of the building that can be used to view

the city and Table Mountain and Lion’s Head on windless days. As we were working on an elevated slab, the weight of the soil and therefore the depth of the planters was a concern for the engineers. To obtain a high enough seating edge the planting beds were partially filled with Foamalite blocks to lighten the load. This changed the planting design as we were not able to plant trees within the shallow soil depth. Planting strategy The planting strategy is structured around a central band of a higher growing shrub mix (Muraltia spinosa, Polygala myrtifolia, Salvia Africana-lutea, Metalasia muricata, Coleonema album, Eriocephalus africanus and Searsia crenata) flanked on either side by bands of lower growing shrubs and ground covers. These are generally planted in large sweeps interspersed with bulbs to provide seasonal variation. The entire external slab undulates and drains to boreholes located above columns +/- 2m recessed from the perimeter of the slab. As a result, we needed to ensure that there is free drainage across the surface of the podium slab. The elevated timber decks and the discrete paved areas are linked via stepping-stones embedded in a gravel surface. This system facilitates the required drainage pathways, under and through the circulation routes and planting beds. The specification of hardy indigenous vegetation supports the desired Green Star Rating

application. In addition, the irrigation water is supplied via the grey water harvested from the gym within the building. This proved to be a challenge in the summer of 2020; due to COVID-19, the gym was not frequented as much as envisaged, which resulted in less water than expected for the irrigation. The landscape installation was completed in December 2019, with the plant specification being for small plant material as the team felt it would be easier for smaller plant material to acclimatise to the harsh conditions than to expose larger plants to these conditions. Fortunately, adequate water was available during the first three months of establishment and the plant material grew rapidly.

MEET THE TEAM: Client: Ingenuity Property Investments Limited Project manager: Cogent Development Management Landscape architect: Tarna Klitzner Landscape Architects Architect: Formally KMMA Structural and civil engineers: De Villiers Consult Electrical/mechanical engineers: JD Reitz Quantity surveyor: LDM Quantity Surveyors Sustainability consulting engineers: PJ Carew Consulting Landscape contractor: Contours Landscapes Maintenance contractor: Contours Landscapes Timber decking contractors: Decks 4 Life Contractor: WBHO

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As a final note, Tarna Klitzner adds: “Working on a project on the ninth floor of a building under construction is a challenge for all concerned. Transporting the materials up to the ninth floor required cooperation between the contractors, as the crane needed to be shared. Site visits entailed hiking up nine floors as the lifts were only operable towards the building’s completion and the plant material delivered to site shared their home with windows, doors, bricks and mortar in the internal parking garages. "As a result of this combined initiative, we can look forward to watching the garden up in the sky grow and mature. This podium garden is ably maintained by Givemore Dete and Wisdom Rafael of Contours Landscapes. Hopefully, this garden becomes an inspiration for many more roof top gardens in the City Bowl, as their role is understood as environmentally beneficial to both the immediate building and the city as a whole, reducing the heat island effect of the hardened city surfaces, contributing to the biodiversity network and simultaneously providing external recreation space for the building's occupants."

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Cintocare Hospital

Completed: April 2021 Location: Menlyn Maine, Pretoria Size: 29,000m²

A 29,000m² specialised surgical hospital development by Growthpoint Properties and Cintocare has recently opened in Pretoria, Gauteng, to become the first 5-star rated green hospital in Africa, and only the fifth in the world with its specialised surgical mix and clinical business model. With architecture by A3 Architects and landscape design by Bertha Wium Landscape Development (BWLD), Cintocare Hospital has pioneered innovative hospital design. Cintocare Hospital is a tailor-made, highperformance clinical centre of excellence in the green Menlyn Main precinct focused exclusively on head, neck, spinal and vascular surgery. Construction of the R470 million specialist surgical hospital began in July 2018 and, despite the COVID-19 lockdown, was completed on time at the end of 2020. The hospital is the culmination of the close collaboration between its operators, doctors, promoters, developers, owners, and other stakeholders. 'Developing a world-class hospital is a major undertaking in itself, but doing so during the uncertainty of a pandemic intensified the complexity of the task. Every party involved in the construction rose to the challenge of managing the heightened risks to safely deliver the development of Cintocare, which is changing the future of healthcare properties in South Africa,' says Michiel Gerber, development manager for Growthpoint. The hospital is the first of its kind in many aspects. Africa’s first certified green hospital, Cintocare incorporates numerous sustainable design and management features, earning a 5 Green Star Custom Healthcare design certification from the Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA). Healthcare facilities incorporating green design principles have been found to deliver 15% faster recovery rates, a 22% reduction in need for pain medication, an 11% reduction in secondary infections, and an 8.5% reduction in hospital stays. Cintocare is also South Africa’s first hospital to generate its own oxygen on demand using an installed PSA (Pressure Swing Adsorption) plant. The property comprises of seven levels – three parking, one for the plant room and three clinical and consulting levels.

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The development partnership delivered the full suite of services for the 100-bed hospital. It incorporates 15 consulting rooms and five theatres, including one hybrid theatre, with the potential to increase this number to eight.

one of which is a hybrid. The brief also called for a symbolic, hi-tech hospital conforming to established Menlyn Maine Precinct guidelines and aesthetics, whilst creating not only a place for treatment but also for healing.

Cintocare’s doctor, patient, staff, and visitor experience was a focal point for the design strategy to enable the optimal delivery of specialised service. Its medical professionals are supported by state-of-the-art equipment and technology. Care is woven into every detail of the hospital’s design. For instance, the swooping shading along the building’s impressive glass façade is crafted to evoke spinal vertebra found in the neck, reflecting its inner purpose while also being functional.

The 29,000m² hospital includes seven floors: the hospital plant room, three clinical and consulting levels and three parking levels with 335 secure parking bays, linking directly to Menlyn Maine Central Square with another 1,300 parking bays.

The architecture A3 Architects explains that the initial architectural brief envisioned the project as a symbol of mobility in the human body represented through present day construction methods, while containing a mass of complex service networks required to supply the state-of-the-art equipment housed within. The functional component of the brief was essentially derived from the Department of Health license for the site, which dictates the number and mix of beds and operating theatres. The hospital’s primary focus is on head and neck, spinal, neuro, and vascular surgeries with its highly specialised medical professionals supported by state-of-the-art technology with a capacity of up to 160 beds and five theatres,

With the site footprint fully utilised and enclosed on three sides, the design raised the hospital above the required parking areas. Green lungs Green walls surround the parking from the ground up and float the hospital on ‘green lungs’. This allows clinical areas on upper levels to have access to natural lighting from north and south aspects. Central to the architectural design is the visual link to nature from internal and street facing areas of the hospital. This is achieved by the main reception and all clinical areas facing two large atriums at the centre of the hospital, allowing visitors, patients and medical professionals to be welcomed within a space where nature is appreciated and aids in recovery. The façade The building’s exterior reflects its fundamental purpose. The glass façade, which also serves to

shade the building, is evocative. Representing a curve in the spinal vertebrae found in the neck, it swoops across an impressive glass façade from east to west elevations and across the 100m-long north façade, hinting at the inner purpose of the building. Externally a continued play on contrast between elements and unbroken movement finds its roots in the conceptual use of a single flowing strand, linking mobility, proportion and contrast into one façade. The result is a building that stands out from the ordinary though reflection of its function. The interior Medical care is not limited to diagnostic and operative procedures. At Cintocare Hospital, it begins at the entrance and the experience takes the patient or visitor into a healing space. Dynamic and diffuse lighting in the atria leverages varying intensities of light and shadow that change over time to create conditions that occur in nature. MEET THE TEAM: Developers: Growthpoint Properties Client: Cintocare Architects: A3 Architects Main contractor: WBHO Interior designer: A3 Architects and Lood Architects Landscape: Bertha Wium Landscape Development Mechanical engineers: Zutari & Acend Civil and structural engineers: Sotiralis Electrical engineers: BWK & Monamodi Wet Services: I-MEP

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This culture of world class high-tech design is embodied in the corporate colours and signage of Cintocare, displaying its royal pastel base with its roots in the natural, rather than the artificial. The heart of the hospital is in its east and west atria, with both sides providing a visual link to nature and natural lighting by means of multiple skylights, thus creating a comfortable and relaxing space. This link is reinforced through use of natural materials, textures and colours that imitate nature. The Level 4 entrance and reception provide a free-flowing link between the atria, Menlyn Maine Shopping Centre and a well-positioned coffee shop, all facing inwards towards lush planting, all the while maintaining a unique contemporary feel. Nature in the space addresses the direct, physical and ephemeral presence of nature. This link between nature, benefits of biophilic orientated design and healing of the human body embody the ideology and the basis of the design. Instead of walls, the building floats on green lungs and celebrates nature by incorporating landscaped areas across all levels and through use of beautiful organic forms and materials. Sustainability The hospital has earned South Africa’s first Custom Healthcare 5 Green Star rating from the Green Building Council of South Africa

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(GBCSA) - making it the first hospital to achieve this milestone. The collaboration between Growthpoint, Cintocare, GBCSA and the professional team has resulted in a new green building certification tool for the healthcare and property sectors. This green certification tool is a road map to drive the development of more green healthcare buildings in South Africa in the future. The team has created a sustainable healthcare facility designed around the wellbeing of patients and hospital staff that supports the environment and its communities. Sustainable elements Conventional hospitals often have considerable carbon emission profiles due to the energy and water consumption required for their daily operations. The hospital was able to reduce its operational footprint considerably. Other green building features include high levels of thermal comfort for 95% of the usable area, a recycling waste storage facility, metering of energy and water use, a rainwater storage tank for routine fire protection and the creation and implementation of a sustainable procurement guide. The inclusion of as much daylight as possible was also critical. Natural daylight is an environmental factor that has a great impact on health and wellbeing of people within a space. Research suggests that healthy hospitals, where these factors are considered, improve patient

outcomes and assist in the recovery process. The performance glazed façade ensures that 92% of the bedded areas have access to daylight and external views. The new Cintocare Hospital leads the way in hospital design centered around the wellbeing of both patients and staff. The focus on the importance of green building elements has ensured that the hospital has embraced the healing component so often lacking in health facilities. The landscaping The continuation of landscaping from the ground floor through to the level 4 and level 7 gardens plays a critical role in providing the majority of the wards and consulting areas with a view and access to nature. While the site area is 96.4% utilised and surrounded on three sides by a densely builtup precinct, there is a visual connection with nature from the approach to a vast majority of the occupied spaces, with a view to elements of nature, living systems and natural processes, both internally and facing out towards the north, east and west aspects. Integrating aesthetically pleasing elements into a space can help building occupants derive a measure of comfort or joy from their surroundings. Creating the space in alignment with Green

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Star standards that uplift the environment was the ultimate goal. The landscaping from the ground floor, up to level 4 and the level 7 gardens, all allow for recovering patients to view the greenery. There was limited space for landscaping on the sidewalk level. To maximise this, Bertha Wium Landscape Development (BWLD) used dense and fast-growing evergreen trees, shrubs and groundcovers. The green screens add a layered effect to the facade of the building, with its combination of both living and artificial plants. The outside courtyards form as pause spaces, with the use of flowering and creeping plants placed in the area in various pot sizes. Walter Language, landscape architect at BWLD explains that with space being limited throughout the development his team were tasked to give a maximum green landscape effect on the sidewalks, façade and rooftop courtyards. Various pause spaces had to be created for patients, visitors, doctors and nurses in the form of outside courtyards. Evergreen plant choices were used to give year-long greening in the small landscape areas available. Weight and area limits necessitated clever use of greening to soften these courtyards on

the top floor of the hospital. Flowering and creeping plants were used in various pot sizes in conjunction with ambient pergola structures to embody the tranquility requested. Textural use of hard landscape elements supports the limited planting additions of each area to complete a cohesive entity suited to the needs. The exterior façade is a mixture of both artificial and living plants. This was seen as a solution to cost and space constraints. Only limited pots with live plants were possible, thus a combination between living and artificial plants were used to get the green façade to link with rest of building landscape from the sidewalk and level 4 balcony which is visible from ground level. As a turnkey company, BWLD chose plants from various nurseries to ensure they got the best quality plants for the best price to the advantage of the project. Paving was used to link with the existing Menlyn Maine Precinct and also to adhere to Tshwane Council requirements. All creeper trellises were the result of a think tank combination between BWLD and the architects and were manufactured by the main contractor.

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'The focus on the importance of green building elements has ensured that the hospital has embraced the healing component so often lacking in health facilities.'

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ILLOVO

CENTRAL W H E R E LU X U RY M E E T S D E S I G N

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Completed: February 2021 Location: Illovo, Johannesburg Size: 40,000m²

ILLOVO CENTRAL is another of FWJK’s newly completed high-rises to grace the Sandton skyline. This enormous and exquisite new build can be described as an exclusive selection of sophisticated residences offering 15 storeys of elevated luxury living. Residents can revel in spectacular skyline views, exceptional design and personal services, set to reinvent luxury, mixed-use developments in the elite Illovo precinct. The site was developed by FWJK and is centrally located to both Sandton and Rosebank’s CBD’s, with views that span the Sandton CBD to the north-west, as well as more tranquil views to the west across Hyde Park to Northcliff and the Magaliesburg mountains in the distance. FWJK took on most elements of this mammoth build from development management, to architecture, with elements of the landscape being implemented by renowned landscaping firm, Life Green Group. The brief Illovo Central is a 15 storey mixed-use building and comprises 1,000m² retail, 4,700m² A-Grade office space and 125 high-end residential units. Carrying through from the aesthetic of its neighbouring building, Illovo Point, this new building needed to embody the look and feel of its neighbour. The brief called for Illovo Central to be a modern, sophisticated, mixed-use building with efficient design and planning principles, and the exterior was to blend seamlessly with the uses within the building, but also mirror Illovo Point, as it was imperative that the two buildings would read and function as part of a precinct. Ground floor retail spills out toward a landscaped sidewalk setting on Rivonia Road, the perfect spot for cafes and restaurants to service the many residents and visitors. Office space occupies level 6, 7 and part of level 8, whilst the residential units are located on levels 9 to 14 to really drink in the views. On the ground floor is a lavish reception area with a drop-off zone all centred around a cascading water feature to really create a sense that you have arrived somewhere grand.

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Level 8 is home to a fully fitted and operated gym, a communal lounge with a fitted bar, as well as a show-stopping glass walled infinity swimming pool with views toward the Sandton skyline. Both communal spaces on the ground level and level 8 have been designed with the end user in mind and are set to enhance the appeal of the building with contemporary, mixed-use touches to enhance the lives of those inhabiting the space. The site Interestingly, this site was previously a large house with street frontage on both Rivonia and Melville Roads. During the rezoning process, the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) wanted vehicular access to be only from Melville Road, but to have pedestrian access and activity on Rivonia Road. Planning for the site One of the primary design issues was separating uses without an obvious divide within the building whilst maintaining security for each use. To assist in achieving this, the vehicular access was split at Melville Road into residents and office users. Residents park on the three basement levels, whilst office and retail users park on the five structured parking levels.

The core of the building is centrally located to maximise efficiency, and the office and residential lifts were placed back-to-back. In order to maintain exclusivity and security of each use, the ground floor and level 8 are the only floors that both the residential and office lifts stop on due to the communal facilities located on these levels. Architectural features Illovo Central’s sleek, modern aesthetic with a flush external finish is all thanks to the use of a floor-to-soffit unitised glazing system. Large cantilevering balconies and strategic recesses, together with white and dark grey Marmoran, were used to carve the elevations into strong horizontal and vertical lines using light and shade.

MEET THE TEAM: Architects: FWJK Landscape contractors: Life Landscapes Interior design: FWJK Interiors Giant Leap (Office 601) Main build contractor: Concor Buildings Photography: Infrastructure Photos

The balconies are generous and the corner glazing in both office and residential units assist in breaking up the corners of the building and make the interiors feel spacious and luxurious. Sourcing materials It was decided early on in the project that AAC blocks would be used as it gave the project a significant saving in structural cost due to its lighter weight than clay bricks.

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Marmoran was used both externally for the façade finish and internally for feature walls in the ground floor lobby. Wood-look vinyl planks were used throughout the residential units, and together with the glossy white kitchen and bedroom joinery, it gives the units a rich, warm aesthetic. Uniquely branded lifts with glass doors, grey stucco paint techniques on communal passages, chevron mirrors in the ground floor and level 8 lobbies with feature LED lighting enhancing the feeling of luxury.

The landscape The landscape job, completed by Life Landscapes, was challenging for the team as the internal planters started on the 9th floor, going up to the 14th floor, which made moving material like soil difficult. The architects provided Life Landscapes with drawings indicating where the planting beds and planter boxes would be. Life Landscapes contracted the services of an experienced landscape architect in Bernadette Eksteen (from The Landscape Studio), who prepared the BOQ and proposed planting palette for the contractors.

HVAC is a 3-chiller system which supplies chilled water to the offices, residential and communal areas of the building. Hot water is supplied by heat pumps, and there is a backup water tank in the basement to supply the building with fresh water during temporary water cuts. Emergency lighting and lifts are backed up by a generator in the event of load shedding.

Ida-Marie Strydom (Life Landscapes director and horticulturist) met with the architects at Lifestyle Garden Centre to show them physical examples of the proposed plants, and after some changes by them, confirmed the final selection of plants for installation. The interior plants had to be changed out twice to find the right plants to handle the low light conditions.

Low energy LED lighting, heat pumps and HVAC systems are used throughout the building. Deep balconies and tinted glass assist in limiting solar heat gain, and all residential units are fitted with gas hobs to reduce electricity demand.

Illovo Central rightfully earns its spot in Pro Landscaper’s Commercial and Big Builds issue as it has reshaped the Illovo skyline, and has fast become an iconic building for the city of Johannesburg. The building fits effortlessly

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into its environment and alongside the neighbouring building with its bold architecture and exquisite façade, whilst adding valuable and luxurious convenience to both its commercial and residential users and the surrounding community who will make use of its facilities for many years to come. SUPPLIERS: Façade Façade Solutions – 011 614 3510 Lighting: Reo Group – 083 721 1301 Coatings: Marmoran – 011 887 0536 Pool clear acyrlic panels: Idol Marine – 082 904 3313 Pool: Pool Spa and Filtration – 011 793 138 Plants: Tshala Plant Brokers – 071 683 1177 Lawn: Evergreen Turf – 011 948 7913

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Ellipse Waterfall

W I N N E R O F T H E 2 0 2 1 I N T E R N AT I O N A L P R O P E R T Y AWA R D S I N T H E R E S I D E N T I A L H I G H R I S E D E V E LO P M E N T, S O U T H A F R I C A I N T H E A F R I C A A N D A R A B I A P R O P E R T Y AWA R D S .

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Completed: June 2021 Location: Waterfall City, Midrand Size: 45,000m²

he first phase of the high-rise luxury apartments development, Ellipse Waterfall, is now complete. Construction of the first two towers, 10-storey ‘Newton’ and 11-storey ‘Kepler’, began in November 2019 and was completed in June 2021. This moves the development onto the second phase in which the flagship 16-storey ‘Cassini’ tower including ‘The Luna Club’ will be built. The ‘Galileo’ tower will be built in the third and final phase. Once complete, the sizable 45,000m2 precinct will include 600 brand-new apartments and other amenities such as leisure and lap pools, verdant gardens, and ‘The Luna Club’. Designed by distinguished multidisciplinary design studio, dhk Architects, the elegant form of the Ellipse Waterfall towers developed by Attacq and Tricolt will deliver a highly recognisable landmark in the heart of Waterfall City. Ellipse is one of the largest luxury sectional-title development in South African History. The architecture is both bold and discreet, featuring a striking façade of glass and solid panels that allow the buildings to be presented as a singular, legible architectural form. The design moves away from simple all-glass towers and will be recognised as an enduring and site-responsive addition to Waterfall City. The carefully designed podium and ‘The Luna Club’ will engage residents and endorse the sense of community, providing further quality to this unique development. Waterfall City is a rapidly developing mixeduse suburb that encompasses a variety of lifestyle, residential and commercial functions. Prominent buildings within the district include the Mall of Africa, as well as several high-rise office blocks. The vision of Waterfall City is to establish a vibrant, modern destination that embraces urban living. Ellipse is built with high green design and sustainability standards, with the building predominantly framed in reinforced concrete. It has utilised reinforced steel with a recycled content of over 90% to reduce energy and resource depletion associated with the reduced use of new steel. Landscape architecture The brief was to create a podium landscape

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that provided amenities for the residents while retaining privacy, especially for units on the ground floor. There was also a desire for the building to connect to the urban context around it so that, experientially, it felt as though the public realm flowed through the development between the buildings. This was one of the more important factors as we wanted the scheme to feel like an extension of its urban context rather than another insulated and separated housing scheme. The approach was to fold a park-like landscape over the podium to unify the scheme and then connect the user to the (immediate and distant) context through a hierarchy of pathways cut into the landscape. These would serve the necessary activities (day-to-day movements). At the intersections of these pathways a number of resultant spaces emerged which were able to serve optional activities – things like reading a book, kicking a ball or grabbing a cup of coffee. Finally, populating the edges of these spaces with enough opportunity to sit, caters for the resultant activities - like the conversation that randomly takes place with a stranger on the bench next to you while watching your kids play on the lawn. These layers were informed by theory from Jan Gehl; while they may seem obvious, their sequence is important in ensuring that movement and placement of space is not

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arbitrary but informed by the real movements and uses of the place by the people who will use it on a daily basis. The planting design features a variety of grass and thicket plant mixes. The predominant grass plant mixes are influenced by the site-specific Egoli Granite Grassland vegetation type. Much of the landscape design sits on the podium structure of the development – providing common outdoor spaces with amazing views and a host of amenities for residents and visitors. MEET THE TEAM: Architects: dhk Architects Project managers: Tricolt Project Managers Quantity surveyor: Tricolt Quantity Surveyors Structural, civil and façade engineers: Arup Mechanical engineers: Spoormaker & Partners Wet services engineers: Sutherland Electrical engineers: Aftek Consulting Engineers Fire engineers: Sutherland Landscape architect: GREENinc Landscape contractors: Countryline Africa Sustainability consultant: Solid Green Interior designer: dhk Architects Urban designer: dhk Architects Lighting consultant: Pamboukian Lighting Design Photographer: Tristan McLaren

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Up on the Ridge

Rewardsco Offices

Completed: October 2020 Location: Umhlanga Ridge, KZN Size: 4,900m² Cost: R140 Million

he new Rewardsco building is a prestigious development situated in the heart of KZN’s Umhlanga. It comprises approximately 4900m² of lettable office area and occupies the central portion of the site interfacing with Umhlanga Rocks Drive in Umhlanga Ridge. The building will ultimately become the central building of three linked structures occupying the north-western boundary of the site. This project began onsite at the end of 2018 and practical completion was meant to have been achieved in March 2020. Due to the national lockdown and COVID-19, the practical completion date was shifted back to midSeptember 2020. The site was developed by Zenprop Property Holdings with architecture by Hilton Lawrence Architecture, landscape architecture by Ochre Office and installation by Countryline Horticulture. Ridgeside Umhlanga is a four-precinct development owned and managed by the Tongaat Hulett Property Group. This specific site was one of the first sites in the Umhlanga Ridge precinct to be developed and sits in the extreme northern corner of the precinct. Originally, this entire precinct was sugar cane fields and fell under the Tongaat Hulett group before being rezoned and developed into various commercial and residential zones. The site, owned by Zenprop Property Holdings, is situated on the corner of Umhlanga Rocks Drive and the M12 in the Umhlanga Ridge precinct. Positioned on the highest point of Umhlanga Ridge with extensive views over the Indian Ocean, the site is separated into six divisions with the three existing buildings occupying the sea facing sites of the property and Rewardsco’s existing facility situated on the northern corner of the site. The new and future facility will complete the development occupying the final two available sites on the central north-western site and the southwestern corner site of the property.

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Due to the extreme slope of the site, the podium level sits slightly lower than the adjacent Umhlanga Rocks Drive road level and sits atop three basement levels of parking serving the various developments occupying the site.

on the Ridge whilst complementing the existing architecture of their current offices. The second component was to create a facility and precinct layout where all three buildings could physically link to each other at various levels.

For this phase of the development, the basic earthworks had already been completed so it was a matter of further excavating the lowest P3 level of basement and then linking all of the new basement and podium levels back into the existing super structure.

Basement access and podium level access was assisted by a third level pedestrian bridge running between the existing corner block and this central structure. This link served to reduce the amount of vertical travel required to move between the buildings, reducing lift waiting times at peak periods. Ultimately, this bridge link would be mirrored to link into the future structure on the south-western corner of the site.

With Rewardsco already occupying and operating out of the existing corner building on the site, this new structure was envisaged as being the central facilities building to all three buildings along the Umhlanga Rocks Drive boundary. Once this facility and the future building on the south-western corner of the site was completed, this would effectively serve as a micro-precinct within the development. Hilton Lawrence Architecture was commissioned by both Zenprop Property Holdings and Rewardsco to create a new central facility building for Rewardsco’s operation. This facility would house Rewardsco’s upgraded canteen facilities as well as provide a new home for some of their expanding business divisions. The design brief There were two key components of the design brief. One was to create a new architectural aesthetic which would stand out as a landmark

Rewardsco also wanted to have their staff canteen facilities at ground floor/podium level with surrounding landscape areas, offering their employees the opportunity to spill out into the open space with seating and dining options designed into the greened surrounds. Parking areas were to be kept separate from these landscaped areas and ultimately the landscaped podium level was needed to be a key link between this facility and the future facility on the south-western corner of the site. The original H-shaped structure was lengthened and flattened along the Umhlanga Rocks Drive boundary to improve external views and also reduce the length of the bridges linking this facility to the adjacent buildings.

MEET THE TEAM: Client: Zenprop Property Holdings Rewardsco Architect: Hilton Lawrence Architecture cc Project managers: Capex Projects Quantity surveyors: MLC Civil and structural engineers: Zutari Mechanical engineers: VMG Mechanical Consulting Engineers Electrical engineers: RWP KZN Fire consultant: Lotter Consulting Green consultant: Solid Green Consulting Wet services consultants: Redline Consulting Engineers Lift consultant: S4E Interior / space planning: _novospace Landscape architect: Ochre Office Landscape contractors: Countryline Horticulture Main contractor: Trencon Electrical sub-contractor: BRC Electrical Photography: Karl Beath

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SUPPLIERS: Tiles: LimeGreen Sourcing Solutions – 031 303 1681 Interior paint – Plascon: Kansai – 031 451 3200 Exterior paint – Pro-Struct: Stoncor – 031 705 9386 Painting sub-contractor: Interspray – 031 465 4058 Shopfittings: Trust Shopfitters – 031 700 9095 Sanware: Duravit – 011 555 1220 Taps: Hansgrohe – 031 791 2277 Pluvia flush systems: Geberit – 031 579 3504 Façade system: Façade Solutions – 031 569 5024 Ceilings and partitions: Hampson Interiors – 031 569 5024 Balustrades: Steel Studio – 011 608 1963 Water features: Waterscapes Projects – 011 440 7943 Lighting: 4V Lighting Solutions – 031 569 1266 Product used: Radiant Lighting Waterproofing: Industrial Linings Natal – 031 579 1549 Bridge steel sub-contractor: Churchyard And Umpleby Construction – 031 705 1166 Ceiling strip lighting: Capco – 031 569 6090 Carpets: Belgotex – 031 350 4144 Carpet sub-contractor: Dereck Logan Flooring – 031 205 1337 Ironmongery: Dormakaba – 031 830 5253 Nursery: Shaka Nursery - 083 210 8474

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Multiple façade designs were then presented to the clients to see which solution best served to create a new unique aesthetic along Umhlanga Rocks Drive. The final solution offered a dark glazed façade offset with crisp white vertical shaped blades which were integrated into the unitized façade system. The final ‘swooping’ blade pattern created an outline which offered the public passing by a slightly different aesthetic depending on which angle they viewed the building from. The shapes created by the blades would ultimately be carried into the future phase to create one long architectural aesthetic running along Umhlanga Rocks Drive and back down into Ntusi Road on the south. The link bridge, being such a prominent structure, also had to compliment the architecture and the perforated side panels echoed the façade blade design. A white aesthetic was decided upon to keep the colour tones of the façades matching. Once the initial site layout concept was at a suitable level, HLA engaged with Karen Marais from The Ochre Office to run with the podium and embankment landscape designs and add her own unique touch to the basic podium design concept. Special attention was paid in creating new landscaped planters that would create both a visual and physical buffer from the existing parking areas and structures on the site. Larger more defined planters would then separate the Rewardsco parking areas from the landscaped gardens, pathways and seating areas which feed off the large staff canteen occupying the entire ground floor of the facility. On the southern side of the building, the canteen was pulled back from the edge of the building to create an undercover external seated area and also to provide some shelter from the weather which predominantly comes from the south in Durban.

Two water features were worked into the design, one at the building entrance and then a large centralised water feature was designed to work with the landscaped gardens and paths which will sit between the two new buildings. The Phase 1 completed landscaped areas only make up around 40% of the final envisaged green areas but they already provide staff a wonderful alternative to sitting indoors during lunch and tea breaks. The journey to and around the buildings was also seen as critical to the overall success of the development. Herringbone paved walkways provide safe demarcated pedestrian routes across the parking areas from the adjacent buildings. These walkways then move behind screened planters and ultimately lead you into the landscaped garden areas surrounding the canteen. Materials Final material choices and aesthetics where generally guided by the surrounding buildings on the site. The clients naturally wanted to keep a strong design theme visually linking all buildings on the site. There are also fairly strict Hulett Tongaat Architectural design guidelines which needed to be adhered to so the material pallet was carefully selected to make sure both the clients and the Design Review Committee where approving of the completed structure. The local environment also influenced several final product and coating choices. With high annual rainfall and driving winds the façade systems had to be able to remain watertight and easily cleanable and the ‘offshutter’ concrete look had to be achieved through the careful selection of the correct paint product and colour. Ultimately, a tried and tested coating product was chosen which had already been used on several structures along the coast

in this region and would ultimately offer the protection the coated faces required. Problems that needed to be overcome Trying to avoid building up all landscaped areas in raised RC planters the design team integrated design elements from previous developments which resulted in us dropping our RC slab podium level by 290mm thus creating additional depth for the landscaped areas adjacent to the paths and water features. This additional 290mm depth also catered for the no-fines drainage layer. The high levels of rainfall and the low-level gardens and walkways also posed a unique challenge, so the project needed to ensure that, during high rainfall periods, these circulation areas didn’t become flooded. A no-fines layer was added under the entire spill out seating area and landscaped areas to ensure that surface water could quickly and effectively drain away in this nofines layer and surface flooding was no going to be a problem.

ABOUT HILTON LAWRENCE ARCHITECTURE (HLA): HLA was established in 2008 and has grown to become one of the leading Commercial & Industrial Architectural Firms in Durban. With an experienced and motivated staff compliment we utilise some of the latest cutting-edge technology to ensure that HLA is providing its clients with a comprehensive and committed professional service and prides itself in creating unique architectural designs. Their team constantly strive to deliver buildings that are both sustainable and innovative and we treat each new project as a challenge to create something our clients can be proud of. With multiple successful projects both in Durban and around the country we will continue to strive to add value to the rich and diverse architectural landscape South Africa has to offer.

South East Elevation

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dormakaba Revit Plugin: 3D modelbased building information modeling

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Even though the 3D model based building information modelling (BIM) process is transforming design and construction worldwide, advance in technology means it can deliver even greater enhancements through addon tools. One such innovation is the freely available dormakaba BIM plugin for Autodesk Revit. For dormakaba, BIM means more than merely downloading 3D objects in different graphical formats. For us, BIM means in the first instance supporting our customers by providing up-to-date, reliable and precise product data for the planning, construction and management of buildings. In addition to objects representing all dormakaba products, we are also focusing on providing solutions and services encompassing the entire issue of integrated planning and construction. To find out more about the free dormakaba Revit plugin or to explore the exciting initiatives that we are driving in the world of BIM, Digital Modelling and Virtual Reality, please contact your dormakaba consultant.

Education,

University & Institutional

W I N N E R O F T H E S A P OA AWA R D F O R I N N OVAT I V E E XC E L L E N C E .

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Completed: April 2020 Location: Parklands, Cape Town Size: 4,010m²

arklands College’s new ‘Innovation Centre’ has embraced new modes of learning within a technology-based environment. It also has recently won the team at dhk Architects a SAPOA award for innovative excellence – earning its rightful spot in our annual Coffee Table Edition. Over the past several years, schools around the world – including South Africa, have begun to embrace new modes of learning. This shift has emerged as a result of technological advancements, new ways of accessing and disseminating information, as well as a pedagogical shift towards collaborative or blended learning. Parklands College, an Apple Distinguished School in Cape Town, is at the forefront of innovative education techniques in the country and uses these methods to develop global competencies and skills in its learners so they can build their own futures. In aid of this, the college recently expanded its campus to include a new ‘Innovation Centre’.

The Innovation Centre PA R K L A N D S C O L L E G E S E C O N DA RY S C H O O L

Parklands College, along with development partner Milnerton Estates, commissioned multidisciplinary design studio dhk Architects to tackle the project based on the firm’s sound track record and mutual interest in the future of forward-thinking education spaces. The brief was to create a substantial addition to its existing campus, dedicated entirely to spaces that facilitate these progressive teaching techniques and philosophies. Embracing a progressive approach to problem-solving spaces A key focus area involved creating spaces to facilitate group work and classes that combine subjects (such as science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and artbased subjects into creative problem-solving activities. Additionally, as a local leader in the emerging field of robotics, another focus area was on creating workshop-style learning spaces to facilitate soft entrepreneurial and vocationalbased skills training. Furthermore, themes of interconnectivity, transparency and movement were vital to the ethos of the centre. When considering what sort of ‘spatial instruments’ could facilitate such new modes of learning and how they might deviate from traditional environments, dhk conducted a

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SUPPLIERS: Lighting: Lights by Linea – 021 511 6116 Regent Lighting Solutions – 011 474 0171 Aluminium perforated screen: Etherington Aluminium – 021 981 9667 Sanware: Geberit – 021 555 0651 Brassware: Hansgrohe – 021 447 7144 Polished concrete floor: Hi-Tech flooring – 082 415 5199 HVAC: Airvent – 021 981 6299 Epoxy flooring: Epoxy Flooring Systems – 021 510 2564 Timber flooring and cladding: Woodlab – 071 301 9762 Stainless steel rails and balustrades: Sparcraft Stainless & Architectural – 021 703 5020 Tiling: Fine Tiling – 084 972 7336 Vinyl, carpet and tiled flooring: LimeGreen Sourcing Solutions – 021 447 2254

series of workshops with the college and professional team, testing a range of configurations which balanced the need for stimulating and physically connected spaces with the need for moments of quiet focus, or careful acoustic control; spaces that balance a sense of containment with a feeling of connectedness. The solution was ultimately found in clusters of interconnected spaces of varying sizes, often adjacent to or connected by circulation spaces, which have the opportunity to become recreational areas or extensions of the learning environment. Facilitating flow with a sympathetic extension Conceptually, the building was envisioned as two solid rectilinear wings separated by courtyards; the southern wing responding to the college quadrangle and the gently bending northern wing providing a distinctive, striking backdrop to

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the playing fields. The two wings are simultaneously split and bound together by a large steel-and-glass, double-volume recreational atrium aptly named ‘Grand Central’, which forms the nucleus of the building. Not only does the atrium serve as a central movement hub, but it is also used for activities such as informal gatherings, impromptu performances, self-study as well as immersive digital experiences.

predominantly a movement and recreational space, was made distinct by the use of steel and glass, shrouded by a bespoke aluminium sunscreen. The building also ‘breathes’ on its own; all the larger rooms are fitted with C0² sensors and automated window opening systems which measure the air quality and automatically open the windows incrementally to optimise it and eliminate the need for air-conditioning. Furthermore, acoustic performance was given significant priority and the specially designed system integrated with the lighting is vital to the success of the learning spaces.

Flexible spaces help to foster individual and group engagement Collectively, forming the southern and eastern wings of the building are three large collaboration rooms, each with a series of smaller breakaway pods clustered along their flanks. Adjustable and versatile, the rooms are designed to accommodate up to 150 learners but can also be adapted via sliding screens to become two to three smaller learning spaces for 30 to 40 learners. A series of several small breakaway pods feed off the larger collaboration rooms and allow learners to engage in smaller groups or quiet self-study. These back onto two inner courtyards which separate them from the northern wing; a string of non-specific classrooms intentionally designed square to ensure that there is no front or back. Two larger workshop-style learning spaces occupy the ground floor of the northern wing and are dubbed the ‘Robotics Lab’ and ‘Experium’ (Maker Space). The idea is for these spaces to provide learners with opportunities to prototype solutions to real-world problems using digital electronics, design, crafting and building. On the upper level, breakaway pods are expressed as suspended boxes that hover above the courtyards, clutched only by the top and bottom of the concrete walkway. Lastly, a continuous

The architectural design is contemporary and elegantly simple. It makes a distinct departure from the existing style of the campus buildings, yet remains sympathetic to the overall, orthogonal planning. The form of the building was strongly driven by optimising spatial relationships while adhering to the basic tenets of good environmental design – particularly internal environmental comfort. Building for wellbeing Research has shown that without natural daylight, fresh air, good acoustics, and good thermal comfort, the ability to engage meaningfully and the opportunity for deep learning are compromised – we consider connection to the outdoors to be equally vital. Therefore, the use of brick and concrete for the primary learning spaces which face north and south were driven predominantly by the need for thermal mass to stabilise temperature fluctuations. The north façade was given a playful, modular articulation by creating an irregular pattern using large windows, deep reveals and light shelves. The central atrium, being

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MEET THE TEAM: Developer: Parklands College & Milnerton Estates Limited Architects: dhk Architects Education consultants: Parklands College Structural engineers: Henry Fagan & Partners Mechanical and electrical Engineers: Sutherland Consulting Engineers Landscaping: dhk Architects Quantity surveyor: B&L Quantity Surveyors Main contractor: Stabilid Cape Construction Fire consultant: Sutherland Consulting Engineers Sustainability consultant: PJ Carew Consulting Land surveyor: bvi Engineering Interior designer: dhk thinkspace Lighting consultant: Lights by Linear Civil engineers: bvi Engineering Photographer: Dave Southwood

The architectural design is contemporary and elegantly simple. The building was designed to be deliberately different to the existing buildings".

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circulation route loops through the entire building in a three-dimensional figure '8' and is actively populated with a variety of incidental ‘hangout moments’. The circulation route was designed to ensure the free movement of large numbers of learners while simultaneously providing visual connections between the building's various spaces. Meaning and innovation within the design Throughout the building, there are several playful details. One is the distinctive, perforated aluminium screen which bathes the atrium in dappled light. The embedded pattern on the screen is a subtle reference to the concept of coding, where holes of different sizes create a sense of openness but also form vertical streams of light spots which reveal words reflecting the ethos of the building – ‘discover’ and ‘innovate’. Additionally, the DNA-inspired pendant lightfittings in the atrium remind learners of the human code within us.

Importantly, these big leaps in flexibility and multi-functionality are made possible not only by the architecture but also through innovative furniture and clever storage which play a significant support role in mode shifting. These include mobile furniture items that can be quickly arranged in various permutations, whether by virtue of lightness or manoeuvrability courtesy of wheels. This could be storage that doubles as seating or inviting nooks and perches to engage in a variety of different activities. Another example is colourful smart acoustic panels that house screens, Wi-Fi points and other technologies. Increasingly, the need to move, sit, stand, and even lie down and learn, is being facilitated via bar counters, poofs, ottomans, large staircases, and cave-like nooks. While the pandemic put a pause on the building’s opening year, the new centre was praised when learners did return to the campus.

The adaptable spaces allowed teachers to increase the floor area of their classrooms to ensure social distancing without needing two classrooms and two teachers for each lesson. Also, the digital connectivity including the green screen breakaway rooms allowed learners to connect easily and stay at a distance from teachers but also remain engaged in the content (and allowed teachers to pre-record lessons). Lastly, all teaching spaces and breakaway rooms have excellent acoustics, natural light and cross ventilation without glare, which made the spaces ideal for using of technology while remaining in collaboration. Parklands College’s ‘Innovation Centre’ is the 2021 winner of the prestigious SAPOA (South African Property Owner’s Association) Awards ‘Other Category’.

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AKANYANG

A Safe Space for Students

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Completed: June 2020 Location: University of Pretoria: Hatfield Campus, Gauteng Size: 835m² At its heart, Akanyang is a social learning environment where students can gather to learn in new and interactive ways. Being on the Hatfield Campus of the University of Pretoria, Akanyang provides a safe space for students. The building emphasises the University's contemporary approach to education. Akanyang solves the need of the university’s growing demand for socially interactive learning environments by providing both educational and leisure spaces for the students. The facility is a southern extension to the existing Huis & Haard building. Nestled in a pedestrian corridor on campus, the proposed design intervention pushed into the pedestrian corridor, forcing an interaction with passing students and guiding them into the space. The external façade is made up of three architectural components. The concrete box, the roof-scape and the light tower (lift shaft). The concrete structure that hangs into the pedestrian walkway, acts as a signage board for social comment, but also forms a seating bench. The light tower serves as an identifier for the entrance. The roof-scape pushes down the sides of the building to create intrigue to the innerworkings, with controlled glimpses of life within. The operators and end-users of the facility is NAS (The Faculty of Natural & Agricultural Sciences) along with CSA&G (Centre for Sexualities, AIDS & Gender) that have a vision to “understand power, explore diversity,

SUPPLIERS: Bricks and paving: Corobrik – 011 871 8600 Vinyl flooring: Polyflor – 011 609 3500 Joinery: Make Furniture – 011 614 9900 Lighting: Spazio – 011 555 5555 K-Light – 021 552 4370 Paint: Dulux – 0860 330 111

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examine difference and imagine inclusivity”. These values were critical in the design thinking that was applied at Akanyang. Focus was placed on the inclusivity of the facility, ensuring that everything from the public access through to the toilet facilities was all inclusive and gender neutral. The brief and eventual building programme required students to be able to gather in a comfortable social environment to learn, rest, meet, discuss, work and even sleep. As such, we wanted students to explore the diversity of spaces offered and to have the freedom to adapt these spaces to their needs. Everything from the furniture, like the StoolTool by Vitra, through to the spatial planning was done in a manner that allowed students to mould the space to their needs. The gallery seating could be more private for breakaway

groups, or function as a lecture venue. The movable wall panels allow students to create pin-up spaces, or small cubicles, that fold away to make a larger space for group activities. A central part of the CSA&G is student counselling; the programme needed to serve not only the public access to the social learning facility, but also ensure student privacy of students visiting the CSA&G. As such, placement of windows to the pedestrian corridor was reduced, resulting in the roof-scape pushing up against the existing building to allow northern sun-exposure through a series of skylights. Additional requirements for the project included the upgrade and refurbishment of the CSA&G offices, the addition of a pedestrian lift, the addition of a retail space that housed a grocery/ takeaway store and the upgrade of the existing restroom facilities to ensure they are all

MEET THE TEAM: Client: University of Pretoria Architects: Two Five Five Architects Principal contractor: Radon Projects Quantity surveyor: Peregrine QS Structural engineer: Struxit Projects Mechanical engineer: Dihlase Consulting Lift consultant: Equity Consulting Engineers Health and safety: NCC Environmental Services Images: Natasha Dawjee Laurent www.papercutphotography.com

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inclusive. A building designed with the intention to allow its occupants to learn, socialise and take ownership of the space, thus aptly named Akanyang – a Tswana name meaning ‘thinking’. We ask lead architect, Andre Krige, how has this space had to adapt to COVID-19 regulations? At present the students have not yet returned to campus, so it is only being used by minimal visitors. In the interim they have put a COVID-19 plan into place. The flexibility of the space has allowed easy accommodation for social distancing, e.g. the occupancy of the lecture rooms has been reduced and some of the seating at the social areas has been reduced to limit the occupancy.

"Akanyang solves the need of the university’s growing demand for socially interactive learning environments"

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A State of Play S A LVA Z I O N E S C H O O L

Completed: March 2020 Client: The Italtile and Ceramic Foundation Cost: +- R 3.8 million Location: Mayfair West, Johannesburg Size: 495m²

ounded in 1991, Salvazione is an outreach school in Mayfair West, Johannesburg, offering cost-effective, quality education to children from Slovo Park informal settlement and surrounding areas such as Brixton, Crosby, Langlaagte, Soweto and Roodepoort.

Early lessons took place in the Mayfair Baptist church hall until funds could be raised for a new building. Thanks to the generosity of corporate donors and many private individuals, a church building was bought in the latter part of 2008, and converted to house the school. The location of the building is ideal for the school as it is still within walking distance of the children’s homes in the Slovo Park Informal Settlement, and directly opposite a large municipal park with well-maintained facilities. Today, the school is a registered independent school that receives a small state subsidy, and school fees are collected from those families able to afford them. The learners pay R100 per month for school fees and learners who cannot afford the fees are able to apply for fee exemption. A very successful “Adopt A Learner” programme supports the large number of children who, through dire circumstances are not able to pay school fees.

MEET THE TEAM: Architects: Local Studio Structual Engineers: The Structural Workshop Civil engineers: The Earth Workshop Quantity Surveyor: Koor Dindar Mothei (KDM) General contractor: Zabicon Construction Photographers: Dave Southwood

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Architects, Local Studio, explain that the specific project was financed by the Italtile and Ceramic Foundation. The 4,800 sq ft structure houses four classrooms and is situated down the road from Salvazione's main school, which previously housed pre-kindergarten through to grade seven. The new development accommodates the younger grades, allowing more space for the upper grades, which remain in the original building. The two classrooms on the top floor benefit from the spaciousness provided by the arched ceiling, making the most out of the school’s small footprint. The facade — a lattice of clear, glazed, and insulated yellow panels that tempers transparency with privacy — and its doublevaulted rolled-zinc roof lend the building a welcoming appearance. An exterior screen of wax-impregnated pine also functions as a subtle security barrier that allows ample natural light to enter the classrooms, all of which face the street. Behind the building is a slide leading from the second level to the playground, where children can ascend the facade via a narrow climbing wall. We caught up with Local Studio’s Thomas Chapman to find out more:

What was the brief given to Local Studio by the school? The brief was fairly open-ended: we had the practical requirement of four classrooms and the need for a playground area – as large as possible – on the small 495m2 site. We responded by placing the building as far towards the street as possible, and this constraint produced the façade treatment which is a sun-shading, privacy screen and security barrier in one. What were some tricky problems to overcome during the process? Despite our client providing an essential educational service to a very needy sector of the population of the area, we found a number of the surrounding neighbours unreceptive to the project initially. There were many objections to the rezoning of the site which presented a major obstacle. We also had budget constraints, although compared to other similar projects, this was fairly well-funded. What lead you to specific material, colour and design choices? The students that attend the Salvazione school are all from the nearby Slovo Park informal settlement, and live in shacks or similar, with very little service delivery. We wanted to provide the most hopeful and inspiring space

possible for these children who range from five to nine years old. This age group is at a critical juncture in the early childhood development period, and play and creativity are essential factors. The roof is both an important element which creates a friendly landmark visible from far away, as well as internally in the womb-like space. The patterns on the glass façade are generated mainly from a need for solar control. Interesting to note: A photovoltaic system will be put in place where solar panels will be installed by Solar 4 Life, sponsored by Waterbility. Another unique product that contributes to sustainability onsite is a large central gutter that fills three water tanks on the site. Additional building components or special equipment that made a significant contribution to this project were a four-metre-high slide by Simplet Fiber Glass and a unique climbing wall with routes set by Nicholas Botha and Stephen Hoffe. SUPPLIERS: Exterior metal/glass curtain wall: Amlin Aluminium – 066 291 7257 Wood: Rhino Wood – 084 580 6406 Cabinetwork, seating and custom woodwork: AE Joinery – 072 048 0674 Floor and wall tile: Italtile – 010 271 2272 Lighting: PPA Lightco – 011 447 0390 Plumbing: All sanitaryware donated by The Italtile and Ceramic Foundation Slide: Simplet Fibreglass – 011 395 3068 Solar Panels: Solar4Life – 072 149 9225

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THE GREEN SCHOOL SOUTH AFRICA

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Completed: February 2021 Location: Paarl, Western Cape Size: 4,340m² The first Green School (based in Bali), is one of the most unique international schools on the planet and has garnered attention and acclaim from all over the world for its pioneering efforts to interweave academic learning with environmentally sustainable practices. It offers a curriculum designed to cultivate and challenge all aspects of a child’s human capacities. It includes all the traditional subjects, but academic education at Green School comes wrapped in rich layers of experiential, environmental, and entrepreneurial learning plus the creative arts. As much as possible, lessons at Green School are taken out of the classroom and applied in hands-on ways that have a connection to the natural world. The school’s goals are simple but ambitious: to provide its students with the skills and confidence to be effective and successful competitors in an ever-shrinking world while, at the same time expanding their sense of being environmentally responsible citizens, with a different outlook on how we can continue to develop as a fragile planet. Green School focuses on natural, holistic, student-centred learning, with a focus on the four intelligences – the physical, emotional, intellectual and expressive development of the child. GASS Architecture Studios and DDS Projects were tasked with the implementation of the first Green School in South Africa. The site for the project is located in Simondium, a low-lying valley that is surrounded by the Paarl Berg to the north, the Drakenstein Mountains to the east and the Simonsberg belt towards the south-west. The building's architecture is defined by organic tectonic shapes, inspired by the mountains of the valley and the nearby Paarlberg Nature Reserve boulders. These solid shapes are arranged to accommodate the programmatic need of each of the individual buildings. A series of organic shaped ‘werf’ walls weave the individual clusters of buildings into a coherent whole. Positions of the different zones and buildings have been carefully considered, taking into account passive design principals, feng shui and the various petals provided by the Living Building Challenge. The result being harmonious spaces where humankind and nature can reconnect. Upon arriving at the school, a landscaped gabion werf wall frames the entrance to the school

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with the Admin Building to the right hand-side. The Admin Building contains meeting rooms, reception and lobby, a board room, teachers' lounge, and a sick bay. The entrance is also framed with a tree-like column anchoring the Admin Building and creating a porte cochère, all to contribute to the arrival experience at the Green School. The area named the Heart of the School consists of three boulder-like shapes and sits on the main axial spine leading from the Sangkep down. The Heart of the School contains a dining hall, kitchen, life lab, music and art studio, library and ablutions, with a central courtyard space. This part of the building is permeable and connected visually, linking the kitchen and dining areas to the vegetable gardens. The solid walls are constructed from clay bricks, which have a very high thermal mass to reduce temperature fluctuations and store heat energy. The previously mentioned werf wall elements contain the school buildings. These werf walls define the kindergarten, middle and high school zones. Organic shaped building clusters are grouped together with big oversailing roofs, providing a roofed walkway in front of the classrooms. The building walls are kept to a minimum to allow for big openings ensuring MEET THE TEAM: Architects: GASS Architecture Studios Landscape architects: DDS Projects Interior design: D12 Interiors Environmental consultant: Terramanzi Quantity surveyor: AECOM Contractor: Energy Master Builders Land surveyor: Bruwer Surveyors Images: Wieland Gleich – ARCHIGRAPHY.com

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visual connection to the landscape and nature. The roof is lifted above the walls creating a clerestory window. Classrooms are openable and spill out into their own outside space, allowing for outdoor teaching. The modular sandwich roof structure panels consist of structural pine members, AcoustiSorb and dekriet ceilings. The individual buildings all have their own identity that speaks to their function, accommodation, climatic performance as well as their order in the landscape. The parts conform to an overarching architectural language that emerges out of the place and defines their form, materials and articulation, bringing all the elements together as a legible whole. Design philosophy The design philosophy of the campus subscribes to the Living Building Challenge (LBC). This is a green building certification programme and sustainable design framework that visualises the ideal for the built environment. The LBC is different from other green building programmes as this aims to develop buildings that have a positive impact on the environment rather than reducing negative impacts. The LBC programme is designed to create living buildings that are regenerative spaces that connect occupants to light, air, food, nature and community.

Self-sufficient and remain within the resource limits of their site. Living buildings produce more energy than they use and collect and treat all water on site. There are very few buildings across the world who subscribe to the LBC programme and the Green School SA is the first of its kind in Africa. To comply with the LBC design principles they have to follow the below principles: •

Ensure 90% of the projects materials and constructions comes from within 500km of the site.

•

The campus will contain zero or extremely limited amounts of cement and concrete.

•

Red listed materials and solvents will not be used.

•

Where possible, material must be sourced on site.

The campus The campus buildings were designed to accommodate the different learning stages and create a spaces where parents and visitors are welcome. The admin building serves as the welcoming building and automatic stop for the first time visitors from the parking area.

The Heart of the School, is the prominent versatile central building used by both teachers and students. Both the Kindergarden and Primary School clusters branch off from the Heart of the School, creating protected internal courtyards, where children can learn and play. Materials The intention was to use as much of the available site materials as possible. There was a lot of clay on site and it was used for lime plaster floors, rammed earth wall construction and lime plaster finish on the clay brick walls. Green School’s landscape narrative with DDS Projects The land on which Green School’s SA has been built was previously used for agricultural, and more specifically, for the use of grazing for horses. The land was largely overgrazed, which resulted in associated degradation such as erosion and the colonisation of invasive plant species (especially Kikuyu grass and Paterson’s curse). The site was also framed by a beefwood windbreak to the east and west. There was no presence of any indigenous plant species except for local pioneer grass Cynodon dactylon.

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The strategies implemented The new landscape for Green School SA was guided by the idea of promoting biodiversity through habitat creation and the reintroduction of endemic renosterveld which would have historically been the dominant veld type of this area. Renosterveld, part of the fynbos biome and Cape Floristic Region, is usually found in low lying areas with clay-rich and relatively fertile soil mostly derived from shales but often with poor drainage. Renosterveld is made up of a larger percentage of grasses and bulbs than fynbos and historically one of the richest ecosystems in the world. Planting The plant list was created in collaboration with local nurseries. Seeds and cuttings were collected in areas within a 20km radius of the site to ensure that genetically appropriate plant material was sourced. These plants were then propagated and planted on site. Temporary irrigation was installed to help successfully establish planting during the first summer season. To further promote biodiversity, seeds were sown directly, and bulbs were interplanted. A large indigenous forest was created to function in part as a windbreak to assist in creating a microclimate and to act as a much needed habitat for birds. Soil shaping and irrigation The soil was shaped to create natural swales to slow down water run-off and this helps with the natural penetration of water. The on-site surface drainage system is designed to create a habitat for birds and amphibians and allow excess stormwater to slowly trickle back to the Berg River via open planted channels. Temporary irrigation to establish the indigenous plant colonies will use water from the Berg River for the first two summers and then, once the plants are established, will no longer be needed anymore. Hard landscaping Care was taken to keep hard landscaping to a minimum and, wherever needed, the focus was on using materials locally available and environmentally friendly. The wooden stepping rounds, wooden chip pathways, pergolas, fences, obelisks for growing of vegetables, and other garden structures were all made from local invasive trees species like wattle, blue gum and pine. These structures were all built on site.

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Food growing A very large portion of the grounds at Green School SA is dedicated to the growing of food and agriculture. This includes large areas for vegetable farming using permaculture techniques as well as large areas sown with cover crops to improve soil and for the raising of free-range chickens. It also included a food forest with a variety of fruit trees, a medicinal garden, a large indigenous forest area for foraging and agricultural education, and lastly an area dedicated for the production of honey with flowering indigenous plants. Agricultural narrative: urban agriculture A combination of permaculture, agroforestry and aquaculture was implemented in this project, as well as areas for livestock and keeping of bees to gain a broad and resilient base for food production to form a large portion of the food consumed by Green School SA. A mix of no-till permaculture with intensive soil preparation and companion planting was implemented for the vegetable gardens and fruit orchards around the Heart of the School to encourage daily interaction between the children and food gardens. These form the backbone of the food production at Green School SA. Some of the areas further from the central school area were sown with a mix of crop covers for the aforementioned raising of free-range chickens and to enrich the soil for planting of additional agricultural crops as the school enrolment increases and a bigger supply of food is potentially required. The area between the road and the berm towards the

school is dedicated for the keeping of bees and production of honey as this area is more secluded from daily school activities. In addition to the more traditional food production areas, there is also a medicinal garden, pergolas with indigenous edible climbers, and the ‘forage’ forest with mixed indigenous trees as pioneer species, to be underplanted with edible shrubs, bulbs and suitably inoculated materials for mushroom production. The mix of ‘traditional’ food crops and indigenous edible plants was designed to not only create a sustainable food source, but also to help create a habitat for endemic birds and insects. Renosterveld gardens The gardens surrounding the school buildings and its vegetable gardens are reintroducing endemic renosterveld species from the local areas. By reintroducing the various species, DDS Projects hopes that the plants eventually naturalise and become a refuge for various fauna and flora within an intensely cultivated farming area. In little over four months from the initial planting the landscape has already filled out dramatically and already requires minimal supplementary irrigation. Many species endemic to the renosterveld biome are considered medicinal and have been purposefully included into the general garden as well as the dedicated medicinal garden where key species, as well as a number of other indigenous South African plants, have been grouped.

SUPPLIERS AND SUB-CONTRACTORS: Classroom roof construction: RoofTek – 021 845 5551 Roof sheeting: Cape Roof – 021 975 8899 Earth lime plaster: DKR Builders – 084 611 4052 Salvaged timber doors: Tique – 082 896 2664 Stretched canvas canopies: In Demand Trading – 011 791 1888 Joinery: MALCO – 021 981 5290 Extraction systems: CFS Canopy Filtration Systems – 021 555 2451 Deli and coworking pods: Ecomo Home – 072 445 9373 Reed ceilings: African Reed – 083 732 4963 Plumber: The Plumbery – 021 976 2058 Rammed earth walls: Rammed Earth SA Steel structures: Triomf Staalwerke – 021 862 1630 Gabion walls, stone walls and stone basins: Stone Age Construction – 021 875 5604 Security & fencing: FANG – 021 905 1204 Aluminium windows & doors: Sage Aluminium – 021 692 2604 Electrical: Cumpsty Electrical – 021 872 7404 TABS contractor: Ceriso Kitchen specialists: Catermarket – 021 949 7325 Flooring: LimeGreen Sourcing Solutions – 021 447 2254

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DECORATIVE RESIN BOUND POROUS SURFACING The Addagrip Resin Bound Surfacing System provides a smooth, hard wearing and low maintenance porous/semi porous surface using a range of natural and recycled aggregates. Addagrip is BBA approved. The finished surface is a seamless bound paving system which is flexible and resistant to cracking and can be applied onto asphalt and concrete or other stable substrates. SUDS Addagrip is porous, allowing water to permeate/ percolate through the surface and beyond when a suitable base build-up configured for SUDS has been installed.

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Completed: April 2021 Location: Braamfontein, Johannesburg Size: 32,000m² 56 Jorissen is a state-of-the-art apartment complex for students who insist on the best. Designed to meet modern-day needs, 56 Jorissen’s stylishly furnished rooms, social and study facilities, and rooftop terrace with incredible views across the city, make it the most desirable student residence in Johannesburg. This exciting build was designed by LYT Architecture with landscape implementation by Life Green Group. The new 18-storey student residence, 56 Jorissen, is situated in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, directly opposite WITS University. This is the ideal locale for student accommodation. The building comprises of one basement, ground floor retail, 15 floors of student accommodation and a roof terrace with views across Johannesburg. 56 Jorissen is South Point Management Services’ first-greenfield development in Braamfontein and the first new build in Braamfontein in the last 30 years. Site context Four erven were consolidated and the site cleared. The corner erf held a three-storey building and the neighbouring erf a two-storey building, neither of which were of historical significance. The remaining erven were empty and used for parking. The new building fully occupies the consolidated site. The brief The brief to LYT Architecture was two-fold: to design a building that was efficient, low maintenance and hard-wearing, and to focus the design on optimising student living, placing emphasis on inspirational and safe spaces for live, work and play. 56 Jorissen houses 1195 students in a range of unit types that include single and double rooms in cluster-style units, single studios, double studios, one-bedroom units and onebedroom penthouses. Focus was placed on the design of the public spaces, such as the studies, entertainment areas, cluster unit kitchens and the 16th floor terrace. The intention here was to balance spaces for collaboration and socialising with those for privacy and studying. The shared kitchens in the clusters are generous, with a large central island that doubles up as a workstation, facilitating the

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MEET THE TEAM: Client: South Point Management Services Main contractor: WBHO Construction Architects: LYT Architecture (Pty) Ltd Interiors: LYT Architecture (Pty) Ltd and HK Studio Quantity surveyor: EthiQS Quantity Surveyors Structural and civil engineers: ADA Consulting Engineers Electrical engineer: Quad Africa Consulting Mechanical engineer: Graeme Page Consulting Engineers Wet services consultant: Hidrocon Plumbing Consultants Fire engineer: Chimera Fire Protection Consultants Landscape contractor: Life Landscapes

diverse needs of students wherever possible and maximising the use of space. Street edge Braamfontein streets buzz with students. The ground floor facade is set back from the building line on all edges to widen the pavement and extend the public realm. A canopy protrudes over the pavement to further define the street edge and create a sheltered space for pedestrians and street life. The building edge is activated by retail spaces and the entrance to the student residence. Façades The building is essentially a large rectangular box. The design challenge lay in articulating the faces of ‘box’. The façade is divided into a series of 6x6m squares defined by movement joints every two floors horizontally and on every column grid vertically. The square module is then assigned a face brick bond to create a composition which works across the scale of the entire building. Three face brick bonds were selected, and each bond was assigned a wall thickness, window treatment and mortar joint detail. The

subtle changes in façade depth and window articulation are revealed alternately throughout the day as the shadows cast against the building shift. The placement of the studies, one-bedroom, single studio and double studio unit types were determined by the façade composition. The depth of these unit types is less than the typical cluster units, which allowed for the façade to be pulled back, creating punctures in the façade. In contrast to the solid facebrick mass, the articulation of the punctures is light. This was achieved through the use of glass shopfronts and steel balconies. Low maintenance and robust finishes were used throughout the building interior and exterior. The focus was on longevity rather than short term cost saving. Light wells Two internal light wells on either side of the circulation core span the height of the building, puncturing the mass internally and allowing for a feeling of openness in the passages. The building’s height is dramatically felt when looking up or down the light wells.

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16th floor terrace The site and height of the building make for an exceptional roof space. The 16th floor includes four penthouse units, entertainment areas, communal kitchens and a large outdoor terrace with a covered braai area. Two large planters, Bosun pavers and a timber slatted ceiling enhance the outdoor feeling. The terrace is generously furnished with tables and benches and becomes the lung of the building. The landscaping Life Green Group explains that the firm was approached by LYT Architects for two concrete planters to be built on the 16th floor of this student accommodation build. The landscaping for the residence was to be limited, including the planting of two planters and automatic irrigation. Before submitting their proposal, Life Green Group asked to view the site while still under construction and had to walk up 16 flights of scaffolding stairs to gain access and view these planters. They then made recommendations based on what they saw and suggested the following planting: • • • • • • •

Aloes Bulbine Crassula 'Campfire' Chlorophytum Crassula ovata Portulacaria (spekboom) Rock roses

The planting, mulch and drip irrigation recommended was due to the specific microclimate at that height, also considering the south and east side of the building where the planters are situated. The east side of the building would experience very cold weather and high winds, and in the summer, the climate would warm up, however, the reflected heat radiating from the hard surfaces would also have an impact on the planting. This meant that the planting would have to be hardy in order to withstand these intense climate changes, hence the choice of this specific planting palette. Life Green Group also used the BERA universal drainage and Green flocks, for soil retention and drainage onsite. This type of product is a must have for developers and clients wanting low weight, environmentally savvy spaces. The wooden planters for the light wells were chosen so that the slats or the parts could be brought in and then assembled once inside the area, as the doors and gates were too small to get the planters through. These wooden

planters were also created around the coffers that the trees grew in. The team were later asked to quote for additional planting after completing the 16th floor element of the project. This included: •

•

Combretum trees (they wanted the same trees that were on the opposite side of the road) for the pavement alongside Jorissen street only, along with succulent planting. Indoor trees and pot plants for the two atriums: The ground floor reception and elevator lobby as well as the 1st floor. Indoor Trichilia trees for the atrium were chosen as they grow well in lower light. Troughs and pots for 5th floor and 8th floor balconies that lead out from the student’s study rooms. Pots and more “coffin” planters for the 16th floor were also specified, as the 16th floor is the student level featuring study rooms, entertainment areas and the penthouse apartments, so more attention was given to this area.

The team chose charcoal grey pots and coffin planters to match the look and feel of the building.

SUPPLIERS: Pavers: Bosun – 010 001 8398 SmartStone - 010 442 0377 Aveng Infraset - 011 876 5100 Bricks: Corobrik - 011 871 8600 Concrete copings: Modcon Precast - 011 786 2476 Steel work: A&D General Services - 011 402 7580 Urbanscape and green flocks: BERA – 083 449 3954 Terrazzo pots: Notation Design – 079 772 9340 Wooden planter sealant: Rubio Monocoat – 011 466 0273 Nurseries: Tshala Plant Brokers – 071 683 1177 Plants and pots: Lifestyle Home Garden – 011 792 5616 Automatic drip irrigation product: Rain Bird Mulch: Culterra – 0861 285 837

Plants such as spekboom were planted, for their hardy and amazing benefits, as was Robellini, which does well in tropical climates and high strong winds. The Bougainvillea added colour and Xanadu added a different textured leaf – but all good hardy plants for the microclimate. While most trees and plants were sourced from Tshala plant brokers, the indoor trees were sourced from Life Green Groups own farm in Malelane.

In conversation with Life Landscapes we asked... Q: How considerate does one have to be when creating a space for students? The planting had to be hardy, as the plants could take a beating from young students having parties. People tend to throw their cigarette butts and drinks into pot plants. Q: Did any problems arise onsite? •

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those four months, due to various issues with drainage and the incomplete water proofing, it was taken out and the planters were reinstalled three separate times.

•

The client was also not satisfied with the sparse planting, so we provided them with two Aloe trees and a Nuxia floribunda tree to elevate the height of the planter.

•

There were issues with being able to provide a bespoke glazed pot from Lifestyle Home Garden, as the container that was to be delivered to them had been delayed due to COVID-19 restrictions. We then had to propose different pots and they eventually chose these, for the 5th and 8th floor balconies.

•

We also worked with HK Studio Interior Designers for the Terrazzo pots near the penthouse apartments on the 16th floor, and these pots had delays due to the rains and the pots not being dry enough to be transported. Upon arrival, three pots were unfortunately broken.

This is, however, all in a day’s work, and the project overall has been a major sucess adding value to Braamfontein, the university and most importantly the students who are utilising the space exactly as intended.

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"Low maintenance and robust finishes were used throughout the building interior and exterior. The focus was on longevity rather than short term cost saving."

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THE BEGINNING OF UNIVERSITY SQUARE

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Completed: March 2021 (Phase 1 of 4) Location: Pretoria, Gauteng Size: 7,000m²

rooklyn House raises the bar for student living, conveniently located 350m away from the gates of the University of Pretoria. This new development offers stateof-the-art living while bringing in the comforts of home. The six-storey Brooklyn House project forms the first of four phases for a larger residential precinct, called University Square, spanning a full residential block opposite the University of Pretoria. University Square’s prime target market will be students, but will also offer the space to lecturers and young professionals. University Square’s precinct will cover the block from Lynwood road, on the northern edge to Brook Street on the southern side. Besides its prime location, the precinct boasts a variety of offerings, which include: convenience retail and restaurants, a campus medical facility, gymnasiums, pools, a roof running track, roof cinemas and a world class study centre, all serving both the public and private sectors of the development. The urban design concept aims at creating various courtyards between the phases with each having its own themed identity. Brooklyn House forms the first phase of this development and creates offerings for 199 individuals. The original plan was for only 110 beds, but this was revised due to changes in the floor plate. This complex includes the Greek House restaurant, a convenience store, laundry facilities and a spectacular rooftop with various public amenities. The building's tenancies span from one-bedroom apartments to four-bedroom clusters where students can live in commune type environments, sharing kitchens and communal lounges. Every single room is en-suite and every student has their own fridge, ensuring a certain level of ownership over communal areas. Parking is above-ground and access into both the parking lot and individual rooms is only allowed via the use of biometric fingerprint scanners and facial recognition. The architectural language Brooklyn House steps away from the usual bright and colourful builds catering for students. The architectural language is derived from a

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juxtaposition of both classical and contemporary timeless building elements, which is combined to form its own unique language and topology. The client placed big emphasis on classical international educational institutions like Harvard, which formed a starting precedent for architectural exploration. Architectural features like arches and a monotone colour palette – black face brick, crisp white plaster and paint facades with deep window reveals, which complements this timeless aesthetic. The façades of detailed brickwork refer to this classical past, yet are also combined with clean, modular, geometric blocks that offset the reference to the past with the future promise. This project features both Corobrik’s Titanium Satin and Black Brick Satin face bricks. It’s all in the details This classical detailing has been combined with a modernist-inspired clean look. The team hoped this would correspond with the modernist architectural landmarks on the UP campus. Its international look for this build was a hope to create continuity between past, present and future, while creating a timeless build that reflects education itself. The use of an art-deco sign to name the building reiterates the classic character of the building.

MEET THE TEAM: Developer: Mile Investments Architects: Boogertman + Partners Landscape architects: Boogertman + Partners Interiors: Boogertman + Partners Structural & Civil Engineering: KLS Consulting Mechanical Engineering: Plantech Electrical Engineering: KLS Consulting Wet Services: CKR Quantity Surveyor: DelQS Fire Consultants: TDW International

Individual rooms have been positioned to maximise the views of the Pretoria skyline, while the wide corridors have been positioned to ensure lots of natural light and views. The rooftop courtyard allows for an open-air shared communal space for all to use. A large public staircase further connects the podium public level with Lynnwood Road, further fostering the building as a continuation of the urban landscape. This animates the façade and displays the life and activity of the building. The arches alongside the staircase are purely articulations of brickwork that mimic the building's architecture above. Pedestrian bridge A new pedestrian bridge link is also conceptualised as a future phase for the building, which ultimately connects the public podium level with TUKS directly. This will ensure students safety is looked after over the busy Lynnwood road and further the unique offering of Brooklyn House. Through the use of a bridge, the restaurant and retail stores, the architect's have created a space catering for shared communal spaces, similar to that of campus life.

SUPPLIERS: Interior flooring: TIER by Eva-Last- 010 271 1632 Pavers: Bosun – 010 001 8398 Façade: Corobrik – 011 871 8600 Pool: Bespoke Hydro Solutions Artificial turf: Belgotex – 033 897 7500 Outdoor gym equipment: Ignatius – 083 653 1701 Rooftop decking: Eva-Last – 010 271 1632 Signage: Sebenza Signs – 083 626 9019 Lighting design: Dual Lighting – 013 244 1538 Brands used: K.Light – 011 312 1247 PioLED – 010 020 5426 Spazio – 011 555 5555

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SHAPA SOWETO: HOME OF NIKE

Just Do It

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Completed in 2010, the award-winning and state-of-the-art Nike Football Training Centre in Soweto soon grew to be the most utilised training ground of its kind. Location: Soweto, Johannesburg Re-opening in 2021, C76 Architects, collaborating alongside Nike SA and JHB based Futura Design Agency, revealed many exciting additions and extensive developments to the revamped centre now called “SHAPA SOWETO,” continuing to ignite the national soccer scene and evolving into an innovative multi-sport facility and vibrant community hub. The redevelopment forms part of Nike's ongoing social investment and commitment to the community of Soweto. The centre aims to be self-sustainable and robust, built with maintainable materials selected purposefully for the project's longevity and overall future lifespan. Following comprehensive community research, the renovated design attracts engagement beyond sports and is envisioned to be a safe and freely accessible asset, which is not currently found in the area. In approaching the redesign, C76 sought ‘not to ape an African idiom,’ but to form an authentic identity – ideas incorporating local materiality and textures of concrete, rammed earth, stone and glass that reflect and blend into the contexts of place and culture. The reintervention has been designed with, and for Soweto, expressing a 'rough diamond' sense of untapped potential – encouraging engagement with, and ownership of the space. The renovation includes a new 'social yard,' a professionally designed skate park, basketball courts, five-a-side soccer fields, athletics oval and a cross country running track surrounding the centre. To better integrate visibly and allow open access to the courtyard, the main entrance has moved to the south elevation – connecting directly to Chris Hani Road. With thoughtfully placed entries and exits, traditional ideas of enclosure, safety and the standard South African typology of high boundary walls with separation and disconnection has been rejected and the status quo was reassessed. Now having attractive, open thresholds, the centre connects with, and reaches into the community both visibly and physically. The wheelchair-friendly and secure multi-sport yard welcomes social activation, encouraging economic and entrepreneurial participation

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through food kiosks selling healthy produce grown in the facility’s gardens. Socially-driven programming and landscaping transform the dusty external built environment into a green escape. An expansive shade cover and several newly planted trees will grow to organically soften the multi-sport courtyard and seating into an urban park – dappling the harsh African sunlight akin to being under a leafy communal canopy. The carefully designed shading structure layers 4m tiles of structural steel rebar – a building material usually hidden below ground – in three dimensions, parametrically following the path of the sun, filtered through triangular patterns and angled to Nike's iconic 'swoosh' logo. The cast shadows add a new dimensionality to the concrete below, echoing the humble materiality and geometries of African weaving and latticework tradition.

MEET THE TEAM: Client: Nike Architects: C76 Architects Main contractor: Billet Construction Structural engineers: Aspire Engineering Quantity surveyor: QS3 Group Mechanical engineers: Polygon Project Engineers Electrical engineers: 1 World Consultants Skatepark consultant: Clint van der Schyf Skatepark contractor: Dallas Oberholzer Landscaping: A Forgotten Garden Images: Dave Southwood

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C76's passion for considered design and craft is showcased in this ingenious and unusual use of materials. A cost-effective solution expressing a unique and contemporary architectural expression turning the underrated symbolically into a starring design feature. Connecting through thresholds such as skylights and stairs; these patterns, angles and materials continue into the building itself, and the vernacular palette of regional textures, colours and tone shapes the architectural tectonics, space, and light. The visual language and architectural graphics flow into the building, and modular facilities have been added throughout. The groundfloor adds flexible, multivalent recreational and event spaces, energised, and flanked by new and unique artworks and inspirational photos of local sport stars. Public leisure and workspaces are joined with classrooms, a new maker's space and a studio fitted with the latest technology to encourage creativity and foster exploration. Upstairs, adaptable dance and boxing studios join the administration and office level. We asked Carl Jacobsz, lead architect at C76, a few more questions about this iconic build. What was the design brief? The facility that was built in 2010 was mainly a soccer facility; Nike wanted to have a facility

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that had a bigger variety of sports for more people to enjoy. There was a big focus to create a facility that also attracts more female athletes, and before construction there was extensive research done into the needs of young female athletes and what the facility must focus on in order to make it a place that would be fun and safe for female athletes to express themselves. As the fitness centre is just over 10 years old – first designed by 2019 SAIA president, Luyanda Mpahlwa – what was the need to renovate it? How was its state before the renovation? There were some maintenance issues that needed to be addressed in the existing building, but the need for the renovation was to create a centre for the people of Soweto, rather than only catering towards a centre for soccer. The need to have a more diverse centre was the main drive behind the renovation. What part of the projects are new and who do they cater for? The main addition to the centre is the social yard which is on southern side of the existing building. We felt that the building previously had its back to the community because the main elevation of the existing building was only visible from the soccer fields, and you could not appreciate the facility when driving past it on Chris Hani Road. We wanted to change this and moved the main entrance onto Chris Hani

Road so that the facility is more connected to its community. The social yard is now the heart of the facility and caters for everybody, with a multi-purpose sports court in the centre, with new kiosks on the sides of the court, all below a big shading structure. The social yard is also connected to the old five-a-side soccer fields, new skate park and new cross country running track that runs on the border of the facility. The social yard is designed to have more of a park-like feel – with trees growing through the shaded structure, grass embankments for people to socialise on, and planter boxes with indigenous plants in them. There was a real push to plant as many trees and plants as possible to create a safe sports park for all to enjoy, even if you don’t participate in sports. Furthermore, there is a new veggie garden, a 300m oval running track surrounded by grass embankments, trees, and numerous new seating areas around the facility. In the building itself, we created two new studios for dance and gym activities, a new makers studio for creative activities and new changing rooms on the lower ground floor for both males and females, plus a new public ablution facility. All areas in the facility cater for people with disabilities. Why did you make use of rammed earth for some of the structures? As a practice, we like to work with as many natural materials as possible.

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Unfortunately, a lot of concrete was used in this project. We did research into making the skate park entirely out of rammed earth, but because of practical issues and the amount of cement we had to add to the mixture, we decided just to stick with concrete. The other massive plus about working with rammed earth was that the rammed earth contractor, Rammteck, used people from the community to help and build the wall which aided with local skills and economic development. Obviously, we had a lot of soil from the site to use it in the wall – it made sense to use the rammed earth technique as much as we could afford to. How do you hope the community engages with the sports facility? I hope the community feels a sense of ownership towards the facility and that they

look after the facility. At the end of the day, Nike did this for the community of Soweto, and they invest into Soweto to try and develop from the grassroots the next sports superstars.

design, C76 in-conjunction with Nike SA and Futura design agency celebrates the proud energies of Soweto and its people through the centre.

C76 Architects and its collaborators have reignited the facility – updating the lower ground floor with public facilities, custom designed locker and team strategy rooms, male and female shower facilities, and the all-important tunnel for the fired-up contenders to run out to field. Fuelling the field spectacle, added coach and team canopies have been installed on field, with raised earth spectator stands surrounding, and updated public ablutions and social areas.

This is a home not only for aspiring sport stars, but also a social haven that is accessible to all – inviting local social, educational and creative contexts and opportunities to emerge and thrive.

Soon runners will be safely speeding around the softly landscaped and tree-planted site's perimeter 1km cross-country running track, and on the new full-sized athletics oval. Bringing together the collective notions of sport and community through architecture and

SUPPLIERS: Rammed earth: Rammteck Lighting: Optique Lighting – 011 440 2517 Furniture: The Urban Native – 011 568 7490

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Retail

THE SPE

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AT B

JES

FARM

Image: Dave Southwood PORTFOLIO

W I N N E R O F T H E I N T E R N AT I O N A L A + A R C H I T I Z E R AWA R D S I N T H E H O S P I TA L I T Y R E S TA U R A N T S OV E R 1 0 0 0 S Q F T C AT E G O RY.

ituated in the scenic Breede River valley, just over an hour’s drive from Cape Town, BOSJES Farm has grown in stature and acclaim since opening in March 2017. BOSJES is brimming with new energy as it reveals the next phase in its evolution, with a new high design pantry-style farm and coffee shop set amid imaginatively landscaped indigenous gardens, more importantly, the expanded outdoor areas allow BOSJES to welcome dayvisitors over the weekends; a time when the estate was often closed for private functions. The Spens (the Cafe) & the Winkel (the Gift Shop) blend effortlessly into the new gardens and broader landscape, a testament to the creative collaboration between architect Coetzee Steyn, of Steyn Studio, and Square One Landscape Architects. Meyer & Associates Architects was appointed to assist Coetzee Steyn and Square One Landscape Architects with the execution of the project, as the project architects and principal agent. While the ethereal wings of the BOSJES Chapel, also designed by Steyn, remain the architectural highlight of the BOSJES Farm, the innovative design of the Winkel & Spens is a subtle celebration of the region’s rich cultural history. 'The two carefully burrowed buildings, drawing inspiration from the ways of the San as well as the early Dutch settlers who first inhabited the valley; are all in keeping with BOSJES' design philosophy,' explains Steyn. 'We worked closely with Square One to not only position the built structures in the landscape as curiosities, but also as anchors around which the landscape was eventually designed. The seamless integration of the landscaping elements with the built structures was an essential design objective from the start of the project.' The landscaped gardens are spread across three sloping terraces, connected by a curving pathway that provides universal access while creating a visual link between the woodland landscape, forested play areas, spacious lawns and conservation garden planted with endangered renosterveld. 'The concept for the gardens focused on incorporating ecology into the cultural landscape,' explains Mark Saint Põl, director of Square One Landscape Architects. 'How do we tell the tale of cultural heritage, and the tradition of living off the land, and turn that into something accessible and enjoyable.' COFFEE TABLE EDITION 2021

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SUPPLIERS: Play equipment: PARK – 082 091 8040 Gravel fix: BERA – 083 449 3954 Stonework: Cape Sandstone – 072 785 7613 StoneAge – 021 875 5604 Water feature: Greenacres Landscapes – 014 576 1925 Decking: Contour Decks – 021 794 8361 Saplings Timber Trading - 021 931 2663 Steel arbour and canopy walks: ProKon Services – 021 905 4448 Custom steel work: Naco – 021 883 8531 Play equipment installation: Synsport – 087 803 1023 TanE timber treatment: Lonza Tanalised E- 039 682 6019 The Pole Yard – 021 510 4477 Trees: Just Tress – 021 871 1595 Habitat Tree Nursery – 021 885 4400 Nurseries: Veld & Fynbos – 082 877 9838 Samgro – 021 873 4377 Afro Indigenous - 083 291 1308. West Coast Flora – 066 256 0827 FynbosLIFE – 021 553 2466 Nonke Plants – 021 887 6972 Shadowlands – 021 903 0050 Norgarivier – 083 462 8855 De Fynne – 021 869 8467 Tulbagh Nursery – 023 230 0694 Induli Nursery – 021 785 3581 Riverside Aquatics – 021 852 7535 Compost: Reliance Compost – 021 951 3161 Otterbine aerator: Turfmanzi – 021 975 5578 Rain bird system: Controlled Irrigation – 021 551 0355 Eccabond bentonite: Cape Bentonite – 012 643 5880 Geosynthetic envirofix: Kaytech – 011 922 3300

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Across the site there are visual cues that remind visitors of the cultural heritage of the valley. A series of water furrows and channels speak to the ingenuity of farmers in taming this droughtprone wilderness. The fragrant citrus groves in front of the Spens & Winkel are a reminder of the region’s rich agricultural tradition. Circular sandpits for children reference South Africa’s traditional farm dams and reservoirs, while in the dedicated children’s play area equipment includes kid-friendly farming implements, sandpits and splash-pads.

'It’s also a platform for people to observe the forest canopy maturing. You can return again and again, and on each visit the forest will have changed,' adds Hugo van Niekerk, landscape architect at Square One.

'Using stone from the farm in dry-packed walls, and the narrative of farming implements to create play equipment, we wanted kids to engage with natural play using raw materials,' adds Saint Põl.

Both the Spens and the Winkel are partially built into the hillside, the roofs overlaid with soil and planted with indigenous grasses and succulents to blend seamlessly into the landscape, leaving the panoramic mountains views untouched.

WOODLANDS WANDERING & ENDANGERED FYNBOS A photogenic highlight of the garden is the Boombrug, a treetop-walkway that meanders amongst the hundreds of trees planted to create the remarkable indigenous woodland. Alongside zip-lines and entertaining clamber-frames for kids, the Boombrug offers panoramic views of the Breede River valley.

The built and natural environment merge effortlessly here too, with the curved trellises of oak – a subtle reference to traditional cattle kraals – serving as a visual focus that twists and guides visitors inwards. Over time, these extensive trellises will be further integrated into the garden, with more than a dozen species of climbing plants – from bougainvillea to honeysuckle, star jasmine to wisteria – adding

The woodland merges subtly into beds planted along with a wide array of indigenous grasses, succulents and bulbs, each carefully chosen to ensure a planting palette of seasonal interest that celebrates the colourful diversity inherent to Cape flora.

seasonal colour, texture and aroma to these striking architectural creations. It’s a perfect blend of culture and tradition, natural beauty and inspired design, and a continuation of the design philosophy that has established BOSJES Farm as one of the leading destinations in the Cape winelands.

Pro Landscaper + Architect catches up with Square One Landscape Architects to find out more about their involvement in this exquisite new node. What was the planting palette for the site? Is it a continuation from the Kapel or is it entirely different? Our overarching concept for the garden is 'Working ecology into the cultural landscape.' To achieve this, we set out to reference both the natural setting and attributes of the river valley, the rare fynbos and renosterveld flora and the agricultural heritage of the region. The garden is designed as a microcosm of the valley between the two mountain ridges. Within that valley section, we have included the canopy

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MEET THE TEAM: Design architects: Steyn Studios Project architects: Meyer & Associates Architects Main contractor: GVK Siya – Zama Landscape architects: Square One Landscape contractor: Vula Environmental services Quantity surveyor: 2ii Consulting Furniture and fitout design: Liam Mooney Studio Gridshell structural engineer: Henry Fagan & Partners Concept structural engineers: Arup Images: Claire Gunn

walk surrounded by forest species where visitors can observe and enjoy the woodland as it develops. The garden also references the windbreaks of the valley to protect the site from the severe seasonal winds and set up a sequence of garden rooms. We believe that when these elements are designed in an interactive way and provide amenity value, they contribute to people's understanding and appreciation of their natural and cultural environments.

canopy walk created ‘rooms’ within the landscape nestled within the newly created forest. This presented an ideal opportunity to create a realm of intrigue and discovery for children visiting the site.

What made you design the canopy (the Boombrug) into not only a walkway, but also a play area?

Square One used as much locally sourced material as possible. From the natural timber edges and the boulders and stone sourced from right there on the farm. We also used TanE timber for the play equipment and landscape edges.

Our work focuses on designing with nature-based solutions and place-making strategies to activate sites. We endeavour to create beautiful and enjoyable spaces that are built on these principles to create places that have a depth of meaning and provide an enriching experience. Parks provide increasingly important opportunities for people to engage with nature and cultural landscapes and we aim to draw out these 'didactic' or learning aspects of a place to reveal and celebrate layers of meaning. A key focus and requirement from the client for this project was to design a space for children (and adults) to enjoy. The underside of the the

As this is our sustainability issue, how sustainable is the play equipment (there seems to be no plastic use), and how sustainable was the actual site?

Our approach to water is crucial in a droughtstressed region and we have referenced traditional farming strategies for dealing with water by incorporating gravity fed water channels, planted water filtration swales and sedimentation and storage ponds. Water is of course essential to create sustainable and resilient landscapes. Timber that has been pressure treated with Tanalised™ E, which is Copper Azole based, is the most eco-friendly treatment that is available

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on the market and is new to South Africa. We also planted more than 1,200 trees on site.

Fastfell, to create the rockscapes, focal points and natural river settings.

Can you explain a bit more about your collaboration with PARK on the Play equipment? What was the brief?

Bentonite was used to seal to the retention pond and bentonite impregnated geosynthetic (Envirofix GCL) was used to line the river systems.

Square One's sister company, PARK, specifically designed all the custom play equipment for the site. None of the equipment at BOSJES was off the shelf. The play approach was ‘nature’ play. Each element was designed to tie into the natural features and systems on site. For example, you have the sand and water play area within the concrete rings that pay homage to farm dams. There's the berm slide, which uses the existing natural topography of the area. The water splash pad area adjacent to the natural stream allowing children to play, interact and learn from natural systems. Planting Vula Environmental Services explained that 1,600 trees of varying sizes and species from 100kg to 1000kg were planted at the new Spens & Winkel node. Over 26,000 4kg plants were propagated and grown for the project at Vula Environmental's Morning Star nursery sourced from their own mother materials, and with other planting supplied by various nurseries in the area. The remaining 12,000 plants, climbers and aquatics were sourced in 4kg, 10kg, 20kg and 70kg sizes by leading nurseries. Complex indigenous pioneer and subclimax seed was used in the rehabilitative hydroseeding of the Nature Walk area and these were supplied by the Vula seed division, with over 3,500 bulbs rescued from on site development areas on the farm, and later being relocated to the nature walk areas. 1,100m³ of compost was supplied to this project which is an enormous amount, with boulders being sourced from on site and also on surrounding farms and craned into position by

Irrigation The irrigation system was installed in-house and was designed and supplied by Controlled Irrigation. The complex system comprises of a 76 station Rainbird decoder system and central controller unit with a 75mm HDPE ring mainline with an inline Akral Filterbank. A 5.5kw submersible booster pump is housed in a submerged and covered concrete chamber/ sump in the retention pond at the bottom of the site. The retention pond supplies the irrigation to the landscaping which is fed into the ring main programmed to run at night. A secondary program for circulation is run during the day through the ring main system with an automated bypass line feeding into the duck pond. This then flows through a series of constructed weirs, and passive overflows into the landscaped axial river system and is then bio filtered and oxygenated through diverse riparian planting. The system has a radio-controlled level sensor at the retention pond sump which activates a dedicated borehole feed to top up the system at the duck pond. This is then bio-filtered along the same route through the weirs and into the axial river system flowing into the retention pond until an equilibrium is reached. The retention pond has a storm water overflow, which connects to a meandering rock packed and riparian planted river, terminating into a stormwater catchment at the bottom of the Nature Walk River. It then feeds to a lower, larger dam outside the site that is used for the farm's agricultural purposes, equating to no loss of water. The retention pond has an Otterbine aerator for further oxygenation supplied and installed by Turfmanzi.

'The concept for the gardens was around incorporating ecology into the cultural landscape.' Image: Dave Southwood

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RUSTENBURG MALL A UNIQUE SENSORY EXPERIENCE AND URBAN ART GALLERY

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Completed: April 2021 Location: Rustenburg, North West Province Size: 40,000m² After almost seven years of planning, Rustenburg Mall opened its doors at the end of April 2021. Designed by MDS Architecture, the development is a collaboration between Moolman Group, Twin City Development and JB Holdings. Pierre Lahaye, partner at MDS Architecture, says: “The design of the 40,000m² Rustenburg Mall is rooted in the context of its surroundings, both natural and developed. The renowned Rustenburg Kloof features dramatic rock formations and iconic acacia trees. The broader area has several agricultural businesses, and the site is located within 1km of the largest public transport hub in South Africa, which serves both taxi and bus commuters.” The form of the building mimics a tree. The tree symbol is so entrenched in the plan of the building that it also serves as the key design element in the logo for Rustenburg Mall, which is a clean and contemporary take on the revered acacia tree. There are over 120 stores in Rustenburg Mall ranging from popular national tenants to new stores such as Drip, Home Choice, Legends Barber, Sneaker Factory, Offspring by Uzzi, G-Star, Polo, Primark by Truworths, and Le Coq Sportif as a stand-alone store. Client brief The public transport hub and broader road infrastructure were important to consider in the design, as was climate control considering the high temperatures experienced in Rustenburg. Construction challenges The construction commenced in October 2019, however, the project faced various delays due to the six-week COVID-19 lockdown. Despite these challenges, in the end, Rustenburg Mall opened within a month of its original opening target. Pieter Lombaard, CEO at Moolman Group, says that the team worked tirelessly to make up the construction time lost during the lockdown. “The professionals rallied together to meticulously work out ways to complete the project on time despite the halting of all construction works. Their efforts have ensured that the Rustenburg Mall is yet another exceptional retail solution with incredible customer experiences – all within the planned time frames.”

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New link roads connect the Rustenburg community with major arterial roads. A covered pedestrian walkway – one of the largest in the country – creates a convenient connection from the city centre and transport hub. It encourages commuters to explore the precinct and brings people into a world of retail. Pierre says: “The arrival of shoppers on foot or via public transport provides an opportunity for developments like Rustenburg Mall to become meeting places that create new city squares with retail offerings.” Structural design and exteriors Rustenburg Mall has three entrances which evoke inviting tree-like canopies as if to invite gatherings. Each entrance also features large sculptural signs made up of individual 2m-high lettering structures to proudly emphasise Rustenburg. The contextual rock formations and acacia tree inspirations have translated into the structural design and aesthetics of Rustenburg Mall. Careful attention has been given to bespoke features which celebrate creativity and mimic its natural surroundings. Pierre says that the design of the roofs at Rustenburg Mall are inspired by acacia trees and their symbols as expansive shelters for get-togethers. MEET THE TEAM: Owners: Moolman Group Twin City Development JB Holdings Developers: Moolman Group Main Contractor: Beckers Building Architect: MDS Architecture Landscape architects: Daniel Rebel Landscape Architects

Exterior tactile materials like timber and steel are softened by vertical gardens which blend into the very fabric of the building. The interior Rustenburg Mall’s design offsets timber and crisp white features for a contemporary, organic experience. The ceiling features strategically integrated lighting – custom designed lighting features ribbon-like elements to guide shoppers through the building while allowing them to acclimatise as they cross over the various sections of the shopping centre. In addition, feature mobiles and abundant natural light create interest and ambience. The building celebrates artistic creativity while offering a wide selection of stores. Bulkheads are dark to integrate with the shopfronts in the shopping centre and serve to further highlight the artworks at the end of the mall. The developer contracted a curator to ensure diverse artistic representation, so we created galleries throughout the malls for unique graffiti and artwork installations by renowned South African artists. "The artwork is placed high up in the distance, creating an interesting urban art element,” explains Lahaye. The building features several subtle nuances and a sense of being inside the skeleton of the structure, which is emphasized by rib-like timber features overhead. “We liked the idea of showing the structure of the building in a neat and clean way,” explains Pierre. The colour palette – along with the changing patterned floor design – includes references to sunsets, the sky and forests at the promotional courts. The tiling patterns are intricate and were inspired by woven baskets and rocks. To avoid cutting tiles, patterns were pixelated. Angular shapes and distinctive stone-coloured flooring designs echo the renowned rock formations of the Rustenburg area. The ablution facilities feature warm timber and stones, while black tiles provide added texture. In the lounge area, patterned high-gloss metropole tiles provide a tactile and comfortable space to rest. The design ensures that Rustenburg Mall is a family-friendly space where shoppers can escape the searing heat in the area. The Marketplace The Marketplace is a multi-functional, central entertainment area and the perfect spot for

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‘The tree symbol is so entrenched in the plan of the building that it also serves as the key design element in the logo for Rustenburg Mall, which is a clean and contemporary take on the revered acacia tree.’

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socialising. Having its own entrance uniquely formalises activities for a rich, tactile, and unified experience. Several full-sized acacia trees take pride of place in the vibrant area, creating a physical tree canopy indoors. A massive LED TV screen adds to the audio-visual entertainment offering. The Marketplace offers pop-up stores, a giant chess board, two different children’s play areas and communal dining area to serve the nearby restaurants and takeaway eateries. Flexibility in The Marketplace was achieved by incorporating kiosks and tuk-tuks, bringing together bespoke, craft-like offerings with more mainstream food offerings. The future of retail MDS Architecture is at the forefront of retail trends. Pierre says that several emerging trends in retail design are showcased at Rustenburg Mall. Online shopping has increased with the emergence of COVID-19, so greater storage areas have been incorporated in the design for retailers. “Function and fun both have a role in the retail design of the future – but making them work together requires flexibility. The more flexible the design is, the more easily you can adapt to what will happens in the world. Outdoor lifestyle offerings are increasingly

important to facilitate social interaction, and accessibility is key,” he says.

to find an optimal mix to meet all of the quality specifications.

In addition to great shopping variety, easy access and a unique sensory experience, it seems shoppers at Rustenburg Mall are also getting glimpses of the future of retail.

Global Roofing Solutions (GRS) one of the largest metal roofing manufacturers in South Africa, supplied the Kliptite 700 sheeting profile for the roofing, which was installed by a longstanding Corroshield SA client. Corroshield SA supplied the Class 3 fasteners used to secure the metal roofing to the steel structure.

Starting out as a small hardware retailer in Centurion over 30 years ago, with a doorframe installation as its first construction job, Beckers Bouaannemers has grown into a substantial construction company delivering multi-million projects for its clients. “Over the years, we have built a good relationship with AfriSam,” says Becker. “We know we can trust the company to provide excellent service and quality products. It works closely with us during the construction phase to make sure our requirements are met.” Some 14,000m³ of readymix concrete was used for the various construction components, such as surface beds, columns and other structural elements, as well as ancillary work. For this project, the construction team chose a more environmentally-friendly concrete mix that used a slag stone as an aggregate option. This was selected in conjunction with AfriSam, who worked with the project engineer

SUPPLIERS: Paving: Corobrik – 011 871 8600 Concrete signage, benches and bollards: Gallo Precast – 012 546 6067 Readymix concrete: AfriSam - 011 670 5500 Roofing: Global Roofing Solutions (GRS) Product: Kliptite 700 sheeting Rubberised flooring: X-tyre – 012 804 730 Tiles: RVV - 011 618 1340 Artificial green walls, trees and planting: Distinctive Spaces - 011 708 7878 Interior furniture: Badec Bros - 086 132 2332 Igneous Concrete - 082 443 0084 • • • • • •

Internal circular bins Triangulated benches with wooden slat inlay – with USB chargers Triangulated planters for mall passageways Arc benches with custom made arc planters Custom rectangular planters for bathroom alcoves Custom curved bathroom benches for waiting areas

Curved ceiling lights: Purple Dot - 011 492 2171 Tiling adhesive: TAL - 011 206 9700 Sanware: Italtile - 011 510 9000 Product used: Laufen Taps: Grohe - 021 510 0970

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QUICK FACTS: Size: 40,000 m (+/- the size of eight soccer fields) Bricks: 18km of bricks laid end-to-end Concrete: Afrisam Readymix (enough to fill four large swimming pools) Steel: Equivalent to the weight of 180 elephants Tiles: Over 94,000 tiles laid 2

LOW MAINTENANCE WEATHER RESISTANT WATER REPELLANT HIGHLY DURABLE UV STABLE LOCALLY MANUFACTURED LONGEVITY IN DESIGN

Residential

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Completed: December 2020 Location: Cape Town, City Centre. Size: 1,306m² Uxolo is a contemporary micro-apartment project by Two Five Five Architects and proves that small spaces can be as practical as they are beautiful. The tapestry-inspired exteriors of Uxolo have garnered much attention from designers and passers-by alike, as they brighten up Cape Town’s CBD with iconic flair. Uxolo's micro apartments are located at 4 Vredenburg Lane, down a narrow alley. The client’s brief to Two Five Five Architects was complicated. The key concept was to design an apartment building that speaks to its local context, that of the inner city of Cape Town, but relates to the world as something truly African. The block’s target market is the city dweller, and it was to have no on-site parking and feature micro-units with ample common spaces, bicycle storage and a coffee shop. About Uxolo Excitingly, Uxolo Apartments is the first completed micro-unit residential development located in the Cape Town CBD. The project consists of 35 residential units ranging between 24m² micro studio units and 40m² loft units, as well as a lobby and retail area on the ground floor. Quite impressively, all of this exists on a stand of only 195.5m². The initial development's intention for the project was to create an iconic short-stay accommodation destination in Cape Town, with some long-term tenants, in the same way that Tokyo has the Nagakin Capsule Tower and Rotterdam has the Cube House. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a re-evaluation of this approach, focusing on longer-stay tenants. This resulted in units that where far more complex in design to meet the considerably more extensive requirements of a permanent tenant. The change in focus required some additional planning but resulted in a building that arguably better responds to a need in the South African housing market. For residents of South African cities there are currently few ‘curated’ and cost-effective alternatives to the South African norm of urban sprawl and long commutes. The project located on Vredenberg Lane, an alley joining Long Street and within walking distance of Kloof and Loop streets, is within easy reach of offices, eateries, transport routes and amenities. The relatively

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small size of the units ensures that they are affordable to a large section of the market. In order to successfully accommodate a longterm tenant in the micro-units special attention was paid to detailing the interior of the units. A single joinery-unit, almost stretching the length of the unit, accommodates all the possible daily needs and activities of a resident. The joinery installation was designed, manufactured, and installed by Kink Design, a branch of Two Five Five Architects. The fact that the joinery installation was conceived and managed efficiently in the same office ensured that the language of the project stayed coherent. The design of the unit simultaneously accommodates a fully kitted kitchen, built in cupboard, slide out study desk, abundant concealed storage as well as a murphy bed that stows away to reveal a sofa for the lounge. In the kitchen each drawer contains custom-made

laser-cut steel dividers to simplify storage. All of the fittings by Kink were made and installed by the Two Five Five team. There are four of these studio units on each of the eight floors, along with a loft unit on every second floor. To accommodate these units the small site area available had to be used efficiently, with the building built right up to the 0m building lines. Too allow for natural light in the units’ glass blocks were used, instead of stepping the façade back for windows. The resultant flat façade was treated just as that, a flat plain on which a tapestry can be laid. The design takes inspiration from traditional patterns as seen in the work of Esther Mhlangu, as well as contemporary textile design such as rugs by Ninevites. The glass bricks on the façade were combined with different facebricks by Corobrik to create a ‘tapestry’ that is low in maintenance and should age well.

MEET THE TEAM: Client: Vredenberg Properties Architects: TwoFiveFive Architects Structural engineer: MISC Engineering Fire consultant: De Villiers & Moore Mechanical engineer: De Villiers & Moore Electrical engineer: Frame Façade engineers: Sutherland Engineering Quantity surveyor: Peregrine Photographers: Paris Brummer - www.parisbrummer.com Carel Nicolaas Smit Drone photos: André Krige

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The tapestry façade is punctuated by bright pink ‘marshmallow’ balconies on the street façade. These balconies create a valuable added footprint to the units from which the residents can look over the city to the iconic Table Mountain. At the same time, the balconies also hint the ‘iconic’ image that that was part of the developmental brief. Uxolo is one of the first local developments to really take the concept of micro-living seriously, with micro apartments sitting at 24m². During the building process, one of the directors of Two Five Five, Theo Kruger, found himself living and working out of the building, this allowed him to consider everything that a potential tenant would need during their stay. Seldomly do architects live in their own builds, let alone buying a unit. “Uxolo” means peace in Xhosa and the building reflects wild colours against neutral flooring and finishes. These apartments are move-in ready for tenants who only have a mattress, some crockery and the clothes on their back.

SUPPLIERS: Facebricks: Corobrik – 021 888 2300 Glass bricks: Aluglass Bautech – 011 451 8400 Vinyl flooring: Gerflor – 010 753 2332 Polyflor – 011 609 3500 Steel kitchens and cupboards: Kink Design Sanitary fittings: Geberit – 021 555 0651 Taps and mixers: Hansgrohe – 021 447 7144

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A REINVENTION Completed: January 2021 Location: Sandton, Johannesburg The Lineal has been a very successful conversion from its original incarnation as a drab six-storey face brick building. Previously home to a municipal tenant, the building was tired and not maintained. Daffonchio Architects was tasked with turning it into 164 trendy apartments. When looking at the best way to divide the building, they decided to encapsulate living spaces with internal gardens, an exciting rooftop with a pool that looks out over the Sandton skyline, and facilities, such as a 24hour concierge, a gym, a restuarant and library with co-working spaces to really bring together the home and work life functionality. The concepts of conscious design, experiential luxury, and reusing what they had to work with was what motivated many design decisions. Daffonchio Architects did not want to break down the building and ignore what was once there, but rather used it to enhance what they were looking to create with a focus on sustainability. Pro Landscaper + Architect sat down with Enrico Daffonchio, director of Daffonchio Architects, to find out more about his firm's work on the Lineal: MEET THE TEAM: Client: Zenprop Architect: Daffonchio Architects Project management: Davidoff Project & Development Managers Quantity surveyor: Walker Maree Interior designers: Source IBA Structural engineers: Sotilaris Image credits: Kelly Harmsen at Cheeky Cherub

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What was the client’s brief? The client's brief was to create apartments for young professionals and young families looking for accommodation in Sandton. The project was to use an existing building, an old 1980s face brick office block, refresh the façade, create the rooftop space and make it into an attractive environment for people to live. The space was to also include a co-working facility, a recreational area, security, state of the art energy requirements making the project as efficient as possible. As this is another restoration project, what makes this different from other projects Daffonchio Architects has worked on, like the Bank? This project is not substantially different from the projects we did in Maboneng. It's really about cutting up big open plan floorplates in the most efficient way possible to create apartments out of them and to introduce services which are very intensive in a residential programme and not as intensive in offices, of course. The Lineal has a great rooftop space – what made you utilise this space? How important do you think these social areas are for new developments? The rooftop was a fundamental point of discussion from the very beginning. It is an expectation now that a residential building offers not only accommodation but also communal areas – this is a differentiating factor between new developments. The key is to do something that is useable, accessible and useful without breaking the budget and making the project cost too much. The advantage of this site is that it is positioned in such a way that the views towards the west and north are phenomenal, very distant views, and the views of the south and east sides are of Sandton highrises – it’s an energising view all around. Who are the apartments aimed for? What is the demographic? How did you keep this in mind while also trying to preserve history of the build? We focused our study on everything else that was on the market and tried to focus on creating something that was bigger and a little more competitive price-wise. So far, there’s been a good response to the project. How sustainable is this build? The biggest sustainable factor is that we didn’t demolish the building – it was a brownfields development, and of course providing more

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accommodation next to a business district in turn reduces the need for commuting. Additional sustainability features are the double glazing utilised for insulation, and the implementation of the most effective water heating system available. What made you keep an open courtyard and choose to landscape it? It was obvious to us to use the courtyards as they were existing features with beautiful established trees. As Stella Morey at Zenprop explains: “We rolled out the residential development with the corporate resident in mind. We wanted to create a place to live. With so much happening in the city, we wanted to develop a home for the person who needed a space and a place to breathe, relax and rest after a busy day. The units are complemented by a roof deck, offering each tenant a green space. The roof deck offers a swimming pool, indigenous plant beds, a rooftop lounge and a scenic view of Sandton, Sandhurst, Hurlingham, all the way through to Randburg. "The site itself is it a little over 30 years old and had a well-established tree landscape. With the help of Daffonchio Architects, we were able to keep as many of the trees in place and only remove those that would impede the structure. We redesigned the internal façade of the building to establish the walkway to each unit, where the aircon wall boxes were replaced with indigenous plant boxes. We tried to ensure that wherever your eye looked you were able to see an element of greening. Most of the trees and plants on site are the original trees and shrubs with the exception of a new and well positioned cycad at the entrance. The rooftop was a must as open spaces have the power to transform; well thought out green zones create an inviting and welcoming area that is able to soothe and recharge the individual. Green belts are also a vital component of any development, as it is a must-have space for anyone choosing to live in the city.“ SUPPLIERS: Custom-made furniture and planters: Positive Spaces – 083 556 3965 Pool tiles: Union Tiles – 011 663 2000 Paving: Bosun – 010 001 8398 Paint: Excelsior Paints – 011 474 1900 Tiles: LimeGreen Sourcing Solutions – 011 325 2893 Tile Space – 011 796 5100 COFFEE TABLE EDITION 2021

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PROFESSIONAL, AFFORDABLE, QUALITY HORTICULTURAL SOLUTIONS

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Laduma Nursery & Landscaping

Acton Gardens are people who share a love and passion for exterior design and beauty by creating a unique paradise for each client’s individual needs. Since 2006 we have enriched many lives by creating outdoor havens where you can relax and just enjoy nature. Acton Gardens’ structure and unique capabilities proves our flexibility to confidently handle projects of varying sizes and types, commercial and residential alike. Your passionate professionals in landscape construction and maintenance.

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SOIL + SERENITY

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Completed: March 2021 Location: Lanseria, Gauteng Set in the tranquil and undulating hills of the Highveld and overlooking the Rhenosterspruit Nature Conservancy valley is a building that tells a story of soil and serenity through its deep connection to person and place. The client's brief for this new home in the highveld landscape of Lanseria was simple and unique: create a sustainable home that incorporates tranquillity, celebrates the views of the mountainous horizon, is unobtrusive and will harness the best potential of the site. As the clients was a single mother working from home as a professional geologist, the building needed to be multi-functional and allow for optimal connection with nature. Seeing that the client also has a deep love of nature, spaces needed to be connected to the outside environment as much as possible, with a tranquil outside bathroom space for the main en-suite as a personal request for the design. The client wanted the building to be constructed from simple, durable materials that would require minimal maintenance in the future. Sustainable principles such as rainwater harvesting and solar collection on site was unnegotiable and needed to be incorporated from the start of the design process to be inconspicuous and seamlessly integrated into the overall function and aesthetic of the building. As modern professional architects, VELD aims to design buildings that make clients happy and healthy. Therefore, it adopts the latest architectural findings on sustainability, ecofriendly designs and the value of living with nature and incorporate these principles into its design. From style and unique design features to incorporating resilient systems and lowmaintenance materials, this VELD home is no exception and is well rooted in the sustainable design ethos. As it was important for the client to have optimal connection with the natural environment in which the site is located, one of the main informants for the design was the context and the potential of the site. This resulted in a design that does not exist in isolation but responds to and improves its surroundings. Due to a significant slope on site from the southern to the northern boundary, soil was excavated to create a building platform that creates a protective back of natural landscape for the rear of the building to the south.

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Too often the natural landscape of a building is only considered in hindsight. In doing this, the powerful connection that exists between a building, the landscape and the user is lost. To ensure this connection was not lost, the excavated soil from the site was repurposed and interwoven into the building to pay homage to the client’s profession as a geologist and was manifested in rammed earth walls as a unique feature. These feature walls subtly, yet intentionally mimic the surrounding hills and create a main entrance axis which guides users into the site and building. By mimicking the same contours and slightly recessing the building into the landscape, the building is unobtrusive from the street and truly becomes part of the surrounding natural environment. Another key role player in the design was functionality. As we all know, architecture is all about form and function. The form part, or the aesthetics of a design, encompass everything that helps to create a pleasing appearance. Function of a design refers to the purpose of a structure or building. As the purpose of this specific home as per the client’s brief was

to create a sustainable home that is multifunctional and harnesses the best potential of the site, form followed function in the design process. This led to a plan and section that is simplistic, direct and well-rooted in passive design principles. The plan follows a protective back which reinforces the site topography and introduces open plan living that permits multifunctional and transitional spaces. By embracing the sweeping views in a linear design towards the north, the building also takes advantage of natural lighting with large glazing elements. The building exhibits a naturally ventilated strategy that invites fresh air in through openable window and doors located closer to finished floor level and exhales mixed hot air out through openable top light windows closer to the high-volume soffits. The correct placement of doorways and windows, and the appropriate height of ceilings allow for natural air forces of wind and buoyancy to do all the work. Not only does it allow for adequate natural lighting and cross ventilation, the linear layout of the building also ensures the home takes advantage of the mountainous views. Apart

from context and functionality, well-being and a holistic design ethos also formed part of the design informants. As humans spend inordinate amounts of time inside buildings and especially their own homes in these pandemic times, it is essential to create homes that encourage more meaningful and healthier lifestyles. This can be done by ensuring optimal connections within buildings to the natural environment through sound, sight, smell and hapticity. Therefore, by designing with a holistic approach through keeping sensory experiences in mind and generating vistas to the outdoors from all of the spaces within this VELD home, the architecture instils a healthy flow throughout and contribute to the well-being of its users. VELD takes responsibility as architects to minimise the impact of its carbon footprints and ensure that it creates buildings that are regenerative and resilient. The ability to design greener, sustainable buildings should not only aim to have a reduced impact on the environment but also help restore our natural resources.

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SUPPLIERS: Kitchen joinery: Gusmo Joinery – 014 536 3718 Frameless glass: Maxiview Frameless Glass Systems (Pty) Ltd – 071 160 2417 Aluminium window and doors: Fenster Aluminium Window and Doors – 011 796 5165 Fireplaces: Fireplace Warehouse – 011 794 6000 Home Fires – 023 342 3330 Aluminium screening: TWR Steel Services – 011 578 8880 Ceiling fans: Solent Ceiling Fans – 031 563 4600 Furniture: Coricraft @Home Eleven Past Weylandts Joinery and BIC: Benchmark Shopfitters – 079 452 4099 Roofing: Chartwell – 012 335 5157 Steel water tanks: RainQueen – 083 938 2981 Garage doors: Coroma – 011 496 3049 Sanware: Bathroom Fusion – 010 025 2234 Tiling: Italtile – 010 510 9000 Tilespace – 011 796 5100 Solar panels: Jex Energy – 082 898 7774 Rammed earth: Rammteck

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Apart from making use of passive design principles and low-maintenance materials to reduce the carbon footprint, the design furthermore includes two sustainable strategies to harness the natural resources of the site. The first strategy of rainwater collection is integrated into the overall design of the home by creating a floating singular mono-pitch roof which allows for maximum catchment area for rainwater collection into corrugated steel water tanks strategically located on the periphery of the building. Purpose-made gutters with intricate spout details into the rainwater tanks celebrates the attention to detail of the practical. The second strategy takes advantage of the sunny South African weather. Solar collection and storage was introduced on the double garage roof area to ensure that the building can function off the grid. The design translates the needs of the client into functional yet beautiful spaces. The home is cool during summer and hot in winters which diminishes the need for additional heating or cooling methods. The materials are simplistic and the rammed earth walls echoes a bit of what the client does professionally within her home. Each living space in the house has a view towards the valley and if you listen

carefully, you can hear the river trickling past as it travels along the riverbed – all elements which contribute to the well-being of the users and ensure a healthy environment. The building integrates seamlessly into the landscape by responding to the context and not only does the design of the house echo sustainability, it also considers the practicalities of the future in terms of space and value. It exemplifies the seamless merging of the client’s personal ethics and aesthetics with the contextual environment to tell the story of a connected and unobtrusive space of soil and serenity. Why did VELD use rammed earth walls on this project? The decision to use rammed earth walls was a response to the significant slope on site from the southern to the northern boundary. Soil was excavated to create a building platform that creates a protective back of natural landscape for the rear of the building to the south. The excavated soil was then re-purposed and interwoven into the building to pay homage to the client’s profession as a geologist and was manifested in rammed earth walls as a unique feature.

The placement of the earth layers at the main entrance rammed earth wall were designed by an artist and was intentionally constructed to mimic the surrounding hills of the Magaliesburg mountains to the North. Do you think more architects should be using rammed earth elements in their projects? At VELD we are passionate about creating authentic architecture that is honest, practical and most of all, sustainable. Rammed earth is the perfect example of a sustainable design element, as it makes use of an eco-friendly material that can be directly sourced on site, can be repurposed, supports local workmanship and techniques, requires none to minimal maintenance and contributes to excellent thermal comfort in buildings due to its high density. We believe architects should be implementing rammed earth walls and similar sustainable approaches into their designs, because changing the building industry and the impact it has on our natural environment starts by changing the way we as architects design. MEET THE TEAM: Architect: VELD Architects Structural engineer: TMV Structural Engineers Contractor: Helder Rock Developments Interior designers: Kira Interiors Landscaping: Yacula & Jones Landscape Designers Photography: René Walker

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Completed: 2020 Location: Ladismith, Western Cape Size: 140,000m²

he restoration of the ensemble of heritage buildings on Buffelsdrift, west of Ladismith in the arid Klein Karoo region of the Western Cape, by SAOTA and Jaco Booyens Architect, a specialist in clay buildings, won the gold medal at the seventh edition (2019) of the international Domus Restoration and Conservation Award in Italy. The award recognises 'excellence in the field of restoration, redevelopment and architectural and landscape recovery at an international level.' Pro Landscaper + Architect finds out more finds out more... The restoration involved a cluster of Cape buildings in a valley beneath the Swartberg mountain range, consisting of a main house and two barns, plus a store. A short way off is a flat-roofed building, typical of the Ladismith style, which was originally used as a wine store. Other structures on the property include a contemporary shed, a cottage further up a hill and a graveyard. The house, barns and wine store were all restored. SAOTA director Greg Truen, who acquired the farm in 2016, notes that while minor additions and modern alterations had been made to the buildings, the original house was 'in good condition, considering' and that the barns were 'fundamentally untouched.' In the main house, evidence of earlier refurbishments in the 1970s were stripped out, while modern kitchen and bathrooms were inserted in an adaptive approach to conservation. A new pump house was added near the dam wall on the property. Its design and construction were an experiment in contemporary architecture using the same materials and techniques as the heritage buildings, including poured mud or “cob” walls, as well as brick vaulted roofs. The landscaping around the house took the form of a series of low terraces. Licenses to graze livestock on the land date back to the mid-1700s, and it is clear that it was farmed before the 1800s. The original circular farm was divided into smaller parts over the years. The main house on this portion on the farm dates back to 1852. The date and initials IWDV, Isak Wilhelm van der Vyver, are inscribed above the door. The van der Vyver family was associated with Buffesldrift as far back as 1768, when they first leased the farm.

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Incidentally, 1852 was the year in which Ladismith was proclaimed, unlocking growth and development in the area. Fruit trees, grapes and other crops were farmed in the valley, although by the late 1800s and early 20th century, crops were largely abandoned in favour of ostrich farming, which brought great prosperity as a result of the international ostrich feather boom. The collapse of the fashion for ostrich feathers, war and drought brought economic devastation, and the once-bustling valley was largely abandoned. Now olives are commonly farmed in the valley. Hans Fransen’s seminal study, The Old Buildings of The Cape, records 'three old buildings… all with Prince Albert-type end-gables (holbol with horizontal string courses).' The main T-shaped homestead, he says, 'has massive loft steps at the side and original holbol stoepbankies.' He notes the inscription and dating above the front door of the main house which 'tallies with the plaster-framed woodwork (although the halved front door with its small-paned fanlight and fluted and dentiled entablature looks much older).' Architectural historian Roger C Fisher, Professor Emeritus of Architecture, University of Pretoria, who visited Buffelsdrift, wrote an unpublished account of his observations, Buffelsdrift – An Anatomy of a Vernacular, in which he details aspects of its construction and history.

SUPPLIERS: Marble and granite: Cannata & Sons – 021 510 8553 Wood treatment: Rubio Monocoat – 021 534 1107 Outdoor furnishings: Haldane Martin - 087 898 4678 Outdoor planters: Indigenus -021 488 9909

Additional research by Booyens revealed that the lock on the front door was French, dating back to the 1700s. He had it restored by a specialist in Paarl. Various articles that appeared in the press over the years as the farm changed owners note that the original stinkwood doors and wardrobes in the main house remained intact. The front section of the house consists of a central living room with a bedroom on each side. The T-section included a dining area. While the front section had yellowwood beams and ceilings, the rafters in T-section were exposed. A lean-to section with a fireplace had been added in one of the elbows of the T using sundried bricks. It was being used as a kitchen.

He says that a speculative reading of architectural fabric of the buildings led him to suspect that the house 'was originally a simple longhouse thatched cottage' that was subsequently added to. The outbuildings, which probably predate the house, have 'simpler rudimentary hol-bol gables with… semicircular pinnacles' and those of the 'main body of the homestead are similar but more refined.'

The house and barns had been constructed according to the usual technique used by Dutch settlers in the Cape, with walls of poured mud or clay, cast layer by layer about 700mm wide. 'This method of construction – ubiquitously used by Dutch settlers, trekboers and later Voortrekkers – requires a source of clayey ground into which is added "a good proportion" of sand and grit, possibly straw or dung, combined in a pit, all trod through by oxen-hooves in span,' writes Fisher (quoting William John Burchell’s Travels In The Interior Of Southern Africa).

'The most decorative, strangely located to the rear of the house, is the central hol-bol (concavo-convex) gable of the T-wing where the kitchen is located, with its circular capping and string-moulded bottom chord, for which Fransen has coined the term "Prince Alfred Gable,’' he writes. He suspects that it dates to the time when the original thatch roof was replaced with corrugated iron 'somewhere in the later nineteenth century.' Truen notes that gables of the main body of the house have semi-circular tops. Fransen also points out the unusual shutter on the fanlight.

Once the walls were complete, they would have been finished with lime and sand plaster. Over the years this had been replaced with cement. Booyens notes that one of the biggest tasks of the restoration involved removing the cement plaster and re-finishing the walls with traditional lime plaster, which recaptured the undulating surface of Cape homes known to soften the bright karoo light. Where there was termite damage, the walls were filled in again with clay. In some areas, when the cement plaster was stripped away, poplar-branch lintels were revealed, in many cases in pairs, which had

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been placed where doors were planned during construction. Fisher explains that this was done 'to act as tension and compression members in the homogenised mud.' Booyens explains further that the doors would have been cut out below these 'primary lintels,' probably after drilling a hole through the wall and using a cutting wire 'like an igloo.' A finishing lintel would then have been added and the edges built up using sun-dried bricks manufactured on site. Truen and Booyens opted to use a thin lime plaster on the interior walls between the central living room and the bedrooms on either side, not only expressing the original texture of the mud wall, but also, as Truen puts it, leaving 'a little of that construction history visible, so you can get a bit of a story of how these building were put together.' In the living space, the original yellowwood beams and ceiling were intact and could be restored. The timber floors, however, had rotted and were replaced with poplar planks, consistent with the originals, kiln dried in Oudtshoorn. The screed floors of the T-section, which was converted into a combined kitchen and dining area, bathroom and front stoep were all refinished using 'stone pavers taken out of the veld,' as was the kitchen courtyard and front stoep.

The roof of the lean-to section had rotted away and a raw concrete slab was cast over it. It was converted into two bathrooms. Narrow slats for skylights flood the bathrooms and passage with natural light. A custom-made poplar vanity and shutters were added for privacy. In fact, poplar shutters were made for all the windows, which enhances the remarkable thermal qualities of the building. 'Even on a very hot day, when temperatures can rise into the upper 30s and early 40s, the internal temperature is in the mid to low 20s and is very pleasant,' says Truen. 'All the extant door and window furniture and fittings have been refurbished and retained or re-instated,' adds Fisher. Beneath the corrugated iron of the roof, the beams, rafters and ropes used to tether the thatch, and even tufts of the thatching, remained. Fisher notes that 'it was decided to reuse these and re-thatch the house, both for aesthetic and climatic comfort.' The thatch roof was reinstated by JNA Thatching, a company that, Truen says, has 'historically done a lot of thatching in the Cape and knows these kinds of buildings very well.' Where modern materials were introduced, they were carefully selected. The shower (in the recess originally used for a fireplace), for

example, has been clad in terrazzo slabs, and in the kitchen, a contemporary island has been inserted, also clad in terrazzo. 'We looked for a contemporary material that spoke to the original materials,' says Truen. The concrete and aggregate in Terrazzo resonate with the stone and cement paving. 'The terrazzo felt like a way to work between the old and the new, where the new felt like it had some kind of genesis in the old,' says Truen. The kitchen block also makes it possible to keep the kitchen and dining areas integrated, making it a central social space, while a 200mm raised barrier above the counter ensures that the food preparation area is unobtrusive. Appliances are stored below the counter. 'There are no contemporary appliances sitting at higher levels other than this extractor fan,' says Truen. One of the only contemporary interventions was the addition of a double-sided fireplace between the kitchen and lounge area. Recessed lights were used on the exterior walls to keep the walls unmolested by modern technology. Where lanterns were added, on either side of the front door, for example, and elsewhere on the main house, as well as on the wine store, they were custom made. Their design took cues from lanterns the legendary Cape modernist architect and restoration

“Truen and Booyens opted to use a thin lime plaster on the interior walls bettween the central living room and the bedrooms on either side.”

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maestro Gawie Fagan designed for a wine cellar at Groot Constantia, one of Cape Town’s most famous historical wine farms. Fagan played a pivotal role in 'figuring out a way to interpret Cape detailing and reference it in his modernist work,' explains Truen. Landscaping The landscaping of the sloped site was another significant undertaking, involving a contemporary approach to terracing at various heights, executed using traditional Cape building elements and materials. 'We created a raised platform at the back of the building, so you can now come down a driveway and park at the back of the building and walk down the site towards the house and the wine store,' says Truen. On the upper level, a stone swimming pool has been added, filled with water from a borehole, which runs down a channel and ultimately to the dam. The pool, level with the paving, appears almost as a continuation of the paving itself. 'It’s really just a place for the water to pause on its way to the irrigation system,' says Truen. The more heavily trafficked areas are paved with stone from the surrounding veld, while the

MEET THE TEAM: Architects in collaboration: Jaco Booyens Architect & SAOTA Contractor: Pro-Projects and De Kock Bouers Landscaping: Fritz Coetzee Interior designer: ARRCC Bespoke furniture: OKHA Thatching: JNA Thatchers Irrigation: Groen Karoo Photographer: Adam Letch Text: Graham Wood

rest is surfaced with peach pips to create a neat uniform surface that in time will weather to the same colour as the thatch. These terraces are planted with olive trees, and vygies and other natural vegetation has also re-established itself. Fruit trees and beehives have also been introduced. Wine store The outbuilding that is referred to as the wynkelder, in reference to a time when grapes were grown on the farm, is a small flat-roofed structure that has restored and converted into a living unit. It was badly damaged and had been clumsily altered. An incongruous timber pergola and a brick fireplace had been added to the exterior. The fireplace, however, had delaminated from the wall and was collapsing. The walls were also badly damaged by termites and the floors and ceiling rotted. When repairs began, it was discovered that the wine store had originally been a singlelevel building, and its parapet was raised in the 1970s to allow for another level so that it could be used as a house. 'When we repaired the plaster, we could see that the bottom part of the building was made out of poured mud, and then as you go up, there are some sundried bricks, and then more contemporary bricks

right at the top,' says Truen. A somewhat clunky staircase has also been added. The repairs and restoration of the wine store involved reorganising the ground level so that it could function as a living area and kitchen, and locating the bedroom and bathroom on the mezzanine above. The ground floor was levelled and paved in stone harvested from the surrounding veld. The rotted upper floor was replaced with SA pine, which was limewashed. The roof upstairs was finished with poplar beams and a rietdak ceiling. Booyens designed a new self-supporting steel staircase as a contrasting contemporary insertion. 'The staircase doesn’t touch the original structure of the building,' he says. It floats above the floor and is set slightly apart from the walls, connecting at a single point on the floor and at just one point on the mezzanine level. Its contemporary unichannel frame and intricately detailed American Oak treads, suspended by a system of cables, make for a subtle intervention. The modern decorative timber screen is similarly light, but clearly expressed as a contemporary addition, respecting the historical fabric of the building through contrast and a lightness of touch.

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The two stone treads at the base of the staircase are also offset from the walls and the staircase, so that they and the staircase appear as 'two loose elements inside the original building,' as Booyens puts it.

historical buildings in both countries are made in quite similar ways, using mud and stone and materials that were immediately available to them,' he says. 'And, actually, they have quite similar landscapes.'

The mezzanine level has a long, narrow en suite bathroom running the length of the front wall, which also contrasts with the historical fabric. It is accessed via a large cut-out between the bedroom and bathroom to facilitate the views to the orchard beyond. 'And of course take advantage of the breeze and the natural light,' adds Truen. A curtain provides privacy when necessary.

He was also interested by what he perceived as similarities between Cape and Mexican modernism. The work of the Cape and of Mexican modernists were both rooted in their respective vernacular architectures, and fused local materials and construction techniques with modernist approaches to forge a rich, sensual regionalist approach to modernist principles.

The bathroom combines contemporary materials such as terrazzo cladding and a laser-cut metal ceiling with a long poplar table that runs the length of the wall in front of the windows, and poplar shutters. The contemporary materials are natural and honestly expressed, as Truen puts it, 'nesting in quite nicely,' and engaging with the building’s heritage by expressing time as a continuum acknowledging the contemporary moment. The exterior of the wine store has been painted pink partly in reference to the historical practice in the karoo of mixing lime to make a light red or pink colour, and partly in an exploration of some of the historical connections between Cape and Mexican architecture. This avenue of architectural dialogue was prompted by a number of trips Truen had made to Mexico as a result of international commissions there. He visited various traditional Mexican buildings, as well as some famous examples of Mexican modernist architecture such as Luis Barragán’s famous Cuadra San Cristóbal. 'A lot of the

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Both Mexican and Cape modernism were particularly sensitive to the climate and quality of light, which lent itself to the use of bright colours. Cuadra San Cristóbal was painted shades of pink. Truen also draws a connection between the shutter door of the main house and Barragan’s modernist redeployment of similar doors and window shutters to moderate heat, light and privacy. This dialogue between Cape and Mexican architecture is also evident in parts of the landscaping throughout the rest of the restoration project. The pool above the main house and the water channel that runs to the dam, for example, also take cues from Barragán’s use of water features. Pump house The pump house is a new building constructed in response to the need for an irrigation building. 'It was an opportunity to experiment and test some ideas we had to do with contemporary architecture built using traditional techniques,' says Truen.

The building forms a connection between the landscape and the dam wall. Its earth-coloured walls take their cue from the poured-mud walls of the heritage buildings. 'It’s a technique somewhere between rammed earth and working with concrete,' explains Booyens. 'You could almost say it’s a primitive form of working with concrete, but instead of concrete, we worked with mud.' The walls are more than a metre thick, and have been left unpainted, expressing their materiality and blending with the landscape. The vaulted brick roof was an experiment in construction devised to simplify the expensive and highly skilled labour usually required to construct vaults. It involved creating a system of steel beams and a plywood template, and building the vault one row at a time, which proved both cost efficient and appropriate for the skills available locally. 'When we took the shutter out, it stood up, because it was a real catenary arch,' says Booyens. The rest of the roof is planted, and steel waterspouts cantilever far out from the walls so that water draining from the roof does not fall against the wall, a technique adapted from vernacular West African adobe architecture. 'For me, it was a really interesting experience to go and find materials on site, and then build something that is so fundamentally in tune with the climate and performs so much better than any contemporary building,' says Truen. 'There are definitely lessons there.'

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