African project Waterfall Public Transport Holding Facility – South Africa
12 africandesignmagazine . com
As part of the Waterfall development , Attacq was required by the local government to build a public transport holding facility to provide a base for the various modes of public transport operating in the area . Located on the east side of the N1 , adjacent to the quarry on Waterfall Farm , the development consists of offices , a canteen area , an ablution area , a refuse area and a transport facility parking area . Solid Green was the green building consultant on the project .
Sean Pillan of Empowered Spaces Architects says that different zones were designed to accommodate the different functions required , and each building was oriented to create visual security around a central courtyard which functions as a rest and meeting area for drivers . Four planters on the edge of the courtyard provide partially shaded seating and act as a buffer between the exit road and the courtyard . These planters attempt to soften the hard edges around the facility , and have built-in USB ports for drivers to charge their cell phones . This rest area opens up to the south side of the site and offers views overlooking Johannesburg .
“ We were asked by the client to design a facility for taxi drivers to use during the day whist waiting to get sent out on their specific routes . The client wanted to do something unique and interesting for the project and not make it a standard , boring facility . They asked for the facility to be a 5 star green rated building and wanted it to fit in with the surrounding context as much as possible ,” explains Pillan .
Based on a courtyard typology , Empowered Spaces Architects allowed the site and building envelope to almost determine the overall design . “ We looked at all five elevations to the project and designed around each street elevation , providing an interesting view for the passer by and approach for the taxi drivers ,” notes Pillan . “ We looked at the vacant site adjacent the facility and accommodated a back of house ( BOH ) area for the cooking staff to provide some privacy later on when a project gets built on the site .” The courtyard typology allows the edges of the building to form a relationship with the street and surrounding context . The inverse would occur for the taxi drivers where they would form a relationship with the spaces and buildings from the inner courtyard . It would also become a more private area for the Taxi Drivers slightly hidden from street view . The buildings bullnose edges are an attempt to soften the hard robust materials used in the facility . This also allowed the architects to scale the buildings accordingly .
The complex ’ s zones include a canteen building that acts as a barrier to the adjacent site , with six micro-shops facing onto the courtyard that provide opportunities for entrepreneurial women to sell food to the off-duty drivers . A site manager ’ s office overlooks the courtyard and its activity during the day , while provision for additional offices has been made to allow for future growth of the facility .
A dedicated refuse area includes a sorting facility for street recyclers to sort through refuse materials in a secure area , out of sight of the street .