Architect and Builder August/September 2019 | Page 98

Empowered Space’s
Industrial Design Evolution
History of Industrial Building Design in South Africa
T
he architectural design of indus-
trial buildings has evolved from
utilitarian to design sensitive.
Historically Industrial buildings
were built to be shells to house product,
production or distribution - the simpler
and cheaper they could be built, the
better. Auxiliary buildings such offices and
related staff facilities were merely tagged
on, either inside or onto the face of the
industrial box, with little consideration.
The advent of the Industrial Park marked
the first part of this design revolution,
where progressive urban planning con-
cepts developed design guidelines for
the aesthetics and planning of building
within the parks. This resulted in more
considered environments and afforded
tenants the opportunity and value to
incorporate their Head Office components
into the same development, which in turn
again uplifted and upgraded the quality of
the facilities as a whole. One now started
to see high grade commercial offices
being attached to historically, cheap
warehouse structures. The old ratios of
‘x’ percentage off office to warehouse
were being challenged. With the head
office and increasing staff sensitivity,
the architectural aesthetic and design
principles are being stretched to include
all the corporate recreational facilities that
one experiences in the office market into
the industrial market.
New Industrial Design
Empowered Spaces (EPA) are experien-
cing and designing for a new industrial
evolution. The design of their buildings
is taking a holistic approach to this new
dynamic. They strive to integrate the
design of the office component with the
warehouse. No longer are they seen as
two distinct elements tied together out
of necessity. The practical elements on
a warehouse still need to be catered for,
but using innovative steel design EPA
have been able to create innovative design
models for the warehouse structure. New
advanced computer modelling, integrating
both architectural and engineering analysis
has enabled them to be both innovative
and cost effective in this process.
The firm has also seen a distinct move
to more image conscious design by their
clients. As in corporate office design,
clients want their buildings to reflect
and enhance their corporate image.
The same criteria required by the office
market needs to be incorporated into
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