SCAPE | May 2022 | Urban & Retail | Vol. 80 by Paper Plane Publications

MAY 2022

URBAN & RETAIL

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/ LEADER /

WELCOME TO THE MAY URBAN & RETAIL ISSUE OF SCAPE. In 30 Years’ time two thirds of the world’s population is expected to reside in cities – with the biggest increases expected to be in Asia and Africa. Oh yes, by 2050 things will be looking very different for urban spaces and this means that our municipalities, private and public developers, architects, designers, urban planners and landscape architects and professionals need to (and are) placing the urban realm at the fore. The role of urban space based on these projections (and with the increased visibility during the pandemic), will play an enormous role in shaping wellbeing and creating meaning. Our May issue explores the urban environment, visiting spaces and places that are indicative of this setting and places that are reinventing and rethinking the way we inhabit cities. We’ve decided to partner retail spaces with the urban issue, as often the two are seen to co-exist, looking for robust solutions to high density settings. The content plan for this issue is fantastic, hosting more than 12 curated pieces, unique to our pages. Malls by KMH Architects and MDS Architecture, brilliant features from architects and urban gurus like Gregory Katz and Mphethi Morojele. A 1.2 billion rand public building designed by Lyt Architecture and a brand new high street for Hermanus by GAPP Architects and Urban Designers. The role of green space in urban settings is addressed by GREENinc and Yes& Studio, and the indepth One on One Interview with Nathan Iyer of IYER is must read . We also have incredible interior design for retail spaces with a concept store for the fashion label Me&B by Arrange Studio and an exquisite interview with Giorgio Tatsakis of Ethos restaurant. SCAPE SA the Trade Show is moving full steam ahead, with planning of our seminar package for this much anticipated event now underway. Save the date, as we’ll be exploding onto the scene on the 21st October 2022 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. If you are a trader in the design, build or maintenance realms -this day has been created especially for you!

Advertising Key Account Manager Justine Coleman Media Sales Executive Basheerah De Villiers Media Sales Executive Cameron Peters Media Sales Executive Kieran Hedges

Editorial Editor-in-Chief & Director Chanel Besson Commissioning Editor Amy Aries Design Zoey&I - Sarah Gregg-Macdonald

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Rosebank Succulent wall

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CONTENTS

Flagstaff Mall by LYT Architecture and The Landscape Studio

56 Three Arts Village by KMH Architects and cndv landscape architects

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Sustainable Greening of Public Space

Tactical Urbanism by Mphethi Morojele, MMA Design Studio

by Stuart Glen and PG Smit, GREENinc Landscape Architecture + Urbanism

One on One

Reinvigorating Retail The Me&B flagship store, by Roxanne Ferreira, Arrange Studio

66 Ethos Restaurant by Giorgio Tatsakis, Atelier Giorgio

with Nathan Iyer of IYER

Urban Gardening and the Community

Portfolio

by Amy Thompson and Rhuben Jacobs, Yes& Studio

40 High Street Hermanus

by GAPP Architects and Urban Designers

Corner Fox by Gregory Katz, Gregory Katz Architecture

46 Tshwane House by LYT Architecture

72 Mixed-use building HVAC Application Success with Samsung

74 Transform the Way You Work with STIHL

Kerk St West

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SUSTAINABLE GREENING OF PUBLIC SPACE GREENinc Landscape Architecture + Urbanism

ur May issue is all about the urban setting, and with that in mind we wanted to chat to a firm that has a real understanding of 'urban landscapes' and the value of these spaces.

A good sit-down with Stuart Glen and PG Smit of GREENinc Landscape Architecture + Urbanism. Q: What would you say are the fundamentals, or key considerations, for the design of public and urban spaces? PG: Ultimately, we are designing spaces for people, so, when we think about approaching the design of a public space, we need to think about people first. That touches on a number of issues, how do we use spaces? What do people need in order to feel comfortable in those spaces? How do we deal with different climatic conditions? If it rains or is too hot, how do we create spaces that are as open-ended as possible, but still have enough utility built into them so that people might use these spaces? For example, a public space is not the same as a building that has very definite roles, like an office, a reception… It’s very clear as to how we use those spaces, as opposed to how we use a public space. We, typically, design for everybody and anybody, and the space needs to be used for a whole host of different things. Someone may want to be there to just sit and read a book, or for someone’s birthday party, or a group of friends getting together. So, there are a lot of inspirations and considerations for this space. The other thing we need to bear in mind is that the landscape changes over time -you plant trees in a space which are inevitably going to grow over time. Most of these public spaces take decades to mature, and so, time is always something to consider. Stuart: In our country, particularly, one important thing is that people feel physically safe in a space, and that they feel (psychologically) comfortable. I suppose the important thing about feeling comfortable is that you don’t feel excluded, and you don’t feel like it’s been designed for someone else, or that you don’t quite fit in. It leads onto something PG was saying about how you could possibly use a public space in various ways, and often a successful space leaves it up to the user to choose. You don’t want a space that’s designed too closely to a specific use. Opportunities to come into contact with nature are important too, especially with COVID-19, and all of us having more screentime, most of us are likely suffering from nature-deficit disorder, more than we were before the pandemic. One thing that designers don't often do, is ask the users what they think, or what their considerations might be? So, public participation is important for urban work, especially for public spaces.

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Boulevard One, Gaborone, Botswana

PG: The aspect of maintenance is also quite important, we don’t often include maintenance on a particular project, so the long-term success is determined by how robust the interventions are that are planned, and if they are under strain, or conditions of low maintenance is something to take into consideration. Planting species that can actually survive, even if there is low maintenance. Also using materials that aren’t necessarily prone to theft or vandalism. Often, there needs to be public partnership in place, partnership, when it comes to maintenance. So, if there is some sort of function in that space that has a commercial aspect to it, they will furnish the space and help to keep it clean. Ultimately, that ensures success of a development.

Q: Let’s chat about the current situation of COVID-19 – society emerging from the pandemic… How do you think the pandemic will affect urban spaces, and municipal response? PG: The pandemic has actually been really great, in terms of creating awareness of healthy urban environments. The issue of parks, and sort of ‘healthy’ urban spaces, has not always had a lot of traction with the general public. Particularly in South Africa, we are big on private public spaces versus public open spaces. With the need to have social distancing, and eat in spaces with good ventilation, suddenly there’s a bigger focus on the outdoor environment and being able to gather or eat in that space. The average person is now more aware of the need for ‘healthier’ buildings, we need better ventilation or more greening; better interaction between the building and the outdoor environment. The hold of, and what the pandemic has done to society, has helped the landscape architect. Also, everyone is more socially deprived as they haven’t had that much opportunity to have face-to-face interaction has also become very important, so we need environments where people can meet and eat, spend time together, but also incorporate social distancing.

GREENINC LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE + URBANISM Stuart Glen Founding principal landscape architect and director PG Smit Landscape architect and urban designer www.greeninc.co.za @ greeninc.la

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Q: We have seen a lot of emphasis moving towards greening urban spaces...Public parks, piazzas, and the likes, in an international context. How might South Africa adopt this concept on our limited budget, and within our unique context? Stuart: PG mentioned public private partnerships earlier, and it seems to be the way forward for us. Unfortunately, our fiscus doesn’t seem to extend to public open space in a major way. I think there were exceptions to that, during the World Cup, for instance, we saw a lot of money being spent around the stadiums and things like the beachfront promenade in Durban, but generally, when people don’t have a roof over their heads the funding will go to helping that. Private partnerships are the future, we actually have a new one in our neighbourhood, and I don’t think landscape architects built it unfortunately, but a local neighbourhood group took back an area of Parkland that had become derelict and unsafe, and they raised money, fenced it in and turned it into a dog park, which we now use every day. So that may just be how we have to do it now in South Africa, have people be involved and hands-on.

PG: When I think about public spaces, my mind immediately goes to cities like New York, which in the past, had very poor public spaces. It was very much car-oriented. Awhile back there was this movement, fairly similar to The Better Block Foundation, where they started reclaiming areas that weren’t necessary for cars; parking lots, or areas where the intersections were too big, they started carving out areas that were reclaimed for public use and shrunk the intersections. They started using products, like street furniture, to demarcate these public spaces and this, eventually, led to a rise in property backings. Ultimately, a lot of these spaces have now been formalised, some streets have been pedestrianised, and it has led to a revolution, in terms of public spaces.

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Q: What is the most interesting urban space you have seen, local or international, and why do you feel it is successful?

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When you think about it, you obviously think of Central Park, but there’s a whole host of smaller public spaces that have sprung up because of these tactical interventions, and I think that is something we can aspire to do. Small, low cost, higher impact interventions that lead to larger changes. If you were to historically look at Broadway, it’s such a long street running through New York, and if you go back twenty years (in terms of the photographs), you’ll see that it was actually a horrible environment – but now, because of these interventions, the whole of Broadway has been upgraded and large parts have been pedestrianised.

13 Umhlanga Gateway Public Environment Upgrade, Durban, Kwazulu Natal.

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Boulevard One, Gaborone, Botswana

Stuart: A couple of years ago, I visited Copenhagen, and I think the way they do things is different and particularly interesting. One place that stood out was the Bølgen Recreational Facility on the harbour, which has a series of multi-level floating decks on the harbour which give people access to the water. There are places to launch your kayak, you can dive off, people sunbathe, and I think it really fits all those prerequisites for a successful space because everyone feels safe and does whatever they feel like doing, and it gives you more access to water, which is an important part of nature. I recently read that ‘blue space’ is even better than green space. PG: The local equivalent of that is a lot of the public spaces that they’re developing in Cape Town. We have The Promenade and Greenpoint Park, which are phenomenal examples of public open spaces and incredibly well-used. If you look at The Waterfront, and the development they've done with Battery Park, and the canal, where they’ve incorporated amenities, such as skateparks and sports facilities...Those spaces are activated through private sector endeavours, but ultimately it's in public spaces, so it becomes commercially viable but also helps to maintain in the long run, and so now what used to be nothing of interest, is a public space where people can paddle board or sit at a coffee shop. There’s a whole network of open space that connects to The Waterfront. That sort of thinking, of linking together a series of open spaces, to a larger network ultimately becomes more powerful. The more connected the open spaces are, the more people use them in their day-to-day life, and it's much better to walk through, instead of walking down streets that are designed for cars.

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Times Square is a great example of that, not because of the visual evolution, but if you look at the actual surface of rg the square- from asphalt to beautiful public square, which never would have happened had it not been for these bu es interventions. If you look at the entire waterfront around New York, a lot of focus has been placed on taking back n n ha that area, after which, traditionally, the city had turned its back on the river because it was polluted and used for Jo , e industrial purposes, but now there’s this huge focus on the value of what the waterfront space is. They are taking that which was never designed for public spaces and retrofitting them to really cater towards people. Particularly because cities all around the world, including South Africa, are becoming more and more dense, we need to think about incorporating public spaces into cities. The average person has less and less open space in their private capacity, and there are rising problems with that, so we need to create spaces to suit their needs.

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Q: What has been your most successful urban project as a team? Stuart: The first one we did was the Hollard Street upgrade, in Marshalltown, Johannesburg, and that was also, in a way, a private-public partnership, as it was funded by SA Eagle (it was also called SA Eagle Square). It was a derelict space at the time, in the early days of Johannesburg’s revival and part of the downtown upliftment efforts. There were old, empty water features, and after we finished it, it still is a very successful space. We also worked on the Braamfontein Urban Improvement Project, which covered several streets. It involved planting trees along the sidewalks. More recently, we did The Umhlanga Gateway Public Environment Upgrade, which is at the entrance to the Gateway Mall. Again, there was a derelict water feature there, and the client really wanted one -so now there is a new water feature. Those are just some of the urban projects we’ve done that I believe were successful.

Q: We understand that urban or communal spaces need a contextual approach to have the members of the community 'buy in' and use the space. Is this truly achievable with the contrasting levels of socio-economic inequality within South Africa? How difficult is this approach for you? PG: The latest riots in KZN is a good example of instances where the community stood up and protected that which belonged to them. They rallied around malls, and public assets and protected them. If you translate that to public spaces, when people have pride in those public spaces, and they feel it contributes to their wellbeing, they'll be more inclined to protect it. If it is something that has been superimposed onto them and has no engagement, or it doesn’t really benefit their daily life, then they’re going to be less inclined to protect it. There’s this concept called NIMBY - ‘not in my backyard.’ People are more inclined to protect things that belong to them. It’s important that people feel they are part of the process, so that they feel that they own the space and intervention. Stuart: I think from a design point of view this comes back to making sure no one feels the space was designed for someone else. So, I think it means avoiding overt cultural references that might exclude another part of the population, and when we’re talking about context, maybe it’s about looking at a natural material palette which references local context, and not have something look too slick, so that it doesn’t intimidate some people. The two important factors are that everyone feels like they belong and everyone feels that they can use the space as they choose to, and feel comfortable. From a design point of view, it’s about human scale, and varying the scale of spaces. Some people may be intimidated by a vast open plaza, and maybe having more intimate spaces may accommodate them and make them feel more comfortable. I know it’s possible to get that 'buy in' from everyone, because if we go down to the Durban Promenade it’s a hugely successful space. If we go down there, we see everyone sharing the space, using it the way they want to use it.

Q: What types of materials do you consider in these settings, and what are you encouraged to work with currently? Stuart: We always try to incorporate sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS), as it’s quite important, for example, using bioswales to improve stormwater infiltration. Other elements include paving, wood, we’re always looking for better street furniture, better lighting, which is great for safety. GREENinc has always tried to use local indigenous planting, as much as possible, and look at other ways to create wildlife habitats. Even in the city, if you share the city with wildlife, it’s just another way to get closer to nature, which is important.

Q: Can you give us and our readers a sneak peek into what GREENinc currently has in the pipeline? PG: Something great that we are working on is the Sir Seretse Khama International Airport, in Botswana, in which we are looking at a whole mixed-use urban development centre around the airport. As landscape architects and urban designers, we were able to get involved quite early and planned this system of open spaces and save the urban fabric around the development space. It’s a slightly different way of looking at urban development because we look at the spaces in between first, then we place the buildings, and I think ultimately that’s going to lead to magnificent results.

EMBRACING URBAN GARDENING AS A COMMUNITY BUILDING TOOL

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topian visions of just and sustainable cities often conjure images of plentiful urban farms, planted roofscapes and sumptuous home and community gardens, where owners and residents can reap the rewards of their tended patch and fully supply their household needs. These images speak to curing the food crisis, preventing food deserts and creating healthier urban populations and are undoubtedly evocative.

We are sceptics. Urban farming, though often touted as a panacea to many of our urban issues is a complex beast. Growing food at home or on a rooftop is hard and resource intensive. In South Africa, a large number of urban farms have failed to provide adequately and studies have proven that urban farming in its traditional form alone does not meaningfully address food security. This scepticism, however, does not mean that we think that food gardens should not be built or included in projects going forward. What we do think is that the outcomes of the food gardens should be reframed and refocused to include their potential as community building tools and as places that draw people together over shared activities and interests. We believe that community gardens should be a means to provide value to a community and to connect to the activities of surrounding neighbourhoods. Urban food gardens should create opportunities to protect and enhance natural ecosystems. Apart from educating individuals and communities, urban food gardens should provide people access to food nutrition and create a connection between those gardening to the natural environment. Most importantly, in order to succeed, urban gardens should have a clearly identified local champion who can take ownership and ensure continued success. Our proposal for Blok’s 'Joy Of Choice' Campaign challenges the 'put a garden on it' approach and rather celebrates and supports existing successful urban farms. The proposal was created as a public participation initiative to test what residents would like to see along Sea Point, Main Road, as part of Blok’s new 82 on M development. The Joy of Choice space is designed to be an Urban Food Hub, imagined as a point where multiple producers could include their produce in a central market space and create support for existing urban farming initiatives. It is envisaged that this space could serve as a commercial connection point for urban farmers across the Cape Metro. The food hub aims to collaboratively support these urban food gardens, social farms and agri-hubs to build socially, ecologically and economically resilient communities in cities.

YES& STUDIO Amy Thompson and Rhuben Jacobs Directors and landscape architects www.yesand.studio @yesandstudio

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Urban Food Hub, Yes& Studio, 'The Joy of Choice', Sea Point, Cape Town

We think that an initiative like the food hub would offer numerous benefits, including expanded market opportunities for farmers, job creation, and increased access to healthy foods by consumers. In turn, this inevitably promotes a more sustainable food system and food value chains, as well as becoming a key space within Sea Point for people to come together over healthy, fresh food. We find the practice of gardening cathartic and have run several planting programmes as a form of public participation to support our projects. These planting workshops are designed as events where people can come together and chat (about the project at hand, or indeed other things) over a shared activity. We have recently completed a planting school as part of the Europe Informal Settlement Water Point Upgrade Project. The planting school was a series of practical workshops that impart critical gardening skills to community members whilst growing and planting all material for the construction of the water point project. We have found this successful as it enables us to start an on-site nursery that grows all the plant material required for the project, which is beneficial when project resources are limited, and it allows us to bring additional community members (primarily women) into the construction process and in so doing, creates project ownership. Has the planting school always been successful? Most definitely not, but we still believe that this is a valuable engagement tool and we have learned from each iteration. We have discovered that the identification of a 'community champion' is the key to any long-term success of any project, and as plants are living, breathing materials, their neglect is immediately apparent and sometimes other uses of planted space are much more appealing. In Europe, for example, our retaining wall, that we envisaged as a green planted edge has created a really attractive jungle gym and most of the plants have not survived. We are now compromising, leaving areas of the wall for the children to play and bringing them into the project as fledgling gardeners. Charles, one of the community elders in Europe, is training them to plant, tend and value and we are interested to observe if this is successful. Afterall, there is such an opportunity for children to learn and take part in creating these gardens.

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pon the intersecting roads of Commissioner and Fox Street, proudly taking up the space of a whole block in Johannesburg’s Maboneng Precinct, with its shweshwe-inspired facebrick façade, stands a building of cultural vibrancy and strength -Corner Fox.

Images: Marc Shoul www.marcshoul.com @marcshoul

Designed by Gregory Katz, who in his former years interned with ‘starchitects’ such as, Berlin’s Zvi Hecker and Daniel Libeskind, in Los Angeles, during his undergraduate studies. Having obtained his Masters in Architecture at Columbia University in New York, Gregory has a perspective moulded by observation and immersion in the urban environment he is met with, and truly appreciates the unique opportunities South African architects have. Now, a lecturer at the Graduate School of Architecture at the University of Johannesburg, Gregory has spent the past year unpacking ornament and detail with his own students. 'We’re revisiting ideas around ornaments in the local context, and pulling them away from the modernist conversation to find out what’s relevant here and now.'

SCAPE gains insight into Gregory’s involvement on Corner Fox, as an example of inner-city urban architecture melded into a residential setting. Of the many endemic consequences of the apartheid era, the spatial planning imperatives, the strict separation of urban functions, are part of a legacy of pervasive hardship for our disenfranchised citizens. During apartheid, people worked together in the CBD and lived apart on the periphery, separated by vast distances. Since the late 90s, there has been a radical reversal of this framework with opportunities opening to live closer to the centre, nearer to affordable transport and to work opportunities. The inner-city has evolved into a vibrant, mixed-use community, attracting middle to low-income families as well as young professionals, students and migrants from across the continent. Spurred by a less rigorous application of the zoning laws, (bizarrely the city planners have recently reversed the allowance for industrial or commercial zoned properties to be used for residential purposes), hundreds of existing multi-story office buildings in the CBD were successfully converted into residential blocks. Converting an office building to an apartment building, a practice known as 'adaptive reuse,' poses several challenges; façades often do not meet residential fire-codes, natural light and air-flow are often an issue with typical deep office block floor plates, centralised plumbing does not fit the distributed residential model, and elevators are used more intensively than originally intended. New builds in the inner-city are a rare opportunity to craft from scratch an ideal lifestyle environment in complex conditions. Gregory Katz Architects jumped at the chance to design Corner Fox, an apartment building of over 300 apartments on a full city block, on the city’s eastern edge. Joburg CBD is a melting pot, where people from diverse economic and cultural backgrounds have made their home. 'The challenge was to make an environment that fosters a harmonious community in dense urban conditions,' says architect, Gregory Katz. Joburg city blocks are typically crowded by several tall buildings with no open spaces apart from the occasional, windswept corporate plaza. Corner Fox has a 'doughnut' configuration, the building hugs the site perimeter with lots of small shops facing the street at ground level to create an 'active edge.' In the centre- a generously proportioned courtyard, a sanctuary from the bustling city, is carved out. Affordable housing projects have 'zero fat', costs need to be carefully managed to deliver a product that is lettable at the right price. Lean contexts such as these often drive innovation. 'The standard approach is to provide individual private balconies for each apartment… At Corner Fox we motivated for a trade-off – instead of the private balconies on the exterior originally budgeted for, those areas were allocated to the circulation passages that wrap the internal courtyard,' says Gregory. These internal undulating 'public balconies' widen the passages from the regulation 1.5m to as much as 4.5m in parts. Not only are these areas spatially generous, but they are also programmed with useful services for the occupants, such as laundry troughs, wash-lines and seating. According to Gregory, 'one of the main challenges for housing in the inner-city is how one fosters community amongst residents that come from vastly different places and backgrounds.' By creating meaningful and useful reasons to spend time in these pause areas, the design actively encourages community building. The idea of community-building is taken further in the courtyard colour scheme which gives each floor a unique identity. The passageways on every floor is painted in a different colour (all standard roof paint colours, to ensure they are easily matched in future). The roof is another social condenser space – made of concrete with a Penetron additive (a chemical waterproofing agent mixed into the wet concrete), the roof has no sensitive waterproofing covering and is 100% trafficable. 'Kids ride bikes and skateboards up there, there are braai facilities and stormwater storage tanks; we never anticipated quite how much people would use these spaces.' says Gregory.

GREGORY KATZ ARCHITECTURE Gregory Katz Architect www.gregorykatz.co.za @gregorykatzarch

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“The challenge was to make an environment that fosters a harmonious community in dense urban conditions” 23

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The building exterior is no less considered. The building stands out even in the advertising-heavy environs of the city. The façades have graphic pattern, inspired by the vibrant 'shweshwe' textiles that are the signature fashion on the streets of the CBD. The various shades of pink lend the façades a shimmering quality. Gregory maintains that 'smooth plaster is favourable for walls that you can touch, and it looks good for the post-build photoshoot but tends to crack in our climate and requires lots of maintenance.' For the exterior, the architects proposed painting directly onto the clay stock-brick, shifting the cost centre for plastering to pay for high-quality paint, portions of facebrick and additional labour charges to create a giant repeated pattern. By turning the bricks 90 degrees, the bricks 'pixilate' and allow for a fine-grained diamond pattern to emerge. 'It’s a real testament to the high degree of skills possessed by our masons that we were able to execute a pattern of this size and complexity,' notes Gregory. The fusion of patterns hints at a modern African aesthetic, opening up a sense of possibility for the future of inner-city life.

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TACTICAL URBANISM: CREATING APPROPRIATE STREET FURNITURE. 26

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iven the highly diverse nature of South African society and its very high Gini co-efficiency, its public spaces are fraught with a myriad of complex and competing urban infrastructure demands. Historically, South Africa’s apartheid cities spatially designed people’s presence out as much as possible, denying and prohibiting any real opportunities for urban interaction amongst its diverse designated groups. A lot has been written about the post-apartheid urban culture and associated urban spaces, as both formally and informally constituted and whether through state, community or private agency. These writings and discussions recognise the importance of safety and security in public spaces in order to engender feelings of wellbeing, ownership and belonging and ones that promote social cohesion. Critical to the sense of belonging in the design of public spaces include aspects such as: accessibility, legibility, visibility, passive surveillance and easy wayfinding. At a more detailed level, it is the design of the tactile and 'placemaking' elements such as comfortable pavements, curb-sides, landscaping, street furniture and amenities. Public spaces are also appealing because of their character and identity often borne out of their historical place in the city and the memory of stories and events that may have happened. These characteristics can be drawn out through the idea of 'placemaking,' the use of public art and street furniture elements and designs, much like we attempted in the Greater Ellis Park redevelopment for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Placemaking suggests not only the design elements but also the management, maintenance and the continued purposeful activation of spaces in conjunction with local communities. Public spaces are the glue that holds communities together. Tactical urbanism is a form of participatory design wherein public spaces are activated in order to test certain design ideas on a temporary basis, seeking feedback to further inform and solidify a more permanent implementation, informed by input from communities and their stakeholders, as they are directly affected and impacted. It understands the importance of understanding who the stakeholders are in a space and what their needs of the space may be through various participatory design methods. Some of these might include temporary road closures and prototyping furniture installations to test the more successful designs.

Some projects that come to mind include, Durban 2014 UIA, where the 'othering' of architecture and planning was discussed, workshopped and publicly exhibited in the conference themed 'Architecture Otherwise.' Parts of the city were temporarily repurposed with street closures and public performances in the hope that these would trigger new ways of using ontein Innovati on f m a a r B Prec West i n ct public space within an African context of Durban, in particular. ,M MA De sig

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Tactical urbanism seeks to promote new and inclusive planning strategies that reflect and align with the needs, aspirations, values and concerns of local communities. The Johannesburg Development Agency’s 'Hello Joubert 2021', run by Local Studio, had an objective of improving the safety of traders and pedestrians in a densely populated part of Joburg's CBD, whilst increasing the retail turnover for traders and improving the public’s mobility and access in and around Joubert Street. Stiemens Street project, in 2018, 'Building the Public City,' was sponsored by the Johannesburg Development Agency and UN-Habitat, looked at increasing seating options at Eland Square area with some level of defensible space. It also sought for better connectivity across Bertha Street and Jan Smuts Avenue by removing vehicles that were parking and cluttering an otherwise 'pedestrain friendly' space.

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Some of the objectives included creating visual connectivity between main pedestrian routes; improve street lighting, encourage activity in currently underused spaces, increase the perception of activity and maintain visibility at eye level. There is also Open Streets Cape Town, which is a citizen driven initiative working to change how people use, perceive and experience streets. They create recreational events where spaces or streets become 'car free' environments promoting the prioritisation of pedestrian movement for social interaction, facillitating ways for people to come out of their imposed social clusters. MMA Design Studio, in collaboration with ASM Architects and Urban Designers, delivered a study in 2019 titled, West Braamfontein Innovation Precinct and Pedestrian Safety and Environment Upgrade, detailed proposals in 2020, complementing and building upon the Gateway projects, implemented by Wits University in previous years. These initiatives and projects are motivated by the commitment of Wits University to introduce safe and effective ways of integrating the campus with its neighbourhood and the city. In the WPSFD - The Wits Edge Strategy: Participatory Street Furniture Design Project – the initiative is driven by the aim of incorporating public and community input in the conceptualisation and design of Braamfontein urban furniture, drawing from best practice and experiences, to represent a localised version of 'creative placemaking,' setting up a new precedent and model for the city and the country with the objective of benchmarking a collaborative design process. This includes engaging with local stories and content that inform decisions and prioritise interventions. The work will be guided by principles embedded in environmental justice principles and practices, centered in the following aspects: participatory design, evidence-based outcomes, learning and applying best practice collaborative design techniques, creative partnerships and equity. This seminal work will inform other activities to be undertaken, involving interactive testing and collection of ideas that will be conducted to understand important issues, such as what makes a street ‘work,’ who are its ‘users,’ what ‘safe’ means for different users of the street, and what kind of 'improvements' are most desirable to be prioritised by different users and stakeholders. The interactive interventions and onsite testing will focus on delivering street furniture and elements that put people first. Survey interviews provides local narratives and bases data on key opportunities and challenges under the identified categories.

Image from Hello Joubert. Pictured by Local Studio

MMA DESIGN STUDIO Mphethi Morojele Founder and architect www.mmastudio.co.za @mmadesignstudio

The 'Spun Chair' by Crema Design, Zeitz MOCAA, Cape Town, South Africa.

Mural by Baz-Art, Cape Town, South Africa.

ONE ON ONE WI TH NATHA N I YE R

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Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban.

SCAPE catches up with Nathan Iyer, Founder of IYER, to take a closer look into past and present projects, placemaking in an urban setting and how he and his team are activating positive human experiences and environmental rehabilitation through design. Q: 'The people who use a space should influence its design…’ What does this mean to IYER, and how does this sentiment influence your design process? At IYER we are very keen on collaborative design which we strive for through various processes and tools. At a conceptual level, urban design and cities are about the collective, so when designing, we often work in the form of ‘charettes’- design workshops - with stakeholders, communities, as well as multi-disciplinary teams as cocreators. Our Johannesburg studio, headed up by Tahira Toffa, has engaged in several bottom-up urban design processes, actively involving local communities in the design of spaces and buildings. Not only does this foster greater ownership through participation, but it also allows for 'richer' outcomes, which are locally relevant. I believe collaborative design does lead to more meaningful architecture, engaging public spaces, and overall, better designed cities.

IYER Nathan Iyer Founder and architect www.iyer.co.za @iyer_za

Q: IYER is engrained in the development of urban settings with iconic public spaces in South Africa, such as Sibaya, Cornubia and The Durban Point Promenade, forming part of your flagship project set. Which local development(s) are you currently working on, and what can we expect to see in the next few years? We are currently engaged in several projects for the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA). A key project within this portfolio is for the Orange Farm Community which is a marginalised community, 'dis-located' on the outskirts of Johannesburg. Our work here transcends various scales, from the urban design framework scale through to the detail design of streetscapes, public spaces and buildings.

"I believe collaborative design does lead to more meaningful architecture, engaging public spaces, and overall, better designed cities."

Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban.

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Q: Smart cities are part of the current zeitgeist and are incredibly future forward. You've been hard at work creating one in Mauritius…Tell us a little more about this iconic project?

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It does feel a bit nostalgic for me, on a personal level, as it takes me back to the work we did in the build-up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup, where we designed the Moses Mabhida Precinct and People’s Park in Durban. Here again, our focus was on not only creating wonderful buildings, but more importantly, a precinct of excellence, designed around public space and the needs of people.

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Within this broader project, we are currently engaged in the Chris Hani Sports Precinct, where we are designing a series of sports facilities connected by a network of pedestrian links and public spaces. This is certainly one of the projects that I am most looking forward to seeing in the coming years.

We have been very fortunate to be involved in the design of three smart cities in Mauritius, two of which are well into implementation. Within the north of the island, we have worked with Nova Terra on the Beau Plan Smart City, and in the central part of the island, we have been involved in the design of the Moka Smart City for ENL Properties. It's absolutely amazing to see these projects materialising over the last few years. Our approach in both of these projects is toward the design of human-centred places and a return to the urban fundamentals that make great cities. Unfortunately, within the movement of smart cities, globally, we have seen the term 'smart city' being heavily biased toward technological interpretations and responses. Whereas I believe cities are for people, and design approaches that put people first, these should underpin the design of smart cities. That means designing cities that are ‘people-centric’ and not ‘techno-centric. We have been quite deliberate in our design for these cities to have a more ‘people-centered’ approach.

Moka Smart City, Mauritius.

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To this end, for example, in Moka Smart City, it is quite amazing to see our concept of a central promenade as ‘backbone’ infrastructure, taking pride of place in the developers programme, and to watch this space being realised, brings absolute joy to me each time I visit this project.

Q: Placemaking in urban design, what are key considerations and common pitfalls in our South African context? I think one of the common pitfalls is where urban design and placemaking is driven solely from an aesthetic perspective. This leads to projects that are based on beautification with standardised approaches devoid of local meaning. Within the South African city context, particularly in marginalised township environments, placemaking and urban design needs to address much deeper structural issues, to develop places that have meaning, and which deliver beyond the superficiality of beautification. There is a dire need for urban design in township contexts which brings dignity; which enables social and economic opportunity; which offers cultural meaning, whilst at the same time, bringing beauty to these often forgotten parts of our cities. This reminds me of the work we have implemented in Westbury, where we designed a park and playground as part of an infrastructure project for a new pedestrian bridge. Here we looked for opportunities to do more, and provide in addition to the safe crossing useable public space which resulted in the development of a multi-functional park at the base of the bridge. This project was headed up by Clive Tsimba, our lead landscape architect based in our Johannesburg studio. The project received a National Award of Excellence from the Institute of Landscape Architects in 2017, recognising the role of urban design and landscape architecture within this very deserving context. Personally, the championing of urban design and placemaking in lower income communities remains foremost in my personal pursuit, and is a core part of the IYER DNA, now being advanced by the wonderful teams we have nurtured in both our Durban and Johannesburg studios.

Q: What would you like to see more of and what do you believe South African municipalities need to address when it comes to urban corridors and public spaces? The South African urban condition is at quite a dichotomy in terms of development. Sandton is predominantly a vehicular driven system, whereas Alexandra, on its doorstep, is predominately a pedestrian and public transport ‘driven’ place. This dichotomy plays itself out in most South African cities. I have been a strong advocate for a shift within municipalities, to recognise the need for greater attention to be placed on the needs of pedestrians and in public transport design, and to see the potential at the intersection of these systems, which is where urban life is at its most richest. This zone ‘in transition’ are vital spaces that require deliberate design in catering for the needs of people and represent unique opportunities for ‘everyday urbanism’. The second strategy that I often advocate for in the municipal space is the development of public placemaking in the delivery of new low-cost housing projects. Well-made and accessible public spaces should be seen as part of the essential infrastructure of housing projects, and not as a nice-to-have, and worse still, as a dressing up of poor design with a few trees and un-useable leftover space.

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We have made substantial ground on this front in the design of the Cornubia Housing project for the Ethekweni Municipality, which is now considered as a national benchmark for Integrated Human Settlements. Through the work that Kamalen Gounden and myself have pursued in Durban, we have developed a design strategy that is deliberate in the making of settlements based on a public space system. At Cornubia, we designed the first phases of housing comprising of a network of courtyards, as urban devices to foster local placemaking and instil a sense of community. We are currently involved in the design of a further 4000 units across the next two phases for the Ethekweni Municipality. We have been extremely encouraged to see the Ethekweni Municipalities’ housing department incorporate this 'people-centered placemaking' approach in their delivery of low-cost housing.

Q: How can urban spaces aid in addressing climate change? I think there are various synergistic opportunities here – what COVID-19 has highlighted is the need for access to green spaces, be it for leisure, healthy living or in fact, to work as, in the advent of, the outdoor boardroom. This movement, together with a greater shift toward making urban spaces, will result in several benefits as far as climate change is concerned, and consequently, in the making of better cities. The potential for open spaces to contribute to air quality, to reduce heat gain, and importantly, contribute as productive space for urban food is an incredible opportunity that needs further exploration!

Q: Do you ever experience a pause in your creative process? What reinvigorates you when this happens? These pauses visit very often, fortunately I have learnt that this is part of the natural creative process. What is important is to understand that these moments are temporary, and are often proven to be necessary. We have just come through the last two years of a giant pause in many respects with COVID-19. Looking at these ‘pauses’ as opportunities for quiet reflection, and indeed reorientation, is an opportunity I have come to appreciate over the years. In times where there is need for some reinvigoration, I often found that travel either to familiar destinations, or discovering new destinations, always helps to inspire me. Of course, whilst I appreciate restful sandy vacations, I find that I am mostly drawn to the hustle and bustle of city destinations.

Cornubia Phase 1 Housing Project, Durban.

"What COVID-19 has highlighted is the need for access to green spaces, be it for leisure, healthy living or in fact, to work as, in the advent of, the outdoor boardroom."

'GO!Durban' Integrated Rapid Public Transport Network, eThekwini, Durban.

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Q: In an international context, what is one space that has inspired you and why? I think the city that inspires me the most, and from which I draw creative and cultural inspiration, is New York. This, to me, is the centre of the universe, and strangely, standing in Times Square, warts and all, feels like the epicentre of the world. I have found myself on every trip to New York over the last 20 years, gravitating to Times Square. Despite being dressed in its ‘full gory’, I still find there is an extremely attractive energy, that after years of bemusement, discover that it is actually less about the fabric and stage, and more about the actors within the space. I guess for me the most attractive feature of Times Square is the energy and diversity of its people, and so I have discovered that people like me, visit public spaces, mostly to look at other people... Looking at you.

Q: Who is someone (a developer or architect- or anyone in the industry) you would love to work with, and why? Whilst there are a few international architects and urban designers that I have come to admire over the years, if I had to single out one that I would love to work with, it would be Sir David Adjaye. I think his body of work speaks to the notion of an African identity that is contemporary yet crafted, bold yet simple, iconic yet urbane. I think the most endearing quality of his work is that it speaks of Black Excellence in design and serves as a powerful body of work to inspire generations of designers to come. A few years ago, whilst in the US, I made a special trip to Washington to visit Adjaye’s National Museum of African American History. I found this building to be a profound embodiment of his work and a kind of religious experience for myself. So David, I hope you are reading this, Sir...

Q: Which project are you most proud of to date and why? This is really a tough one to answer, as every project has a special place. However, I believe a game changer is the work we did for the 2010 Moses Mabhida Stadium and Precinct. I refer to this as a game changer, for many reasons, as I believe we broke new ground in the way stadiums are designed particularly in an urban setting. Whilst the project competition brief called for an 'iconic' building, we deliberately pursued a strategy to deliver an iconic ‘space’ and to blur the edges of what is private domain and what is public, providing a democratic setting, where it is just as delightful to sit outside the stadium as it is to be within the ticketed zone. During the competition stage, we expanded our project boundary in our design submission which encouraged the city to acquire the adjacent disused railway marshalling yards for the development of People's Park, which is a complete new addition to the quantum of public spaces within the city. Our urban design framework was in fact the genesis of several projects that have since been implemented, such as the development of Durban's promenade, and the pedestrian underpass link from the stadium back to the Golden Mile. This project has been widely published, internationally, and has received several accolades. In 2011, we were fortunate to be bestowed the President’s Award from the Institute of Landscape Architects, which is the highest National Award conferred by the Institute. This was truly an amazing period in our history, and in building the city, and certainly will stand out as a highlight in my design career.

Q: When you aren’t designing award-winning spaces and creating positive public spaces, where might we find you, and what are some of your hobbies? On the couch! Usually recovering from a busy week, sometimes coffee and remote in hand, but often still sketching, and pondering a better world. Unfortunately, as a designer, regular office hours have long evaded me.

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Rustenburg Mall: Image by Barry Goldman

A NEW CHAPTER FOR OLD HIGH STREET, HERMANUS 40

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he recent completion of the High Street upgrade means a new chapter and a new life for one of the oldest streets in Hermanus. Created in 1874, 20 years after Hermanuspietersfontein was established, the street developed a mostly residential character with typical fisherman’s cottages lining both edges. Many of these cottages still exist in current time but around the 1960’s disruption in the form of the Group Areas Act meant that a number of coloured families lost their homes and the predominant residential character of the street vanished. This made way for an increased commercial function that came with growing vehicular traffic and parking which overwhelmed the space to the detriment of the pedestrians who were relegated to two narrow sidewalks. The first 'seed' towards the change and a renewed pedestrian-friendly focus with the application of a 'shared street concept' in Hermanus was identified in the CBD Regeneration Framework completed by GAPP Architects and Urban Designers, in 2016. The plan envisaged the Hermanus CBD as a vibrant, safe and attractive public place for locals and visitors to spend time, a CBD that builds on the existing character of Hermanus. It also identified several high impact projects that could contribute to this vision and High Street was highlighted as one of these catalytic projects. The opportunity to implement the plans for High Street was seized by the Overstrand Municipality when appointing Element Consulting Engineers to carry out urgent stormwater upgrades to solve regular flooding in High and Main Street. For this purpose most of High Street had to be broken up and this meant that GAPP Architects and Urban Designers could implement the vision set out in the Regeneration Framework. Together with local government, residents, business fraternity and organisations like the Hermanus History Society, the plans were further developed. In this process, the Covid pandemic delayed the implementation but in return improved the conditions due to a changed outlook on the role and function of public space in society. It created a much broader support for quality pedestrian public space and reduction of vehicular dominance in the street. The upgrade of the High Street, completed in 2021, has created a streetscape with a single paved surface that connects building edge to building edge and an improved public realm, with new street lighting, seating, signage and tree planting. The whole street has become pedestrian domain, with the area earmarked for vehicular guests defined by a subtle change in paving textures and patters, through the use of SUDS, planters and bollards. This creates a shared street environment that allows for self-regulation of traffic, where vehicles do not dominate and people and cyclists take preference. As a pedestrian user of the street, there is a real sense of comfort which is achieved through minimising the width of the roadway and removing most of the on-street parking to maximise space that can be used to gather. The space gained by eliminating parking means that the many historic buildings have become visible and 'connected' to the street again, as well as making space for 'street living.' The street which was once a transition space, somewhere to park on the way to the beachfront, has now become a destination in of itself. It is lined with galleries, café’s and restaurants that spill out generously into the shared space and take advantage of the prime position beneath the new street trees. A new pergola, centrally located in the street, creates a focal point which spatially creates a new façade to separate the street from a parking lot and functionally has become a nice place to sit down and have a chat or be the centre piece for a market, outdoor concert, etc. The reimagined street creates a slowed down atmosphere that is brought alive by the local residents and businesses who have taken ownership of the space and made the street their own.

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MEET T HE T EAM

Main Contractor: Meyer Beton Element Consulting Engineers: Uli du Toit, Tertius Retief, Trevino Julius

Client: Overstrand Municipality Dennis Hendriks, Riaan Kuchar, Lauren Rainbird Consultants: GAPP Architects and Urban Designers Barbara Southworth, Hedwig Crooijmans-Lemmer, Amy Thompson, Sarchen Hough, James Stewart, Kira Bester

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Since the completion of the project there have been further community led initiatives to close High Street to vehicular-through traffic on particular weekends to allow for street markets and festivals and the street has hosted art and antique fairs as well as a jazz festival and a particularly lively, Bastille Day. Of particular note is a place called Black Medicine, where Amelia serves the best coffee and croissants in the Cape. She, as a renowned food entrepreneur, has been one of the champions of adopting a new pedestrian street and utilising it to the fullest. The Hermanus CBD is a town with very few street trees, probably due to a number of reasons including the fact that the coastal, windy and rocky environment is not kind to trees, being an important one. The design for High Street has seen the inclusion of 32 new Syzygium guineense (Waterpear) trees, that line the street edge and contribute to the quality of the public realm, making this the most tree lined street in the town. The final choice of trees came after a lengthy process in which a variety of other indigenous trees were considered but rejected. An innovative addition of Sustainable Urban Drainage areas with planting has been introduced along the kerb line of the street. Besides adding green and a change of texture, these SUDS are designed to support the primary storm water upgrades by absorbing the first portion of stormwater from the paved channel along the street besides providing much needed greening and spaces to sit. The High Street upgrade was commissioned in conjunction with the Hermanus Public Space Manual, a guide for future public space development within the Hermanus CBD. The Hermanus CBD manual defines key public spaces and outlines principles to create better public places for locals and tourists to spend time. This manual outlines a material look and feel for the CBD and capitalises on successful upgrades undertaken at Market Square and Gearing's Point. There has been an effort to enhance the character of the CBD through the use of locally sourced materials with low stone walls introduced at key points along the street. The use of concrete grey pavers in High Street ties the public spaces in the CBD together as does a similar use of signage, and street furniture. The historical narratives and stories of the street, collected and written up by the Hermanus History Society have also been included in the street upgrade and are highlighted through the use of laser cut corten steel inlays in the street indicating the names of families and businesses that once occupied the street, as well as an installation under the pergola at the centre of the street space explaining the different eras High Street has seen. This old and new chapter of High Street is best enjoyed as a leisurely stroll in the street along the shops, art galleries and restaurants while reading the narrative in the pavement and ending with coffee and croissants on one of the street corners.

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TSHWANE HOUSE

AN ICONIC SYMBOL OF AND FOR THE CITY

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Location: Pretoria Size: 35 000m2 Cost: R1,2 billion

he history of this site is well documented in a thesis by L Cottle of the University of Pretoria. The site of the Tshwane Municipal Complex acquires heritage status and significance given that the first owner of the property was President Marthinus Wessels Pretorius.

The President, who was the city’s founder, later sold the property to Mr TW Beckett who later built the Blackwood Villa Hotel on the site. This hotel was the city’s leading hotel for many years due to the efficiency of its stables and the stable boys. In 1936, Mr Beckett's son, who had inherited the property from his father, offered the site to the city council for R80 000, proposing that the site would be suitable for a market or garage for buses or bus parking. Following disagreements within the city authorities on the need for the site, it was only in March 1945, after WW2, that the city acquired the land from Mr Beckett. ‘On Tuesday, 4th March 1997, the blazing fire that destroyed the west wing of the Munitoria complex finally came to rest after about 12 hours of fire-fighting. Records, documents and office equipment of various departments were turned into ash. The remaining structure was imploded in February 1998. The only remains to this day is the concrete basin.’ (Pretoria News. March 4, 1997.) (Rekord. March 1997.) (Pretoria News Weekend. July 3, 1999). [University of Pretoria - Cottle, L (2003)]. The regional, national, continental and international socio-political image and status of the City of Tshwane Because this complex is the seat of the Local Authority of the City of Tshwane, it is imperative that the complex celebrates the regional, national, continental and international status of the city as a Capital City of the Republic of South Africa. The architecture of the complex aims to borrow from local and global design concepts. Traditional and cutting edge 21st century architecture and construction techniques are employed to express the status of the city. The current immediate and regional built environment context of the City of Tshwane The overall siting of the municipal complex is receptive and responsive to the existing pedestrian and vehicular traffic movements, which themselves were developed around western and European town planning principles. Moreover, the different typologies and various uses of the immediate surrounding buildings have informed the treatment of the municipal complex’s footprint and street level building edge functions. Regional context In designing the City of Tshwane’s Municipal Headquarters it is important to take cognisance of the fact that this building is the administration centre of rural areas, townships, suburbs and the inner city, fundamentally it is necessary that the building incorporates architectural principles from the diverse cultural background that constitute the regions of the City of Tshwane. The brief from the client From a history of a non-democratic past, South Africa’s Constitution has been hailed as one of the most progressive in the world, a culmination of far-reaching and inclusive negotiations. Human rights and freedom are central to this document and are stipulated as those of equality, freedom of expression and association, political and property rights, housing, healthcare, education, access to information, and access to courts. Democratic systems of government (be it National, Provincial or local) are central to the success of the constitution. It is with this in mind that the project team has proposed a municipal building that exemplifies the ideals of a democratic municipality representing and serving the people of Tshwane through elected councillors from the community, and the administrative structures.

“According to the Constitution of South Africa, 1996 (Act 108 of 1996), a municipality must structure and manage its administrative, budgeting and planning processes to give priority to the basic needs of the community, and promote the social and economic development of the community.” (City of Tshwane website: www.tshwane.gov.za/citystructure.cfm)

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LYT ARCHITECTURE www.lyt.co.za @lytarchitecture

The fundamental goals which have guided the design process Producing an environmentally responsible design which meets the requirements of the Green Building Council of South Africa’s Five Star Rating. providing a democratic environment for public participation and interaction creating a pleasurable work environment for staff, providing a quality building which also encompasses Value for Money for the City of Tshwane.

Create an iconic symbol of, and for, the city.

“The CTMM covers an extensive municipal area (3 200 km²) stretching for almost 60 km east/west and 70 km north/ south. The municipal area includes Pretoria, Centurion, Akasia, Soshanguve, Mabopane, Atteridgeville, Ga-Rankuwa, Winterveld, Hammanskraal, Temba, Pienaarsrivier, Crocodile River and Mamelodi. The area is inhabited by approximately 2,2 million people.” (City of Tshwane website: www.tshwane.gov.za/citystructure.cfm). This vast region sees the municipal building as their contact with government. It is for this reason that it is important that the offices clearly express the core values of the municipality and be representative of the interaction required for the functioning of a democracy. Environmentally conscious design should also demonstrate a responsible attitude to the environment. The history of the people of Tshwane speaks of a melting pot of tribes. The architectural design proposal has attempted to create a physical manifestation of the diversity of cultures, people and places that not only make up Tshwane, but also South Africa in general.

MEET T HE T EAM Mechanical engineers: Spoormaker & Partners Interior design and space planning: LYT Interiors and HEAD Interiors Sustainability consultant: PJC Consulting

Architects: LYT Architecture Landscape architects: The Landscape Studio Structural, civil and facade engineers: Pure Consulting Electrical

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THE BRIEF The organisation In southern (and most African cosmological beliefs) the western side, being the side where the sun sets, is recognised to be the side of the world of the ancestors and the eastern, the world of the living. As such the western side is believed to be the highest order, and the eastern, the lower order in the cosmological structure. In traditional homestead and village design, the above-mentioned orders are applied in a manner that ensures that at the level of the royal homestead, the Chief’s dwelling would be flanked by the dwellings of his wives on its western (right hand) and eastern (left hand) side. The dwellings flanking the Chief’s dwelling are positioned in accordance to the order of the hierarchy established by the marriage chronology of the wives of the chief because this chronology further determines the succession of the heirs to the throne. It is clear that the building is to be seen as a public building, providing easy accessibility to the public while at the same time providing a manageable and secure building envelope. There are a variety of departments that need to be autonomous, but yet definitely part of the whole. Architectural responsiveness The architectural language is a response to both the modern and African characteristic requirement of the project. The modern tectonics and innovative elements of the building work congruently with African notions of space and hierarchy. The building layout on the plinth allows for a complexity of spaces that interact with the public on a human scale. The chamber building, by virtue of its design and location may be seen as a landmark, allowing the general public to visually interact with it. The park is located adjacent to the mayor’s wing and provides opportunities for interaction between the mayor and the general public. This is also where a public address by the mayor may take place.

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Democratic value of transparency The design deals with the idea of transparency on two levels:

• •

Façade treatment allowing visual dialogue between those inside the building and pedestrians outside Interior design’s open space planning which ensures visual dialogue between work stations

Transparent dialogue with the public realm The building borrows the indigenous Southern African treatment of the 'kgotla' (the gathering place of the traditional Tswana village community) with its undulating gumpoles enclosure, and its 'slivers of apertures' which allows those within the enclosure to be visible through the 'slivered slits' to passers-by outside the enclosure. This method of ensuring connectivity between municipal officials within the building and the public outside of the building is also drawn from the traditional homestead where low walls of the lapa promotes visual dialogues between those within the lapa and pedestrians on the street. These historic transparency design applications have been contemporised on Tshwane House by way of the façade treatment being a curtain-wall that is juxtaposed with solid wall panels of varied sizes offering the public a series of “windows” of varied sizes into the activity and energy of the workings of the Municipality. The public realm at street level is therefore offered views into the most active of spaces, depicting a highly active and animated municipality. The end effect of the 'incomplete' curtain-wall is symbolic of the building being a reflection of the 'work-in-progress' status of South Africa’s democracy. Transparency at plinth level At the level of the top plinth the buildings are arranged in an H-plan layout around the arrival court and the northern piazza, where the court and the piazza have a curtain wall allowing views onto them. This layout plan accentuates visual continuity of the indoor onto the outdoor, and vice versa, to allow the eye to 'travel' and see through the building’s façade. The result is an open and fully transparent semi-public square with adequate inter-building visual communication as working officials in the east and west wings of the building can view each other across the arrival court and the piazza, given the transparent façade that surround the arrival court and the piazza. The programme of use assigned to this level includes inter alia, such as public use of the restaurant, reception, meeting rooms, library, waiting rooms, etc. The sensitivity to programme ensures active transparency conferred by the users’ energy as opposed to perceived transparency. The result is an open hive of activity, dialogue and interaction in a defensible enclave on the plinth. This unique design feature combines the north east African defensible courtyard plan with the southern African organic compound. Street level around the perimeter Above the street façades, the apertures vary in size. These apertures all relate to, and are comfortable to the human scale. The use of horizontal planes, from the top of the plinth down to pavement level, serves to 'break down' the plinth to human scale, whilst at the same time giving the building a sense of “ascending” out of the ground onto the plinth. The requirement of a raised plinth in the design presented the opportunity to present the building as the seat of power (of local government).

"The end effect of the 'incomplete' curtain-wall is symbolic of the building being a reflection of the 'work-in-progress' status of South Africa’s democracy."

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FLAGSTAFF SQUARE SETTING A NEW STANDARD FOR RURAL RETAIL

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lagstaff, located in the OR Tambo district in the Eastern Cape, began its existence as a trading post and essentially still serves as a regional node for shopping. The opening of the doublelevel Flagstaff Square, at the end of 2021, has provided a convenient, stylish experience to its community as well as shoppers from nearby districts who visit the area to buy bulk supplies. The shopping centre was designed by retail architecture specialists MDS Architecture. The building includes both a covered open element and a closed mall design. Brief Rural retail development specialists, McCormick Property Development (MPD), entered into a joint venture with locally-based Eyamampondo Properties. Aki Savva, partner at MDS Architecture, says that the design brief was the creation of a unique, one-of-a-kind shopping experience that the local community could connect with.

MDS ARCHITECTURE www.mdsarch.co.za @mdsarchitecture

Site Extensive infrastructure was needed to ensure the development’s success. The roads around the site are being upgraded, and a 440 kVA grid tied PV rooftop system was installed to cater for power consumption. Given the lack of municipal water and sewerage to the site, self-sustaining solutions were required to support the development. Water is now provided to the site from two boreholes and an on-site plant deals with the building’s sewage. Savva says, 'The region is very humid and there were delays caused by high rainfall of over 820mm during the construction period. Despite losing 62 days due to the rain, the mall opened on schedule.' Design Flagstaff Square is an 11 000m2 double-level L-shaped building anchored by Shoprite and Clicks. The shopping centre boasts 43 stores and four ATMs with a strong focus on fashion - stores such as Truworths, Foschini, Pepkor and Studio 88 are well represented. Banks and ATMs are an extremely important service in rural communities who often have to travel great distances for banking. A full-service ABSA branch will open by the end of the first quarter of 2022.

MEET T HE T EAM

Electrical engineer: Ingplan Mechanical engineer: Pretocon Fire consultants: Pretocon Health and safety: SafeTworx Mural artists: Siphesihle Langa and Mduduzi Dzabine Cladding installer: Steel Roofing

Developer: McCormick Property Development Architect: MDS Architecture Main contractor: Mike Buyskes Construction Quantity surveyor: Quanticost Structural and civil engineer: Hannes Hattingh Consulting Engineers

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SUP P L I E RS Paint Interspray - 031 569 4415 Bricks Kulucrete - 039 685 4165 Drainage systems Plumblink - 087 086 0129 Fencing Securomesh - 010 596 8554 Skylights PG Aluminium Silver Lakes 012 809 4263 Cladding Safintra - 021 981 3130 Interior and exterior lighting WB Lighting - 082 411 7525 Steel balustrading and stairs GJS Steel By Design - 011 914 4805 Tiling Limegreen Sourcing Solutions - 011 325 2893 An important design consideration for Flagstaff Square was to provide easy access to pedestrians for both the lower and upper levels of the centre. 'The site’s dimensional constraints and the natural fall provided a challenge to seamlessly tie the building to its context. The main level of the building faces the main street and is thus easily visible and accessible. We saw potential for an upper-level secondary entrance and created convenient access from the residential neighborhood located behind the shopping centre,' says Savva. The main street entrance welcomes pedestrians via a bold entrance portal in the shape of a giant red flag. A similar, but understated solution was applied to the upper level access. The design intention for the aesthetic of the shopping centre was to ensure clean horizontal and vertical lines with emphasis placed on the entrances. This concept was also carried through to the colour palette; the field elevation provides a neutral backdrop in white, grey and earthy brown tones which contrast with pops of colour at the entrances. Savva explains that external and internal spaces were harmoniously linked with the use of materials. 'Bulkheads flow out from internal spaces and floor patterns are maintained across various materials. The concept for the floor patterns was inspired by barcodes, evoking the trading post roots of the town in a contemporary way. We have taken advantage of linear lights to encourage pedestrian flow through the building. Long lights which run parallel to walkways assist in bringing shoppers through to all parts of the centre, while lights placed perpendicular to the flow serve to insinuate pause spaces.' Natural light was an important design aspect at Flagstaff Square. The clerestory glass windows along the mall provide soft southern light, which helps to illuminate the space, and large voids in the first floor mall slab allow for this natural light to penetrate to the mall level below. The mall on the upper level is visually linked by double-volume spaces to the lower level. 'This has assisted in also bringing in natural light from the upper level into the lower level, creating a lighter, more airy space,' says Savva. On the lower level, several shops facing the public realm are softened with covered walkways, creating a comfortable and inviting interface with pedestrians. A formal taxi rank in the parking is key to the mall’s function as a meeting place and transport node in the area. Unique artistic expression One of the most memorable aspects of Flagstaff Square is the eye-catching graffiti work throughout the centre. Three feature walls, designed and painted by local graffiti artists Sphesihle Langa and Mduduzi Dzabine, create attractive and inspiring spaces which are often used as selfie backdrops.

HREE ARTS VILLAGE

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Location: Plumstead, Cape Town Size: 7500m² Under development by Rapfund, Three Arts Village is a convenience retail centre, positioned to elevate the retail offering of Plumstead. Three Arts Theatre, originally developed by the Quibell Brothers, has seen an ever-evolving palimpsest of uses and stories through time. It was enormously important, to both the client and architects, that the redesign pay homage to this rich history, and reinvent a Capetonian landmark for continued use well into the 21st Century, in a sustainable and holistic manner. To do this, as much of the existing reinforced concrete shell was retained and strengthened, to maintain the iconic 'shed.' The expansions beyond this historical core, are imagined as a series of black facebrick boxes that would punch through and fulfil the 7400m² retail offering. The retail environment is split over two levels to activate and accentuate the volume of the original 'shed', with the circulation core forming the centre piece of the composition. The composition’s legibility is further advanced by the softer more curvilinear geometry of the parking deck to clearly delineate the old and new. The use of raw, exposed concrete and steel, offset against finer details of the retail palette, combine to form a sophisticated industrial aesthetic, both on trend and with a robust longevity. The original theatre projectors and other key historic pieces have been retained and given centre stage in the redevelopment. Flexibility in size and adaptability of tenancies is key to ensure the continued evolution of the retail mix, and this is achieved through a new large span first floor coffer deck and new reinforced concrete columns. The development undertook to rehabilitate and protect the river bank of Diep River, contained within the site, with extensive regrading and planting. Key food and beverage offerings have been positioned along the Northern elevation to take advantage of the views towards Diep River and of Table Mountain. The three mature Ficus trees along Main Road, Plumstead, are retained and incorporated into the development forming the key feature piece of the Main Road pedestrian and vehicular entrance. The larger context has been interrogated with the upgrading and signalisation of Main Road, the redevelopment of a more pedestrian orientated Francis Road interface and the upgrading of traffic and pedestrian access along Birmingham Road. The project is completed and currently trading.

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M E E T TH E TEAM Client: Rapfund Principle Agent: SVRSA Architect: KMH Architects Landscape Architect: cndv landscape architects Structural and civil engineers: Sutherland Engineers

Electrical engineers: Watson Mattheus Traffic engineers: HHO Quantity Surveyor: SVRSA Mechanical, wet and fire safety consultants: Meccanitek

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EINVIGORATING ETAIL

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SCAPE and interior designer, Roxanne Ferreira of Arrange Studio, had a catch-up at the newly launched Me&B Concept store at 44 Stanley in Joburg, to discuss form, fun(ction) and all of the gorgeous details that went into this space. We're never leaving! Q: What did your brief from the client entail?

Kelly Gibberd (from Me & B) saw some of the other projects we’ve done and really loved Arrange Studio’s work. She found my number and phoned me out of the blue and said: 'We have to open our first Joburg store in a month. i.e. we have no time and no budget, are you in?' I informed her that I was currently working on two other jobs and I had just moved to Cape Town, but it sounded interesting. I said, 'Yes! I'm in!' Kelly wanted me to speak to the brand’s vibe- vibrant, passionate and fun. 'We love colour and Roxanne is incredible when it comes to colour combinations, so I really wanted her to take the lead on palette. I can sometimes go a little crazy and I didn’t want to be sick and tired of the store in six months,' says Kelly.

Q: What inspired the design concept of the store?

We wanted to make the most of the existing industrial finishes and style of the building by leaving the ceiling services exposed and the floor as is, a nod to a New York loft showroom. We reached the end design by marrying the above with bright colours and organic, curvy shapes. It's reminiscent of the Memphis Group and their postmodern style.

Q: What were the influences behind the chosen colour palette?

The colour palette evolved organically and came about based on some of the restrictions we faced during the design process, for example, which colour tiles were available in the limited timeframe and within budget. The same reasoning applied to the Perspex sheets – so we created our core palette within these parameters. Sometimes the best end results happen when faced with more than one limitation! The end result of bright juicy orange, lilac, lime and pink bursts with fun and vibrancy – the essence of the brand.

ARRANGE STUDIO Roxanne Ferreira Interior designer www.arrangestudio.co.za @arrange_studio

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Q: How did the textures come about for the interiors?

The aim was to strike a balance between the hard base shell we started with, and introduce a handful of softer textures and materials to create a pleasant retail environment. For example, the exposed steel beams and concrete floors were softenend by the inclusion of plywood shelves, joinery and mobile boards, painted MDF (mirrors), feature organic shaped area rugs in a bright chartreuse colour – and a statement curved sofa, upholstered with a velveteen fabric.

Q: What were a few of the key considerations for the site?

To make the most of the street-facing window display – while simultaneously allowing as much natural light into the store as possible. We also had to work around the T-shaped floorplan, to create a layout and flow that makes the most sense when entering the space – making sure the fixtures and placements leave enough room to browse freely without feeling sparse or incohesive.

Q: Which brands and finishes were utilised for this space?

Tiles from Limegreen Sourcing Solutions, custom area rugs made locally from YUDU, Dokter & Misses hooks in the fitting rooms, a selection of Plascon paints, stand out signage and signage elements from SPS (Signage Production Studio),

Q: What are a few inspiring ideas that you love for retail spaces?

To incorporate and include as many local designers and artists in the overall design as possible. This not only adds another layer to the customer’s shopping experience (for example, spotting a new potential favourite artist or maker) but also strengthen’s the notion that we can go further when we build each other up – especially fellow local artists and artisans. When designing a retail space I try to create an inviting backdrop that will enhance the product and make the brand shine!

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ETHOS noun the characteristic spirit of a culture, era, or community as manifested in its attitudes and aspirations.

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A touch of the Mediterranean...

editerranean-inspired Ethos restaurant has been the talk of the town in recent months, as the luxurious Joburg eatery (partnering with the acclaimed Chef Luke Dale Roberts) moves to its new digs at Oxford Parks in Rosebank. Interior designer Giorgio Tatsakis who worked on the Morningside eatery, which opened in 2019, was once again appointed for the interiors of this special space. Just as before, the inspiration of Ethos came from the unique and timeless features that are seen throughout the alluring Mediterranean. Giorgio explains that now more than ever, when it is harder to travel due to restrictions, spaces that offer a form of escapism are even more relevant. Giorgio and his father and founder, Chris Tatsakis, travelled abroad to countries including Greece, Italy, Dubai and the United Kingdom to gain insight and inspiration for their newest restaurant. Diners can expect to indulge in some delicious dishes in a luxurious and dramatic setting, which includes sweeping arches, grand columns, impressive Italian marble and a soothing neutral colour palette with brass accents. This father-son duo has once again teamed up with incredible local designers and artisans as well as architects, SuP Architecture, to create a Mediterranean inspired space, bringing their vision to life. SCAPE catches up with Giorgio to gain more insight into his design aesthetic for the space and involvement in this passion project...

Q: Tell us about your background and how you arrived at Ethos?

I am a 21-year-old interior designer based in Johannesburg, South Africa. I was born in Johannesburg and emigrated to Athens in 2007 until 2009, where I was fortunate to fluently learn the language, indulge in the culture and begin my journey of my appreciation for the Mediterranean, its food, architecture, and design. I recently completed a BA degree in interior design at Greenside Design Centre, however I was -and have beenworking from the beginning of my degree on hospitality and residential projects, such as Ethos Morningside, The Rock Hazelwood, Rosebank and another three which are scheduled to open in the new year. I am further the co-owner of a ceramics and woodware company called Clay by MG, which I own with my sister, Mary Tatsakis.

Q: What were some key considerations when designing the interior of Ethos?

Upon receiving the brief, it was made clear that the restaurant had to still be synonymous with the brand and the aesthetic which I had already created in the Morningside eatery. The inspiration for the design and decor is purely the Mediterranean and all its features. I needed to create a space that pays tribute to the timeless features and curves that the Mediterranean has to offer. I wanted to take the classic and ornate features found all over and bring them to our local shores, in a more contemporary and toned-down space and environment. Other than that, I intended to create a space that offered a form of escapism, in its purest and most calm form. Especially during Covid-19, with travel restrictions, I wanted to create a space which transports people, but does not intimidate them, despite having a sophisticated ambience and being a casual fine dining restaurant.

Q: Which elements to the design have really been successful?

I have three elements in my design at Ethos that are stand outs! The first being our iconic central olive tree and our two new additions, our ceiling baffles and our marble bathroom vanity. The olive tree is a feature and object that shouts Ethos! In the Mediterranean it is found that people gather in town squares and find themselves clustered around the well grown and nourished olive trees. Thus, it was inevitable to bring that into the space and let it speak for itself. The bark of the tree is preserved from a Jacaranda tree, and the leaves are individually handmade from silk. The tree is extremely lifelike, that it is difficult to decide whether it is real or artificial. The imported ceiling baffles have been laid out in a way that mimics the flow of the waves found in the Aegean Sea. This creates a sense of rhythm, flow and fluidity. This feature is also a mirror image and runs in the same direction as the straight oriented Oggie wooden flooring placed beneath it, creating a form of repetition and elongating the shape of the space.

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As for the marble vanity, upon my travels to Maison et Objet in Paris last year, I was completely blown away by the vanity which I saw while visiting the Hotel Costes for a quick lunch! I just had to recreate it on our local shores! I love its imperfections, yet how elegant and unique it was.

Q: We’re sure that Ethos has received many accolades?

In 2020, my work at the original Ethos in Morningside won the Style Award for its interiors, atmosphere and ambiance at the Luxe Restaurant Awards. In 2022 Ethos Rosebank won the International Restaurant of the Year Award which was a great honour. We have also been shortlisted for the 2022 International Hotel & Property Awards taking place in Capri, Italy, in July 2022.

Q: How does the new restaurant design differ from the previous look-and-feel?

As before, the Rosebank space has a toned down and neutral palate, however, there have been incredible new design details that makes the space unique! New to the space, and now synonymous with our brand, are our ceiling baffles which have been imported from France and mentioned above. We still used neutral and textured material as we did in the previous space, however used a slightly brighter, yet still toned, velvet like material from Home Fabrics’ fibre guard range, for the bench seating, which draws the eye to the other focal point of the restaurant, being the signature olive tree.

Q: About the layout and architecture: arches, columns and curves?

The space is dedicated to the features and curves of the Mediterranean. All the ceilings are curved creating a cocoon effect within the space. The columns, and marble cladding feature beneath the open kitchen, mimics the detail on the columns found on the Parthenon in Athens, thus brining this ancient and timeless feature to our urban jungle. All the doors and openings within the space are arched and continues the curve that’s found throughout the space.

Q: Any other stand out pieces in the space and where were they sourced from?

Ethos prides itself on using local talent and resources. All furniture is manufactured from local companies, including those of Umdabu, David Kryanuw and Mark Bakos Designs. Most of these furniture pieces are complemented and met by our imported Arrabescato marble from Italy. As for the art in the space, our hand-crafted mural and artwork, are created by two local artists. A feature that stands out and follows the idea of the Aegean Sea, created by Elaine Jansen van Rensburg, is our bar sculpture that starts from our alcohol display and stretches over our curved ceiling. This sculpture mimics the underwater experience one has when exploring and taking in all the Aegean Sea has to offer. The insanely beautiful pastel coloured artwork on our wall was created by Kurt Pio, and I could never imagine the space complete without it! It totally compliments and finishes off the whole Ethos design. The walls by local company Cemcrete creates the desired finishes for our brand, and the lighting in the space completely changes at night creating a more moody and elegant effect, however our table lamps imported from Australia bring light to the space, alongside the two well-lit features, our olive tree and our Kurt Pio painting. Another feature that stands out in the space is our individually handmade Zellige tiles from Morocco, that can be found in our open kitchen! A must-see during sunsets, as the sun reflects off them creating multiple shades of white, off white and a pearl-like colour.

ATELIER GIORGIO Giorgio Tatsakis Interior designer www.ateliergiorgio.design @ateliergiorgio.design

SUP P L I E RS Flooring Oggie Flooring -021 510 2846 Interior Walls & Ceilings CemCote Skimmed Cemcrete - 011 474 2415 Olive Tree Distinctive Spaces - 066 217 1614 Vanity and table tops Marble Classic - 021 555 1592 Material Home Fabrics - 011 266 3800 Furniture David Krynauw - 084 626 3807 Umdabu - 010 493 7487 Mark Bakos Design - 011 262 0350 Wall lights Studio19 - 010 023 0071

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MIXED-USE BUILDING HVAC APPLICATION SUCCESS Mixed-use buildings have increasingly gained popularity within the South African built environment. They combine residential, offices, retail, as well as recreational facilities. It is therefore crucial to take into consideration the air conditioning load required to meet the occupancy levels and daily needs. One example is recreational facilities such as gyms, which most often require only cooling, while apartments and offices require both heating and cooling. Building owners and consultants alike must seek the best air conditioning systems to ensure comfort whilst eliminating local emissions and saving energy and operational costs. Most buildings in Cape Town CBD are multi-layered and as complex as their history. Majority of these historic buildings have been converted into mixed-use buildings with careful consideration to not decimate the building whilst maintaining their beautiful façades. In the bustling city’s CBD sits the Foreshore Place - a 34-storey historic landmark built in the 1970’s with the majestic views of both Table Mountain and the city centre. This iconic building has marked a shift in exigencies of developers and consumers, from the previous offices combined hotel, into an ultra-modern luxury development, thanks to KMH Architects. This high-rise building features a Samsung DVM system to meet several demands, those being air quality, eco-friendliness, comfort, smart controls, and energy consumption savings, just to name a few. A strategic partnership Speaking to Andrew Kinnel, Mechanical Engineer of Spoormaker & Partners as well as Leon Crause, Head of Business Development of Fourways Group, they give a brief insight into the project’s success. Spoormaker & Partners, renowned engineering consultants, approached Fourways Group to collaborate on the Foreshore Place HVAC project. Fourways are HVAC experts and the accredited sole distributors of all Samsung air conditioners in South Africa. ‘The brief was to convert the iconic landmark into luxury accommodation, offices, and retail stores. Thus, we recommended Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) systems to meet the requirements and budget,’ says Andrew. During the first phase of the project, the 6th to the 13th floor consisted of hotel space, now remodelled and replaced with 11 floors of luxury apartments. As part of the second phase, the focus was on upgrading the offices and retail stores. Fourways Group tendered the Samsung DVM Heat Recovery System for phase one. Esteemed air conditioning contractors and a top dealer of Fourways Group; Coastal Airconditioning, were awarded the project. Rory Lavis of Coastal Airconditioning comments they are no strangers to large-scale projects, ‘Multiple DVM systems were installed, to the extent of 17 systems serving 190 indoor units across multiple floors with several office levels done as well.’ The challenges Andrew explains, ‘We had to limit the amount of maximum refrigerant size which resulted in several smaller DVM systems rather than the initially planned larger systems. Secondly, the plant placements also posed a challenge as the office VRF plant is located on the roof of the building while the residential plant is in the middle of the building and has been ducted against the facade to maintain the building’s historical integrity.’ Fourways’ Engineering department embraced these challenges by offering custom VRF design assistance that would meet the day-to-day needs of users. Leon proudly mentions that Fourways offered the energy-efficient Samsung DVM systems with high COPs, lower input costs, electricity consumption monitoring, that can withstand our climate conditions as well as constant power cuts. Clients and residents of Foreshore Place have peace of mind knowing they can live, work, and play whilst enjoying all of the advantages Samsung’s air conditioners have to offer.

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