As a function of the times, the price of granite is at a relative historic low, whilst the price of glass is at an historic high. It is therefore fitting and prudent that a financial house should finesse the prevailing market forces in the costeffective commissioning of its own head office. Light on glass but heavy on granite, the design is modern( even futuristic) but wrought from the most traditional of materials.
Robert Silke & Partners is the Design Architect in association with Project Architects, LKA. Robert Silke’ s Jessica White has also carried out the interior design for Citadel’ s internal areas and most of its sub-tenancies.
Whereas the traditional notion of“ citadel” is walled and introverted, the new head office is charismatic and gregarious in its interface with visitors. This is one citadel that does not wall itself off from its environment, as the new head office is designed for Citadel’ s clients as much as its staff. Despite the presence of state-of-the-art security systems, the ground floor of the building is open and welcoming and extroverted.
Picking up from the stone facade, marbles and warm metals on the public ground floor give way to an oak-treaded helical staircase up to softer, warmer“ club” environment upstairs. With predominantly wooden flooring, the first floor offers panoramic views of Table Mountain over the tree canopies. The area is intended to evoke a tree-house or club-house feeling in the
client, with the overriding sentiment of,“ I belong here.” A well-sized break-out area downstairs leads to a private entertainment courtyard and an impressive 140-seat raked auditorium, with impressive bar facilities.
The interiors are, like the facade, distinctively modern in form but traditional in material and substance.
Leathers, marbles and coppers are the order of the day, whilst seating is svelte and sophisticated- as opposed to over-stuffed and lavish. There are no gold taps and there is no fur on the handrails.
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