Design
The precinct and the building in particular aim
to be respectful of the public environment. As
such, at ground level, the building’s edges are set
back to give walking shelter and are activated by
high street retail and the entrances of the office
buildings above. Designed by GLH Architects, the
architecture of the building is modern, humble and
timeless with an open and permeable character.
Clear glass married with the warmth of natural
stone provide for a soft palette of materials.
The attractive wedge-shape design is notable
for its glass façades, created with 4,500m 2 of
glazing. This design enhances the wellbeing of
the building’s users allowing ample fresh air,
particularly unimpeded access to external vistas
looking east over Johannesburg’s treed suburbs
and plenty of natural daylight. The emphasis of
the building is on the Oxford Road façade with
the other two façades being downplayed as
they are only visible at acute angles through the
pedestrian streets of the precinct.
The Oxford Road façade is east facing and
consists of double façade clear glazing flanking
the frameless atrium glazing. The transparency
of the façade is complemented by the dynamism
of the motorised blinds linked to a weather
station that are tracking the light along the day,
protecting the office space in the morning and
opening fully once the sun has passed the corner.
To deal with the sun’s heat through the glazing
without overloading the air conditioning system,
a couple of innovations have been included. The
first is a double-ventilated façade on the front
of the building, involving two layers of glazing
some 40cm apart. The outside layer is open at
the bottom and at the top, allowing air to rise
and exit this vertical channel as it heats, sucking
in cooler air at the bottom and keeping the
building cool.
Interior
The atrium provides for a seamless transition
between the outside and the inside of the building,
allowing for reception functions, lounges, vertical
circulation and distribution. This open, vibrant and
bright space brings departments and people
together. The observation lifts overlooking Oxford
Road contribute to the pleasurable journey
through the building.
The office spaces are an unencumbered
rectilinear ‘L’ shaped space with the core at its
centre allowing maximum sub-divisibility of the
space in departments or separate tenants. This
sub-divisibility of the building is further increased
thanks to the double lift bank system that allows
for a main tenant operating from one lift bank
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199 Oxford