SCAPE |The Restart | October 2023 | Vol. 97

Presenting a most curious design approach, and for the first time ever in KwaZulu-Natal, Infinity Surfaces in collaboration with SCAPE Magazine are curating an exclusive experience for 100 esteemed industry professionals. This October, Thought Experiments takes the concept of a CPD Accredited trade event and explores it from an alternate perspective, posing questions that dare to challenge the understanding and interpretation of design.

Inspired by the mind-bending hypotheticals that have pushed thinkers for decades, this event gathers a selection of regional thought leaders who are integral to the future of design possibilities in South Africa for an experience surrounded by the finest Italian slabs and superior surfaces to drive and inspire. To help us discover these ideas, we'll embark on a journey through three thought provoking seminars and an edge-of-your-seat panel discussion, hosted by seven local industry icons who bring insight that is nothing less than infinite.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Presented by Greg Gordge and Nicholas Proome, First Impressions explores the cutting-edge advancements, creative possibilities, and transformative potential of contemporary building envelopes. Visual identity, sustainable materials and approaches, and how façades contribute to both identity and the surrounding urban fabric will be addressed.

PROVOCATIVE PARADIGMS

Presented by Gregory Katz, Provocative Paradigms asks how certain buildings channel the unique power to evoke a visceral reaction, and how disruptive design thinking challenges the norms while simultaneously contributing to problem solving. This seminar delves into unconventional design approaches and thought-provoking structures that redefine the built environment.

STARTING WITH THE STORY

Presented by Lisa Twyman, Starting with the Story looks at how design thrives when weaving a narrative for forward momentum. The discussion will explore how narratives can shape our perception, emotional responses, and experiences of spaces. Be it personal or environmental experiences, designs excel when they are carried by a story, but how can this be achieved?

EXPERIMENTING WITH THE FUTURE - THE PANEL DISCUSSION

Presented by Nathan Iyer, Dean Young, Victoria Wood, and Kay Kay Ribane, the Trends and Forecasts Panel looks at the forecasts of areas in the industry, from trends and materials to what the client of the future might want. Experimenting with the Future asks an artist, an architect, an interior designer, and a developer to navigate the future of the infrastructure industry. This talk is all about the future, and we are posturing ourselves to uncover what the industry should be looking out for.

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Let’s Press Restart

In our October issue of SCAPE Magazine, we find ourselves at a juncture where the past meets the future and where the foundations of history intertwine with the innovations of the present. In the world of infrastructure there is a profound appreciation for what has come before, coupled with an unwavering commitment to forging new paths forward. This issue celebrates this exquisite balance.

Renovations, revamps, restoration, and adaptive reuse— these are the themes that anchor our journey through the pages this month.

This issue's projects reflect a commitment to progress grounded in tradition, rejuvenating historic buildings, restoring landscapes, and community hubs in the face of evolving challenges.

Within these pages, you'll discover the delicate equilibrium between preservation and innovation, with narratives uncovering the evolution of spaces. From renovations of buildings that change skylines, like Cape Town’s Hotel Sky

and Johannesburg’s Towers Main, to historic Cape buildings and residences being restored and retuned to all of their glory, The Restart explores it all. Next we venture into the landscape restorations onsite the picturesque Lourensford Estate, followed by a never-before-seen conversation with Turftech, documenting the renovation process of the DHL Stadium (just in time for the Rugby World Cup, you'll get to witness the makings of the perfect pitch), and an interview with GAPP Architects to celebrate 30 years of iconic builds. We also highlight the firms joining the Architecture Open Studios in Cape Town this year.

We are thrilled to be working in collaboration with the team at Interslab on an exciting and bespoke event landing in KZN at the end of the month, highlighting the Infinity Surfaces brand. Stay tuned for an event roundup after the show!

The Restart is an ode to reinvention and revitalisation, inspiring you to embark on your own transformative journeys.

We’ll see you next month for our Recreation issue.

Chanel Besson Editor-in-Chief Justine Coleman Key Account Manager

Caitlin Hancocks Commissioning Editor

Reinhardt Pieters Account Manager

Michelle Greeff Communications & Content Manager Sarah Ternent Designer Brayden Knoop Media Manager

Cover image by Paris Brummer

STEP INTO MY OFFICE

LATE NIGHT STROLLS THROUGH THE CITY'S BEST STUDIOS

If you take the flare of the architecture and design community, add the energy of the city and its surrounds, and mix it with the culture of First Thursday, you’ll find Architecture Open Studios happening on 17th and 18th October from 5pm-8pm. Spread throughout Cape Town CBD and surrounds, this innovative take on architectural and design interaction embraces the concept of ‘Late Night Architecture’. Sponsored by Oggie Flooring, SAOTA, and Modena Technologies, the mahala event makes its highly-anticipated return to highlight 27 firms and studios that have made their marks on the Mother City’s map.

@openstudiosza

www.openstudios.co.za

TUESDAY, 17TH OCTOBER

BOMAX ARCHITECTS

www.bomax.co.za

Bomax is a dynamic firm committed to producing creative, contemporary designs while combining sustainability and minimalism. Their portfolio includes local and international builds that express their passion for architecture.

Location: 27 Pepper Street, Cape Town City Centre

ALEX STEWART & PARTNERS

www.alexstewart.co.za

Alex Stewart & Partners specialise in architecture and interior design. With a keen focus on solving planning challenges such as heritage sites with precision, their forte lies in infrastructure, public and residential projects.

Location: 68B Wale Street, Cape Town City Centre

DHK ARCHITECTS

3 4

www.dhk.co.za

dhk Architects leads with innovation and consideration in their expertise of architecture, urban design, and interiors. Their passion for people permeates their work, producing projects that are inspired and honest, and which positively impact future generations.

Location: 66 Waterkant Street, Old Cape Quarter, De Waterkant

FABIAN & MAKE

www.fama.co.za

A significant player in the building industry, Fabian Architects offer services across the full range of the design and project management processes. They make up one half of a duo with Make Studio, the creative practice that is dedicated to delivering personalised quality designs.

Location: 8th Floor Protea North Wharf Hotel, No.1 Lower Bree Street

JENNY MILLS ARCHITECTURE & INTERIOR DESIGN

www.jma.za.net

Jenny Mills Architecture and Interior Design pursues their projects with a love for form and composition, implementing skill and commitment to their own style and the client’s, to curate harmonious, leisurely designs.

Location: Unit 403, 4th Floor De Oude Schuur, 120 Bree Street

www.kmh.co.za

KMH ARCHITECTS 6

Navigating the industry with professionalism and expertise, over 100 years of experience mean KMH Architects successfully takes on large-scale projects in the areas of architecture, interior design, and space planning.

Location: 116 Loop Street, Cape Town City Centre

7

8

OHKRE COLLECTIVE

@ohkre_collective_

Ohkre Collective is a local and international design studio that holds in high esteem their focus on maintaining collaboration while curating captivating spaces and places.

Location: OpenCo Workspace, 109 Loop St, Cape Town City Centre

METROPOLIS DESIGN

www.metropolisdesign.co.za

Metropolis is a design studio known for their thorough and detailed practice. Their work prioritises client collaboration as they create contemporary architecture inspired by the landscape and the urban environment.

Location: 8 Kloof Street, Gardens

OPEN CITY

www.opencity.co.za

With their specialties lying in architecture, urban design, and research, Open City approaches their practice with a goal to create influential and beautiful structures as building blocks for the city and its surrounds.

Location: 163 Bree Street, Gardens

9

URBAN THINK TANK EMPOWER

www.utte.co.za

Urban Think Tank Empower is an initiative which is driven by the goal of tackling the local housing crisis, using alternative design models to uplift and empower the lives of South Africans in need over the past 10 years.

Location: 76 Church Street, Cape Town City Centre

www.vdmma.com

VDMMA is a diverse firm which works on everything from commercial offices and education facilities to shopping centres and wine cellars. Their reach has made them locally and internationally successful, presenting a far-reaching range of builds.

Location: 161 Longmarket Street, Cape Town City Centre

WOLFF ARCHITECTS

www.wolffarchitects.co.za

Wolff Architects works collaboratively as a team of skilled and committed professionals, focussed on producing work that is built on a foundation of thorough design, research, and support under sound direction.

Location: 136 Buitengracht Street, Cape Town City Centre

CRAFT OF ARCHITECTURE

www.coasite.com

Craft of Architecture takes pride in their role as partner to their clients, using creative expertise to meet design needs and realise the visions of tomorrow, be it commercial, mixed-use, residential, or urban.

Location: The Armoury, Buchanan Square, 160 Sir Lowry Road, Woodstock

MOBIUS INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE

www.mobiusstudio.co.za

Mobius is an interior architecture and design studio that believes in authentic, functional design. Their work covers residential, hospitality, and commercial spaces, and they constantly aim to create unique and personal identities in every project.

Location: The Armoury, Buchanan Square, 160 Sir Lowry Road, Woodstock

GAPP ARCHITECTS & URBAN DESIGNERS

www.gapp.net/en/

As an architecture and urban design firm that values high standards and excellence, GAPP has built a legacy in Architecture, Urban Design, Spatial Planning, and Asset Planning.

Location: The Armoury, Buchanan Square, 160 Sir Lowry Road, Woodstock

16

JAKUPA

www.jakupa.co.za

Jakupa is an architecture and urban design firm which aims to enrich the urban built environment through responsible design practice and the research thereof.

Location: 99 Buitenkant Street, Gardens

MEYER & ASSOCIATES 17

www.meyerandassociates.co.za

Meyer & Associates is an architecture and urban design firm that is focussed on providing bespoke, quality solutions to improve the South African urban environment for all its residents.

Location: The Armoury, Buchanan Square, 160 Sir Lowry Road, Woodstock

DESIGN NETWORK

www.designspaceafrica.com

Design Network Architects and Urban Designers are an extension of the legacy of DesignSpaceAfrica. Their projects utilise innovation and creativity to produce buildings that transform the urban environment.

Location: 1 Warwick Street, Gardens

JANE VISSER ARCHITECTS

www.visser.archi

Jane Visser Architects delivers professional design through their cultivation of the craft of architecture over decades. They provide elegant and innovative solutions for a broad range of builds, always considering the client, the site, and the environment.

Location: 1 Warwick Street, Gardens

SAOTA

www.saota.com

With their name on builds across six continents, SAOTA is a leading architecture firm that is passionate about collaborative design dialogues and carrying out innovative solutions across their practice with elegance.

Location: 109 Hatfield Street, Gardens

PEERUTIN KAROL

www.peerutinkarol.com

Peerutin Karol is an award-winning architectural practice known for using generations of expertise to craft beautiful, luxurious designs such as the V&A Waterfront’s Victoria Wharf, the Queen Victoria Hotel, and Radisson Red.

Location: 4th Floor Theba Hosken House, 16 Mill Street, Gardens

SEA SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE

www.sea.ac.za

With an ethos of ‘thinking beyond the horizon’, The School of Explorative Architecture (SEA) is a tertiary education institution which cultivates a forward-thinking and engaging environment and curriculum for the industry professionals of the future.

Location: 25 Commercial Street, Cape Town City Centre

www.sourceiba.co.za

Source IBA is a collective of multi-talented designers that continue to evolve and grow in their design approach, aiming to allow each project, be it hospitality, residential or commercial, to develop in its own style and direction.

Location: The Armoury 2, Buchanan Square, 160 Sir Lowry Road, Woodstock

SOURCE IBA STUDIOMAS

www.studiomas.co.za

Driven towards design excellence, StudioMAS specialises in architecture and urban design endeavours. They are passionate about using their skills to offer quality products and services while keeping sustainability, time, and finance at the forefront.

Location: 5 Constitution Street, Easy City Precinct, District Six

TERRA +

www.terraplus.co.za

Terra+ is a landscape architecture firm which employs a transdisciplinary approach in order to prioritise responsibility, sustainability, empathy, and aesthetics across all areas of their practice.

Location: Unit 20 Sussex Studios, Sussex Street, Woodstock

URBAN CONCEPTS

www.urbanconcepts.biz

As an urban design and architectural practice with experience working on heritage sites, Urban Concepts combines conceptual and technical expertise to produce spaces rooted in excellence.

Location: The Hills, Buchanan Square, 160 Sir Lowry Road, Woodstock

TWOFIVEFIVE ARCHITECTS

www.twofivefive.co.za

TwoFiveFive Architects is a commercial architecture firm that designs with the goal of producing solutions and challenging conventions. Their consideration for contemporary lifestyles results in the creation of optimal living spaces.

Location: 17 Shelley Road, Salt River

THE GAME CHAN G E R

A RUGBY RENOVATION SUCCESS STORY

Aleader in the turf construction and maintenance industry, Turftech holds a position of excellence in South Africa’s worldclass realm of sports facilities. With a multitude of prestigious industry recognitions under the belt, such as SALI awards for involvement in projects like Jewel City, their expertise covers natural and synthetic specialised turfs across the nation. To find out exactly what it takes to build a legacy that is already leaving a vibrant footprint on some of the best fields in the land, we caught up with the Turftech Team during a major high point in their journey.

At the DHL Stadium in Cape Town’s gorgeous Green Point, our team met with Construction Manager Wayne Reed, Project Manager Ruan Van Zyl, and the man behind the Turftech name – Founder and Director Len Ludick, to get the lowdown on everything from their origins to their renovation of the turf at Cape Town’s favourite event arena.

With a reputation of excellence, your legacy has certainly been nurtured to become what it is today. How and when did the Turftech journey begin?

Turftech was founded in 2016, where we started with a few small construction projects. This quickly grew into something much bigger than what we could have imagined, to the point where Turftech is one of the preferred sports construction and maintenance companies in the country.

'We are currently constructing what will be the biggest Artificial Turf Sports Facility in Southern Africa. Once completed, these facilities will be 18 000 m² with flood lights and integrated speaker systems. This facility will cater for soccer, hockey, netball, cricket, and athletics – a dynamic space made for the top players in the industry.'

What other kinds of turfs do you install, and which provinces do you operate in?

Turftech has a national footprint, with offices in Johannesburg and Cape Town. We specialise in various turfs that cater for sectors such as Natural Grass and Artificial Turf rugby and soccer fields, as well as Athletics Tracks. In terms of courts, we cater to tennis and Padel, netball, basketball, and 5- and 7-a-side soccer, as well as multi-purpose courts. Our services also extend to Artificial Turf play areas, Hybrid Grass Turf for sports fields and play areas, and the maintenance of all these turfs.

You were appointed to renovate the turf at the DHL Stadium in Greenpoint, Cape Town – a huge and well-earned honour! Talk us through your installation process from start to finish for the Stadium.

The process began with stripping the old grass with the Koro Combinator and removing 200mm of the old growing medium. The layer that remained was laser levelled with our specialised CAT fitted with guidance equipment, and the irrigation was then upgraded before the new 200mm growing medium was imported. This was also lasered and compacted.

Next, the compost layer was imported and blended with the new growing medium, a mix we created ourselves, which again had to be levelled and compacted, followed by the seeding of 70% Rye & 30% Fescue that germinated over a 7-day period that was part of a 10-week grow-in period. The grass was grown in over a 4-week period from where the Hybrid Turf System installation started with two incredible international machines. The two machines started from the two sides of the field and worked their way towards the middle, stitching the hybrid turf system into the sand-based growing medium.

The Hybrid stitching helps to enhance stability of playing surface, and is stitched at 180mm down into the sand, with the rows 2cm apart. After the stitching was complete, the pitch grow-in period carried on for another two weeks, after which the pitch was presented back to the DHL Stadium Management.

What type of grass have you used at the Stadium and why?

A combination of rye and fescue grass was seeded, a special request by the client, not only for quality and reliability, but also for its dark, rich green colour.

What was most challenging about this project?

The main challenge was the tight project timeline for the re-construction, stitching, and grow-in to have the field ready for the rugby and soccer that kick off in October.

Besides the DHL Stadium, what are some of Turftech’s proudest accomplishments?

Turftech has constructed a wide collection of turfs that make us extremely proud, but there are a few accomplishments that really stand out for us. These include constructing the first World-Certified Artificial Rugby Field in South Africa at Curro Durbanville, the first Artificial Turf Cricket Oval for the Gary Kirsten Foundation, and firsts for Artificial Turf Bowling Green and Athletics Track in South Africa.

A MILESTONE IN CONSIDERED DESIGN SOLUTIONS

YEARS OF GAPP ARCHITECTS & URBAN DESIGNERS

Singita Kwitonda Lodge

Photographs courtesy of GAPP Architects & Urban Designers

GAPP Architects & Urban Designers have a portfolio of projects that propels them to the forefront of the local industry. Guided by the ethos of collaboration, innovation, and creation, the firm is dedicated to crafting solutions to obstacles in our ever-changing world. From urban design and architecture to spatial planning, their legacy is a collection of some of the country’s best builds. To honour their 30th anniversary this year, we spoke to the GAPP Team about their achievements, goals, and role in making a difference.

With such a highly esteemed stature in the industry, let’s go back to where it all started. How did GAPP begin?

In 1979, two Johannesburg-based architects, the Schlapobersky Partnership and Glen Gallagher, merged to form the Gallagher Schlapobersky Collaborative. Four years later, the company changed its name to Gallagher, Aspoas, Poplak, Senior (which would become known as GAPS). GAPS went on to win the Newtown Cultural Precinct competition in 1987, leading to a working relationship with David Jack, an adjudicator on the competition panel, who later became Managing Director of the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront Company. It was David Jack who introduced GAPS to Prinsloo, Parker, Flint, Elliott, and Van den Heever, and who connected them to the initial urban design of the V&A Waterfront project and the architectural design of selected buildings. This collaboration resulted in the successful joint venture company Gallagher Prinsloo Associates (GPA), established in 1993. Shortly thereafter, the two practices formally merged to become the firm we know today – GAPP Architects and Urban Designers.

After three decades of producing projects, which ones really helped put the firm on the map?

The V&A Waterfront certainly stands out. GAPP successfully transformed a working harbour into a thriving tourism hub while preserving the original harbour's activities, such as fishing and port operations. The Waterfront project now welcomes over 24 million annual visitors, solidifying its status as a prominent South African tourist destination. Our mission was to seamlessly balance the commercial and tourism aspects of the project, which was achieved through an integrated urban design and architectural approach, effectively meeting the diverse needs of all sectors. Our portfolio spans cultural, commercial, mixed-use, educational, development frameworks, and infrastructure projects, and considered design, responsive architecture, and resilient urban design have solidified our position as one of the continent's premier architectural and urban design practices.

Tswalu Loapi

With your projects reaching into a variety of sectors, such as architecture, urban design, and spatial planning, how do you ensure you incorporate your company’s ethos into each area of work?

We employ an 'urban' approach to architecture. The alignment between our Johannesburg and Cape Town studios is strongly evident, particularly in the collaborative approach for the greater good of a project and the shared mindset of integrating architecture with urban design. A differentiator in the GAPP approach is the distinct, principle-driven skillset of urban design, offering an expert perspective on urban coordination. We are enthusiastic about collaborating with other design professionals to enhance our final product through our shared approach; It strengthens the practice of adopting an urban attitude towards architecture.

How has the South African environment, such as culture, heritage, and social climate, influenced your approach to projects?

Adaptive reuse of old buildings is a significant focus for us, combining heritage and sustainability without sensationalism. Our approach prioritises retaining a building's historical, architectural, and cultural value through careful and sensitive restoration which respects the past while serving the present, combining preservation, compatibility, adaptability, and expertise. Our aim is to create accessible, functional, and culturally rich spaces that enhance public engagement.

Rob Meek, Andrew Flint, Ivor Prinsloo, Dennis Elliot

Most of your projects have been in South Africa, but which other countries have you designed for over these 30 years?

Beyond our projects in South Africa, we have also designed the Faru Faru Lodge, nestled in Singita's private reserve in northern Tanzania, and the Singita Kwitonda Lodge and Kataza House in Rwanda, located on the edge of Volcanoes National Park. Britam Tower, a 30-story, 30 000 m² multi-tenanted office development for British American Investments, in Nairobi's upscale Upper Hill area, is another of our projects abroad.

What type of client proposals excite and inspire the team the most?

GAPP is committed to pushing boundaries in thinking, design, and service, and projects are selected where our involvement can truly make a significant difference. We are inspired most when embracing challenging projects because of the gratification of creating a positive impact. Sally Tsiliyiannis, one of our GAPP Directors, attributes the three decades of success to the capacity to excel in diverse projects and an unwavering dedication to delivering optimal results.

To what would you attribute the team’s 30 years of accomplishments and successes?

GAPP cultivates a culture of mentorship and skills development, empowering young architects to handle complex projects and diverse challenges, and nurturing talent with abundant experience and growth prospects. Staff longevity at GAPP is sustained by its management teams, diverse projects, and innovative approach, and we value diversity and the ability to provide distinctive client solutions. Our three-decade legacy forms the bedrock for our future explorations and innovations in the decades of success we see lying ahead.

www.gapp.net/en @gapp_

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Haute On The Heritage Block

REFASHIONING MAISON @ 88 FOR BUDISM COUTURE

Size: 580 m²

Completed: May 2022

Cost: R12 million

Location: Bree Street, Cape Town

As a high-end boutique fashion house that is rapidly establishing itself as a leading Atelier world-wide, Budism Couture represents the highest standard of carefully crafted, handmade couture dresses that are masterpieces in themselves. To meet these merits, the studio needed a space that combined elegance with atmosphere, and renowned architecture firm Peerutin Karol had the perfect solution. The result was two dream teams connecting to bring an inspired vision to life by highlighting the once-dormant savoir faire of the atelier’s ‘new’ home — a significant site on Bree Street’s Heritage Square.

THE BRIEF

When Budism Couture recognised the potential in what would become their Maison @ 88, the existing building had housed office space from its previous conversion. The façade of the building still shared some of the original, preservation-worthy design characteristics, while the interior had been remodelled several times and bore little resemblance to the design and function of the original building. Budism Couture wanted to adapt the existing configuration to suit their specific requirements while honouring the site’s value. Led by the team at Peerutin Karol, the project had to navigate an extensive design process that included detailed consultation with a Heritage Specialist, Dr Steve Townsend. The plans involved the retention and refurbishment of the existing front façade with slight modifications, with the aim to reinforce and enhance the prevailing architectural fabric along Bree Street.

THE SITE

The site for this project forms part of the Heritage Square Precinct on Bree Street, in the heart of the Cape Town CBD. Over 200 years old, the original two-storey building had been extensively remodelled and re-purposed throughout its life, but the rest of the precinct had been largely preserved to retain the irreplaceable heritage of the entire block.

MEET THE TEAM

Architect: Peerutin Karol

Contractor: Phase 3 Construction

Heritage Specialist: Dr Steve Townsend

Photographer: Adam Letch

www.peerutinkarol.com

@peerutinkarol

'The goal for Peerutin Karol was clear: Maintain the integrity of the building while incorporating the allure of the Budism Couture brand.'

THE PROCESS

The goal for Peerutin Karol was clear: Maintain the integrity of the building while incorporating the allure of the Budism Couture brand. To achieve this, the team decided that behind the façade and within the original masonry envelope, a completely new reinforced concrete structure was needed. Included in the proposal was the addition of two more floors above the original two. To manage this additional height, the original façade was retained in its original form and housed the two new floors within a Mansard-style roof form. The existing fabric of brick and plaster was not extended, but rather the additional space required was formed to clearly read conceptually as a ‘roof’. This roof form is distinctly different to the existing envelope, but houses both additional floors in a single roof profile, creating the impression that it is one composition with two parts – the masonry ground and first floors, and the lightweight roof containing the second and third floors. The slopes of the roof steep away from the façade to minimise the visual impact of the addition and the entire roof form is clad in a grey-coloured Rheinzink roof sheeting.

Inside the building, the functional space requirements are distributed over the four floors, with a formal Grand Reception and Client Liaison Space with dressing and fitting rooms at ground level. The studio spaces, where all the hand-based manufacturing happens, are housed on the first and second floors, and at the top level an informal dining and entertainment space is situated. This area opens onto a spacious outdoor terrace that overlooks the exquisite Cape Town skyline towards Table Mountain and Lion's Head. All the levels in the building are connected by the centrepiece feature of the design concept — an elliptical winding staircase set inside a rectilinear box form.

Despite a clear vision and inspired direction, the refurbishment was no easy feat. Several iterations and construction materials were explored before settling on a reinforced concrete staircase by Phase 3 Construction and a bent steel sheet balustrade by IB Mans of TGS Concepts. Many preliminary templates were prepared before the final design was realised, but the result is a seamless, fluid motion stair and balustrade that anchors the space around it, undoubtedly worth the challenges it presented.

While the winding staircase is the primary feature of the interior, it is the custom designed and hand-made wrought iron and glass front door that greets visitors upon entry to the atelier. Centrally placed, the door represents the timeless elegance that is associated with Budism Couture and embodies the spirit of collaboration; a craftsman in the United States created each of the metal flowers embedded in the door design. These flowers were then shipped to Cape Town and expertly incorporated into a bespoke, hand-made wrought iron and glass door by Roddy McGuffog, owner of Ferro Classics. This attention to detail and no-compromise attitude is deeply reflected in this feature, making for the perfect final touch to an end-product that is truly representative of the magic of Maison @ 88.

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TIMELESS TUDOR

GREENER PASTURES FOR OAK AVENUE

Completed: 2023

Location: Kenilworth, Cape Town

Built in 1944 and initially named ‘The Sheiling’, this Tudor-styled house originally formed part of Wytham Estate in Kenilworth, Cape Town. It was established through the 1937 subdivision of the property Highwick, which in turn had been subdivided from the historic Steenberg Farm all the way back in 1886. The house, with its rigid layout and mustard kitchen, had grown dated and dull by the time Bone Design was presented with the task of placing it on greener pastures once more.

The renovation’s design objective was to create an oasis of calm, with a touch of understated historical glamour. The process began with removing the unstylish 1970s finishes such as the carpets, stippled plaster, layers of varnish, and Linoleum to reveal the original classic Tudor features. These included solid timber beams and floors which were celebrated by simply sanding and applying a non-yellowing monocoat seal, which aided in creating a warm monochromatic base palette of neutral tones with dark stained timber windows, characteristic of the light and dark design aesthetics of the Arts and Crafts movement.

To excel at the endeavour, Bone Design layered textures, materials, and bespoke joinery elements to further enhance the elegant new style of the space. Each area was transformed from washed out to bright and airy, lifting the mood and introducing sophistication. The team not only imparted their taste and expertise on the interiors but also on the façade, making the space feel entirely reimagined while cherishing the history and essence of the home. By embracing the budding possibilities of this tudoresque dwelling, the power of renovation took this home on Oak Avenue from tired to timeless.

HAYLEY TURNER (LEFT) & NICOLA ORPEN (RIGHT)

Living Room After

Living Room Before

By opening up the wall between the living room, dining room, and kitchen, we created line of site from all angles of the house.

We broke down the walls between the old domestic room and kitchen, stripped the ceiling boards to expose high pitch rafters, and installed large folding/stacking doors to the garden via a new covered patio to create open flow between inside and out.

SUPPLIERS

Timber specialist work

Vintage Projects 076 422 6711

Joiners

SOTA 072 761 3620

Marble

WOMAG 021 447 6161

Engineered floors Oggie 021 510 2846

Sanware

Victorian Bathrooms 021 418 0855

Tiling

Tile Space 011 796 5100

Fireplaces

Beauty Fires 061 102 8660

All timber was sanded, stained, and sealed with a non-yellowing monocoat seal, bringing a warm contrast to the traditional monochrome marble check floor of the guest bathroom.

The old study was stripped and incorporated into the previously very small en-suite, transforming it into a luxurious bathroom which celebrates the light through the traditional bay window.

BATHROOM After

BATHROOM process

THIRTY FIVE YEARS OF AWARD WINNING PROJECTS

ROOTS RUNNING DEEP

PRESERVING THE CAPE HERITAGE HOTEL

Forming part of the beloved Bree Street Heritage Square, the Cape Heritage Hotel is a historic feature of the Cape Town CBD and its hospitality industry. The building dates back to the 18th century and has lived many lives, even surviving the threat of demolition in the 1980s. To honour and maintain its historical and cultural heritage, ProNature joined in the adventure of restoring and renovating this significant piece of architectural history, turning it into a contemporary and chic boutique hotel.

The love affair we at ProNature have with heritage buildings began over a decade ago, refurbishing Original Oregon Pine Floors at the Homecoming Centre in District Six. Since then, we have been engaged in a multitude of heritage projects like The Old Granary restoration, student residence at the University of Cape Town, and the Vice Chancellor’s house at North-West University, but one project is especially close to our hearts – The Cape Heritage Square and Cape Heritage Hotel.

The building’s historic roots run almost three centuries deep and form an integral part of the restored Heritage Square in the heart of Cape Town. The Square is a collection of some of the earliest Dutch and Georgian houses in Cape Town, built in 1771. The Hotel itself was constructed in the 1780s and, like most of the original buildings, was used for commercial reasons. Tobacconists, snuff makers, gunsmiths, bakers, coach makers, and wheelwrights prospered here, and there was even a rope warehouse, several retail stores, a boarding house, a chapel, and an undertaker.

Often the requirements of heritage projects are that materials used for renovation and restoration should be similar or identical to the materials used when the buildings were first erected, such as the same types of timber, and the use of clay and lime instead of cement. An example at the Cape Heritage Hotel was to replicate a gap filler that resembled the composition of the original filler for Yellowwood floorboards. We achieved this by formulating a product based on milk protein that matched composition and colour. To arrive at the original colour of all floors, staircases, and doors, customised colours of the ProNature Indoor Wood Sealer were applied. This natural, oil-based penetrating sealant stains new fragments to the same colour, protects the original wood, and negates the need of sanding prior to the maintenance processes.

Courtesy of Cape Heritage Hotel

Most of the walls in the Cape Heritage Complex were built from locally mined rocks, of which some old quarries along Table Mountain still bear witness today. The mortar used in the construction of these walls was a clay-lime-sand mix with natural plant fibres or animal hair sometimes incorporated. During restoration these walls are often exposed, and the old plaster is removed to display the beauty of the rocks or mixture of rocks and clay bricks, and to show the building methods of the years before. Unfortunately, these ‘open’ walls are very prone to losing small pieces of the old, very brittle mortar which can be unsightly and create an abrasive mess on floors and furniture. To avoid the mortar breaking loose, these walls need to be protected with a special transparent coating. This type of coating must preserve the original colour of the rock substrate, without drying to a glossy film, and conform to VOC regulations while preferably comprising of natural ingredients. Most importantly it needs to prevent mortar and dust breaking loose. ProNature Wall Protect fulfilled all these requirements, bonding loose particles and drying to a perfectly matt finish without changing the colour of the original materials. www.pronature.co.za

It is always a privilege to be involved in restoring historic buildings, which were built with basic plant- and mineral-based materials. Hundreds of years later, with little maintenance efforts, these materials still hold up extremely well – naturally.

www.capeheritage.co.za

Courtesy of ProNature

Courtesy of ProNature

Courtesy of Cape Heritage Hotel

Courtesy of Cape Heritage Hotel

RELIGHTING THE CITY’S SKYLINE

THE REFURB ROUTE TO HOTEL SKY

Aslight left of the Cape Town CBD’s main entrance, red rings rise up to the night sky, casting glances to what can only be deemed as no ordinary spire. Hotel Sky wasn’t always an illuminated and dynamic structure, though. It once accommodated the everyday office lives of the past three decades. By 2020, the esteemed building needed a new role to play in the city; it was time for a radical reinvention.

THE BRIEF

The Metropolitan Life building had a run of 30 years of use before it outlived its original purpose as an office block. As with many skyscrapers, city centres continue to change and evolve, creating a need for buildings to keep up with their environment’s trajectory. When the time came for the redevelopment of the Metlife Centre, leading architecture firm Noero Architects was commissioned to reinvent the primely located structure to adapt to contemporary life.

THE SITE

Originally designed by Cape Town architect Douglas Roberts, the Metlife Centre acted as a classic example of the local architecture of its time – the 1970s. The site offers the perfect location, with the Cape Town International Convention Centre on its doorstep. Situated in the Foreshore, the spot is also a stone’s throw away from the V&A Waterfront, forming part of the city’s central hub of happenings.

THE INSPIRATION

In line with today’s essential thinking around sustainable building practices, Noero Architects were interested in the possibility of finding a new use for the building without demolishing it. To achieve this, they decided the hotel should be designed to offer a quality standard of accommodation at a reasonable cost, not only reviving the building but also potentially opening the Cape Town tourism industry to many more visitors, particularly from across Africa.

THE PROCESS

The design process began with the benefit that the existing building had a suitable structural grid of 8,4 metres, which offered multiple opportunities, all taken up with enthusiasm. Once the building and site were purchased, it was converted into a 550-bed hotel with various public spaces to offer comfort, entertainment, luxury, and convenience, all within one structure. Both the 8,4-metre structural grid and the prestressed concrete floor design represented significant challenges, particularly when it came to converting what were open plan offices into hotel bedrooms with attached services. Three bedrooms were fitted into the structural grid, affording the architects hotel rooms with a clear width of 2,2 metres. The difficulties presented by the prestressed floors were that all services needed to be threaded between the

prestressed wires without cutting them. More than 18 000 cores were drilled through the floors to accommodate the service pipes in the 27 floors of the building. This required incredible accuracy on the part of the builders. 10% of the rooms comprised four double bunk beds providing eight people with sleeping space in one room, a popular option with large families as well as visiting sports teams.

Particular attention was paid to the ground floor lobby area and the rooftop, which offers incredible views of the city and mountain. Two swimming pools were hung off the narrow-stepped side of the building with surrounding timber decks, and a forty-metre tower was placed on the roof, offering the Sky-Hi Ride – a feature unique to Hotel Sky. This exhilarating experience with priceless views of the city is open to the public, not only hotel guests, and has proven a very popular attraction to both tourists and locals for grabbing a glimpse of the view from the top.

Also of special interest was the sophisticated use of pre-cast concrete panels and strip windows on the external façade, which influenced the decision to leave the original design largely untouched except for small opening windows added to the bedrooms to provide cross ventilation. Although adding to the functionality of the space, it caused no visual disruption to the original façade.

With construction commencing during the Covid lockdown, an array of conditions was attached to working on site during this period. However, despite the added complexity of the construction process, the undertaking of this repurposing elevated the city when it needed it most. By pressing the restart button, the Metropolitan Life building was transformed from a tired, bygone office block to an inspired hotel in the sky, acting as an excellent example of Jo Noero’s approach: ‘Each and every building can be improved over time.’

MEET THE TEAM

Design Architects: Noero Architects

Architects of Record: Vivid Architects

Contractor: WBHO

Engineering: EKCON Consulting Engineers

Plumbing: Geberit

Photographer: Paris Brummer

www.noeroarchitects.com

@noeroarchitects

'By pressing the restart button, the Metropolitan Life building was transformed from a tired, bygone office block to an inspired hotel in the sky.'

Geberit’s SuperTube was an obvious choice because it was a retrofit building where duct space was very limited and the building itself is stepped, which posed many challenges with the stacks and vent reticulation because it continues to step down dramatically the higher you go. The most important part of each building is the use of space and a solution that minimises any loss of space is at the top of the agenda. We could not have done this project without the SuperTube system.

- Mehrzad Mehdizadeh from EKCON Consulting Engineers

THE SECOND LIFE OF TOWERS MAIN

A TRANSFORMATIVE COLLABORATION IN MIXED-USE ARCHITECTURE

Size: 48 000 m²

Completed: 2019

Location: Johannesburg

The modernist tower of the Absa Precinct Building was constructed in 1970 and stands 140 metres tall – the 35th tallest building in Africa. In Johannesburg, with its rich history in goldmining, urban decay began to devour the city’s buildings in the 1990s. Many companies moved headquarters out of the CBD, some buildings were hijacked, or filled with squatters, and other buildings like this tower were mothballed. Rather than demolish or destruct, AMA Architects was called on by developers Atterbury and Divercity to give Towers Main a second chance – one that would make a lasting statement for the importance of urban regeneration in South Africa.

THE BRIEF

In the early 2000s, centres of artistic expression started to bloom, first with Newtown and the nearby Carr Street art and music scene, up to the present day with Maboneng, a vibrant new chapter for the art scene in Johannesburg. The building needed to link directly to these areas at a walkable distance, and so ‘Project Gloria’ was created — a rebuilding of the Absa Campus in the Johannesburg inner city. Towers Main was the largest structure in the campus, and required a transformation into a mixed-use building.

‘Project Gloria’ was framed around three key principles: Creating a successful workplace; attracting and retaining talent; and building physical and digital connectivity. The revamped building features ground-floor retail with a coffee bistro, modern business lounge, co-working office space, and an art gallery. Floors were re-envisioned and premium apartments were added. A sky garden made for a communal space, along with a ‘Village Park’ that activated public space, creating a new focal point for the Absa Precinct.

THE SITE

Towers Main is located to the South of the Central Business District of Johannesburg. It is nestled between two main road corridors that funnel traffic into and out of the city, to the East Rand, and to the West Rand of Gauteng. At the time of the project’s proposal, the city was in desperate need of suitable and safe mixed-use accommodation for all income levels.

MEET THE TEAM

Architects & Project Manager: AMA Architects

Developers: Atterbury & Divercity

Quantity Surveyor: Kaofela Quantity Surveyors

Engineers: WSP Group Africa

Principal Contractor: WBHO/ Motheo

Photographer: Joggie Botha

Renders & Drawings: Lana Myburgh

www.amagroup.co.za

@amaarchitects_za

THE PROCESS

AMA Architects committed to employing principles of successful mixed-use development to create a compact and walkable neighbourhood with activated street edges. By opening up the existing façade on ground level, livelier public spaces were created and movement across the site was improved, generating more interest and foot traffic for the retail stores through a connection to the well-developed Maboneng Precinct. The public space on the plaza and ground floor also introduces a pedestrian-sensitive, human scale to a previously vehicle-dominated environment, thus connecting people and places and encouraging public transport use. Urban furniture and ample landscaping offer an oasis within the harsh inner-city environment, while local sculptural art used throughout the space reflects characteristics of the local culture and identity. Opening the tower up at its base also reveals the grain of its inhabitants and simultaneously creates conditions through which the city can be appreciated from the tower.

SUPPLIERS

Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (interior walls)

Hebel 011 439 4400

Sanitary Ware

Geberit 011 444 5070

Timber Cladding

Oggie 011 262 3117

ETIC System

Ohlhorst 012 327 2411

Timber Decking MOSO 021 671 1214

Insulation Boards

Isover 011 360 8200

Access Gates

Turnstar 011 786 1633

Paving

Taljaard Earthworks, Civils & Plant Hire 083 623 3877

Residential Façade

Ohlhorst 012 327 2411

Signage

Malibongwe Signs 082 882 0061

Aluminium Cladding

Alania Building Systems 011 683 1774

THE MATERIALS

For the residential façade, lightweight steel-framed panels were prefabricated to allow for 11 000 m² of ETICS façade to be completed within four months. The pixelated vortex pattern of the residential façade is a fresh urban addition to the Johannesburg skyline, bringing colour and vibrancy to it. It is reminiscent of the Johannesburg sky in the summer, full of clouds and colours.

Glass façades were also used which improved passive design strategies with regards to heat loss and heat gain. The residential façade was handled in a more economic manner, with the existing frame being kept and new glass with openings added as required. The internal walls were created using Hebel blocks, a lightweight autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) which is a completely cured, inert, and stable form of calcium silicate hydrate. It is a structural material, approximately one quarter the weight of conventional concrete, composed of minute cells which give the material light weight and high thermal insulation properties.

SUSTAINABILITY, ENERGY CONSERVATION, & INNOVATION

Materials, design, and construction elements that reduce the building’s energy consumption were used, along with energy-efficient double glazing on the main and residential façades. The ETICS building system is also nine times lighter, four times faster to construct, and 12 times more thermally efficient than conventional brick construction. The Hebel AAC blocks’ enhanced insulation performance is five times that of brick of the same thickness. Used to build the residential inner walls, the thermal efficiency reduces the reliance on heating and cooling appliances and provides up to 60% reduction in costs. Because of the environmentally friendly and sustainable construction materials and techniques used, the Absa offices achieved a four-star rating from the GBCSA.

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RESTORING THE LOURENSFORD LANDSCAPE

A SEARCH-AND-RESCUE PROPAGATION PROJECT

Photography by Deon van Eeden

Across 4 000 hectares of land, amidst the Hottentots Holland and Helderberg Mountains, Lourensford Wine Estate hosts a biodiverse landscape with a rich floral heritage. In 2020, Deon van Eeden and the team at Vula Environmental Services undertook a project to restore a 5.5-hectare parcel of land on a farm with a legacy dating back to the 1700s.

Between 2020 and 2022, Vula Environmental Services executed a restoration for Lourensford Wine Estate in Somerset West, Cape Town. By a team who specialises in a vast range of restoration and rehabilitation of landscapes, the plant selection for the project was carefully considered. The restoration was anchored in a seed-based approach, and more than 30 species were collected for seeding in Autumn 2020. The launch of the project entailed several search-and-rescue trips on site between June 2020 and July 2022. It was during these missions that plant material was collected for propagation, which was then prepared at the Morningstar Nursery before finding its way back to the estate.

All other material to be added to the site was collected in the form of cuttings. Apart from Protea repens and Protea nerifolia, no other proteoid material was available on site either during material collection events. Vula used various growing media for the rooting of the plants, such as a 1:1 ratio of coco peat and washed river sand, a 2.2:1 ratio of coco peat and perlite, and a 3:2 ratio of local sand to perlite.

Measuring momentum

To track the progress of the endeavour, the species selected for propagation were assessed individually, and it was clear that each experienced various levels of success by the end of the project. Leucadendron salignum, Serruria fasciflora, Protea repens, and Protea nerifolia were the only species that showed notable success following propagation, while Oftia africana and Selago corymbosa presented limited success. On the other hand, the following plant

species had no success in their new environments: Brunia noduliflora, Widdringtonia nodiflora, Euclea polyandra, Berzelia lanuginisa, Athanasia sp., Erica sp., Pseudoselago, and Cliffortia cunea. Significantly, there was very limited growth witnessed in propagation by cuttings as opposed to seeds.

Sighting the setbacks

Several difficulties were encountered during the propagation of the collected material which led to low propagation success. These limitations, in conjunction with the dissimilarity between the source location’s climate and habitat and that of the nursery where the plants were propagated, resulted in high plant fatality numbers. Additionally, the propagation facility’s light conditions, which were suited to general propagation, might have been too low, and water requirements during the rooting phase were difficult to determine, aggravating the setbacks.

Looking forward

In addition to the cuttings taken, seeds were collected throughout the process when available. These seeds were sown and germination was started, but these were mainly protea species, limiting the diversity input to the species list to mostly plants that were introduced as seeds. During the spring 2023 site review, it was however observed that a functional eco system had been well established with more than 95% vegetation cover and limited erosion present. The species diversification has increased thanks to natural dispersal drivers such

as rodents, birds, and wind, and with the habitat restoration undertaken, will continue to draw more biological dispersal agents aiding to the recovery trajectory of the site.

For sites with histories as hearty as Lourensford Wine Estate’s age and evolution, teams like Vula Environmental Services continue to explore the essence of restoration and appreciation of the local landscapes. An inspired approach, this pathway forward is one which many landscapes would do well to undertake for the preservation of their heritage and habitat.

DEON VAN EEDEN Managing Director Vula Environmental Services

www.vulaservices.com

A GUIDE THROUGH THE URBAN JUNGLE

FIVE URBAN SPACES REACHING FOR GREEN

Restoring the green in urban spaces goes beyond a one-stop checklist. The diversity of every space means there would require too many considerations, all of which are likely to differ from one space to another. In the distinct area of Observatory, Cape Town, somewhere between city and suburb, five very different spaces were renovated and restored. To emerge from the old concrete infrastructure, these spots transformed their surroundings by reaching for the green that works for them.

Moonlighting Films Studio is situated in the business area of Lower Main Road. When the building was renovated, they transformed their parking area too, opting for grass blocks which absorb the urban heat instead of using the typical tarred surface or paving solutions. Indigenous trees, such as Vachellia xanthophloea and Searsia pendulina, were planted along the property boundaries, creating privacy and shade for all – a green oasis amongst the surrounding Victorian buildings.

Across the road, Ground Culture Café opted for plants which not only restored and enhanced the urban space, but could also be used in their menu, such as Portulacaria afra, Nasturtiums, and Passiflora edulis, whilst Thunbergia lutea covers the walls and the smell of Jasminum polyanthum pervades the narrow space. Indigenous and waterwise plants such as Aloe species, as well as Crassula ovata, fill the pots, offering an eclectic and functional mix of greenery.

A few steps away, Sobega and the developers of the adjacent flats created a space for residents and clients with built-in seats and tables and waterwise plants that form a private enclave in the busy surroundings. The chosen plants are the indigenous Syzigium guineense in the background, Rhagoda hastata, and Agapanthus praecox. These, in combination with non-indigenous but waterwise plants such as Viburnum sinensis and Duranta Sheenas Gold, create uplifting contrasts under the Quercus nigra, curating a peaceful, restful setting.

Partnering up, OBSID and the City of Cape Town tackled several public spaces to provide green pockets in the Urban Jungle. One of these spaces is the Two Rivers Urban Park where residents can exercise and walk their pets, sit and watch the ducks and finches in the reeds, and listen to the seagulls bathing in the shallow waters. The Friends of the Liesbeek River help clean the park monthly, and have planted more indigenous species such as Dietes grandiflora, Watsonias, and Carpobrotus edulis Syzigium cordatum trees and Zantedeschia aethiopica dot the landscape. Eclectic, rambling, and wild, this space blends into the urban atmosphere, showing a respect for all plants that stood the test of time.

Throughout the urban neighbourhood, smaller parks appear on the streets, maintained by local landscapers. Along iron fences, indigenous Kniphofias, Polygala fruticosa, Helichrysum petiolare, Plectranthus neochilus, Leonotus leonurus, Osteospermum, and Scabiosa can be found. Creating a colourful environment between swings and climbing frames, the natural addition provides the children of the area with a chance to see earth’s bounty between the bricks.

As urban spaces find their unique measure of greenery, each square metre demands a different species, a different addition, its own solution to restoring a little bit more of the jungle. There might not be one comprehensive list that promises plants to suit every area, but there is certainly a plant for every block and a tree for every corner of our urban environments.