2009

Proposal for the redevelopment of the existing Bellville Velodrome site.

Tender won end 2009 by a team comprising Devmet Property Developments, VDMMA, R+L Architects and Henry Comrie and Urban Dynamics.

The Convention Centre & Hotel

The success of the Cape Town International Convention Centre has highlighted the need for such venues and the substantial benefit that they can provide to the region. The Galleria CONVEX (conference and exhibition) centre and hotel will further raise the profile of Cape Town as a destination for events, conferences and exhibitions.

Although both centres would be expected to benefit from this increase in trade, the Galleria will be regional rather than international in focus. It will provide facilities for the substantial business and corporate headquarter market in the immediate area as well as large events (sporting and concerts). Please refer to the separate management plan.

The flexibility and variety of the facilities provide the project with substantial advantages. The venue can accommodate anything from individual corporate meetings to major concerts and festivals.

The direct relationship with the adjacent retail and restaurant facilities will provide significant benefits to both. Retail will benefit from periodic large numbers of people whilst the CONVEX centre will not have to provide certain facilities and peak movement of people of cars will be moderated by the availability of restaurants and late-night shopping.

The Combined Convention Centre-Hotel Model

The evolution of the convention-hotel model has come full-circle since its inception almost 45 years ago with the InterContinental Vienna, which was no more than a hotel with meeting space.  With the advent of purpose-built convention centres, the convention-hotel lost some of its popularity, but has in recent years regained its primary position as a venue combining accommodation, convention facilities and exhibition space under one roof.

This model has the obvious advantage of facilitating delegate traffic, saving time, and allowing for direct contact between attendees to happen both during the convention and afterwards in the hotel bar, lounges and breakfast space.

The convention-hotel experience is further articulated by its location. Some venues remove themselves from the city to enjoy the serenity of remote locations, for example, The Dolce La Hulpe, set in the Sonian forest near Brussels. Others are decidedly urban in character, such as the Radisson SAS, Montevideo, Uruguay. These locate themselves in the vibrant urban milieu of the city, close to other attractions, with opportunities for restaurants and entertainment.

The Galleria convention centre-hotel is supported by the adjacent Velodrome which will provide further flexibility, with opportunities for large conferences with associated exhibitions (see table below). Indeed, this is a predominant trend in the market which is reforming itself as the CONVEX (conference and exhibition) industry. Many exhibitions nowadays will have a conference aspect, and most conferences will have at least a small exhibition, making full use of the captive audience.

The Galleria Convention Centre and Hotel

The Galleria Convention Centre and Hotel is located to the Northeast of the Galleria development and North of the existing Velodrome. The hotel is positioned to be visible to passing vehicular traffic to the North and pedestrian traffic from Tygervalley.  The arrival plaza is shared between the hotel and the Galleria itself.

A green planting strategy along the entire East edge will tie the project together and mitigate against the harsh nature of the immediately adjacent roads and buildings. Green courts within the development will extend this idea. Please refer to the architectural diagrams and the Landscape Architect’s report.

The hotel is a 10 storey building above a basement, an entry level with reception and bar/breakfast-room facilities and 9 floors of bedrooms. The bedrooms include both normal rooms and a variety of suites. The standard will be high and will position the hotel at a 4 star standard. The architecture will be contemporary and sophisticated. The adjacent images provide a sense of the aesthetic which is envisaged.

The Hotel is connected directly to the conference centre pre-function space which is also accessible directly from the Galleria and from the street. This pre-function space is the primary visual interaction between the centre and the user and is intended as a glazed, open and dramatic space. Vegetation within the space will emphasize the links to the exterior.

The ball-room and multi-functional spaces beyond are enclosed and flexible. These will be treated simply and can be adapted to the requirements of specific events by professional conference organisers.

A kitchen and other support functions will be located below the centre. These will be connected to the spaces above as well as the Hotel and the upgraded Velodrome. Finishing kitchens and service zones around the venue maximise the flexibility of the project. Both the conference centre and the Velodrome to the South will be serviced by a Marshalling yard between them.

Sustainability Measures:

The urban nature of the project already confers a significant Green benefit. This includes factors such as positive urban density, mixed use, reuse of existing facilities, conversion of degraded land, increase in appropriate vegetation and a focus on accessibility, non-motorised transport and public transport.

The nature of the project itself provides further advantages in terms of economic and social benefits the project and the amount of employment which will be generated, both during construction and, later, operation. 

Other measures will be integrated, multifaceted and wide ranging:

·         There will be a focus on reduction in energy and water consumption through the use of appropriate technologies.

·         Management systems will be in place to monitor and control environmental and waste systems.

·         Indoor environmental quality will be enhanced through day-lighting, external views and factors such as reduced volatile organic compounds.

·         Appropriate materials will be used with a focus on local sourcing and low embodied energy.

·         Emissions and pollutants will be minimised.