Architect and Builder January/February 2016 | Page 22

PROJECT FEATURE

THE TOWERS
THE TOWERS
Cape Town
CLIENT
Redefine Properties
PROJECT MANAGERS
BFH de Jager
FACADE ARCHITECTS
Boogertman + Partners Architects
PARKADE & PUBLIC AREA ARCHITECTS
Smuts & Boyes
INTERIOR ARCHITECTS
JLB Architects
QUANTITY SURVEYORS
LDM
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
Aurecon
MECHANICAL ENGINEER
BVI Consulting Engineers
ELECTRICAL ENGINEER
QDP
FIRE CONSULTANT
SolutionStation
HEALTH & SAFETY
Frontline Consultants
LIFT ENGINEER
Solutions for Elevating
ENVIRONMENTAL
Ecosence

T

he redevelopment of The Standard Bank Building, now known as The Towers, on Cape
Town’s Foreshore ranks as one of the most important and ambitious refurbishments
in the City for decades. Redefine Properties Limited have invested heavily in a project
that appears to have been the catalyst for the renaissance of the dated Foreshore precinct.
Developmental Background
Developers, Redefine Properties Limited, started looking at various concepts relating to
the redevelopment of what was then known as the Standard Bank Building more than five
years ago. The reason for the decision was two-fold:
Parking
The existing parking within the building was inadequate for the requirements of the numerous
high profile, A Grade tenants. With an original GLA of approximately 57,000m2, the parking
ratio was less than 1 per 100.
Options for the extension of the parking included a subterranean excavation underneath
Hertzog Boulevard. Although the City of Cape Town was prepared to work with Redefine
on this proposal, the fact that the excavation would have essentially amounted to a ‘mining’
operation, made this option non-viable.
Aging Building and Infrastructure
The existing building consisted of two towers linked by a four storey structure. Although
ongoing maintenance and upgrades had been undertaken over the years, the original building,
built in 1972, had become a ‘tired old lady’.

BUILDING MANAGEMENT
First Air
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
Square One
INTERIO