Architect and Builder August/September 2019 | Page 90

33 Baker Street
REFURBISHMENTS
The 33 Baker Street building was originally developed
by the Sasol Pension Fund. With the vacating of the
Sasol Group from Rosebank, it became necessary to
rejuvenate 33 Baker in addition to accommodating a large
corporate tenant.
Although the building has a strong exposure on the
corner of Oxford Road and Baker Street, it is diminutive in
scale compared to the adjacent buildings and demanded
a new architectural expression that would achieve a
unique identity. The intention was to replace the building’s
existing outdated façade with a modern, contemporary
flavour. This entailed demolition of the entire façade and
pitched roofing, enclosing in all but one of the recesses
in the façade cladding, with a curtain wall concept and
introducing a new roof concealed behind the new façade.
Since the building could not be extended vertically,
the proportions of the existing structure presented an
opportunity to remodel the building with a horizontal
emphasis to achieve a more simplified, modern and
elegant design. This was achieved by demolition of the
entire façade and pitched roofing, closing in all but one
of the indentations in the façade, cladding with a curtain
wall concept and introducing a new roof concealed
behind the new façade. The decision to enclose the
existing indentations in the façade had the added benefit
of increasing the lettable office area within the building,
thus creating more usable office plates. The total GLA was
increased to 13,400m 2 which includes the existing retail
tenants that remained, and the new corporate tenant area.
The modulated curtain wall system includes areas
of double glazing and single glazing. The double glazing
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portions of glass are featured on the prominent façades of
the building, on which a random arrangement of vertical,
aluminium fins have been applied to achieve a texture to
the elevations defined with aluminium clad surrounds. The
balance of the façades have a single glazing curtain wall
system to create a smooth and sleek look. Furthermore,
the façade is articulated with full height aluminium panels
as well as plastered and painted brickwork.
The subtle application of the black colour has been
achieved by way of using a lighter shade of the double
glazing to the main elevations and black single glazing to
the secondary elevations giving the illusion of shadow.
This is complimented by a satin sheen to the aluminium
cladding and a textured black to the plastered brick walls.
Client: Sasol Pension Fund
Project Managers & Principal Agents:
TERM Project Management
Architect: SVA International
Quantity Surveyors: Matla QS
Civil & Structural Engineers: Sutherland Engineers
Mechanical Engineers: Wingrove
Electrical Engineers: WSP
Wet Services: Smal Consulting
Fire Consultants: Specialised Fire Technology
Lift Consultants: Projitech
Health & Safety: Cairnmead Industrial Consultants
Interior Designers & Space Planners:
TC RPv Architects
Landscape Architects: Insite
Main Contractor: WBHO Construction
SAPOA Awards