WINNER: INNOVATIVE DEVELOPMENTS
GE Africa Innovation Centre
T
he GE Africa Innovation Centre (GEAIC) was
commissioned for GE SSA (Sub-Saharan
Africa). From the outset the project was com-
mitted to innovation, collaboration and strategic
dialogues with key stakeholders across sub-Saharan
Africa. Considering the wide scope of the design,
innovation was critical in presenting the various
facets of GE’s activities across Africa.
The brief to the architects was to create
a mixed-use, flexible, functional, robust and
sustainable environment highlighting the key
principles of GE – namely industrial innovation
and African collaboration.
The vision was to provide a healthy environment
and internalise this in the workplace, promoting an
integrated and balanced health and wellness driven
work environment. The publicly accessible ground
floor accommodates a health-focused work café
and digital exhibition centre, collaboration zones and
outdoor collaboration area.
The restricted access first floor is devoted to
permanent tenanting and incorporates agile work-
spaces and a fully-equipped GE Africa Healthcare
training centre, while the top floor includes a flexible
learning and development centre, collaboration
rooms, and multi-disciplinary laboratory.
The interior fit-out was designed to be a dynamic
and versatile multi-floor space, with innovative
and mobile structural elements and furniture. The
intention is for the flexible environment to fluidly
facilitate collaboration, interaction, and innovation
for all users.
Conceptually, the space is informed by an African
geometric design language, drawn from African
settlem ents, fabrics and surfaces: abstracted
circular, angular and linear fractal elements, which
are integrated into the structural and aesthetic
elements of the GEAIC, creating a uniquely
African, yet global, contemporary corporate spatial
design. This ethos is drawn through the use of
local African materials and products, facilitated
through the most contemporary and innovative of
African industrial design.
With sustainability in mind, a holistic view was
adopted for the building with the overall fit-out
aiming to achieve substantially more than the
minimum levels set out by the GBCSA’s Green
Star SA and USGBC’s LEED (Leadership in Energy
and Environmental Design) interior rating tools. The
biggest challenge for the project was experienced
in trying to procure local products and skills that
met the performance requirements set out in the
Green Star and LEED accreditation requirements.
Through this process it became clear that an onus
needs to be placed on leveraging African creativity
and innovation to solve market demands within the
local green building sector.
Featured in Architect and Builder
Volume 67/Issue 5 - October 2016
82
SAPOA Awards