Architects, who were charged with creating a
new iconic home for The Lion Match Company.
The practice is renowned for providing sustainable
architectural solutions and has worked on a
number of restoration projects in the area as well
as contemporary designs. The challenge was the
insertion of a contemporary building in a historic
precinct, the Point representing one of the first
areas settled in Durban.
Conservation projects are always interesting
as most buildings have small elements of infill.
The challenge on this project was different
though: the Point area is a historic precinct and the
entire new building was infill, positioned opposite
the old Station Masters offices. The architects
Lion Match
responded by setting the entrance courtyard
back so that the view of the listed building was
not impaired.
Basically the building is a distribution centre
with an office building wrapped around it. It was
important that the building should not look like a
distribution centre. The client wanted the parking
for the offices to be on top of the distribution
centre which is not the obvious thing to do. This
building has no basement. The entrance to the
offices is really from the parking level at the second
storey at the rear of the building.
The review process with the Durban Point
Development Company Review Committee was
enormously constructive. The site and the precinct
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