2011

New Office, Retail and Residential Development in the V&A Waterfront

 
Project in collaboration with Rick Brown Associates. 

This building is located in the Clocktower precinct of the V+A Waterfront, adjacent to the historical Grain Silo and Elevator building.

Initial conceptual studies by the architectural team led to the development of an urban response which allowed for the creation of a new identity within the overall precinct masterplan, namely  Silo Square . This new building will begin to define the north arc of the new Silo Square which will ultimately surround and frame the historical building and adjacent industrial structures and provide an identifiable heart to the precinct.

The building character seeks to find a balance between the needs of a sophisticated contemporary office building and the fine history of industrial building typologies so well represented at the V&A Waterfront. The aim and intention has been to develop the building’s conceptual underpinnings and façade resolution to reflect the inherent integrity of these buildings which were mostly efficient, direct and honest in the manner in which they responded to their often pragmatic briefs.

The character of these historical waterfront buildings was created largely through principles of functional efficiency and clarity, structural simplicity and purity and a truth to materials, in order to satisfy direct need rather than image. It is our belief that we should learn from these principles, and seek to imbue this new building with an appropriate industrial and docklands aesthetic which eschews bland corporate architectural posturing or the alternative of pastiche mimicry of historical quotation. In essence we seek authenticity and contextual sensitivity with a 2011/2/3 perspective.

The building seeks to be sustainable, well beyond the requirements of “best practice”. A Green Star rating is being sought and it is expected to be one of the first office buildings in Cape Town to achieve a 5 Star rating. It has been an important principle that the environmental response be achieved without compromising the utility of the building, the comfort of the occupants or the aesthetic quality of the building.