NEW TSOGO SUN HOTEL FOR CENTRAL CAPE TOWN
PROJECTVIEW
NEW AVIS BUDGET
FOR NELSPRUIT
AVIS
Budget
is
adding
its
contribution to the city of Nelspruit
in the form of a new building,
designed by local firm Co-Lab
Architects, to house their Nelspruit
operation. Located in the Riverside
Precinct, the new AVIS Budget
building is set for completion in
early 2016. The facility, situated in
Meander Crescent, will not only
cater for car rental but will also
include a show room for preowned
vehicle sales.
With the recent acquisition of the
Budget brand by automotive giant
The London-based architectural firm, Dexter Moren Associates, has been selected
to design the new hotel to be built on the site of the demolished Tulip Hotel and Conference
Centre in Cape Town’s city centre. The new hotel will be a Tsogo Sun Hotel brand.
The hotel will consist of 500-rooms. 300 will be 3-star and 200 will be 4-star. The two
hotels are back to back but have different façades and entrances on entirely different
streets so they appear quite different. The 4 star hotel, with its rooftop pool, is given
primary visibility on the Buitengracht and Strand corner.
The top of the hotel will have a distinctive profile that works with the taller scale of
buildings fronting Strand Street. The middle will reflect the rhythm and proportions of
the typical Bree and Buitengracht Street buildings. The base has been designed for the
pedestrian, with canopies, active frontages and typical street block diversity. The new
design is sensitive to the Tothill building and the neighbouring Lutheran Church complex.
Born in Johannesburg and now based in London, Dexter Moren, founding director of
Dexter Moren Associates (DMA) says: “The Tsogo Sun Hotel Complex in Cape Town is
a return to my country of birth and the design reflects a merge of the best in global
architectural trends with a quintessential African feel. The site is a prime location in the
city bowl with interesting heritage challenges. Our design, which has been approved by
the city, specifically responds to the streetscape of the heritage-rich location. Since
demolition, the site has been cleared and the basement levels are currently being dug
out. Completion is planned for the September 2017”.
Dexter Moren Associates were selected by Green Willow Properties (who own the
site that the hotel will be built on) after participating in a design competition. With over
30 years’ experience, Moren has worked with the majority of leading brands in the UK,
Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia. Current projects include Gansevoort Shoreditch,
Hilton London Bankside, The Westin City of London and the InterContinental Lisbon.
Barloworld, it seems that green is
now also the new red. “The
corporate identity of the new
building is more neutral, seeking
to unify the two brands whilst
portraying a sleek and sophisticated image for the combined
brands,” said project architect,
Louis Jonker. The design will cater
for sustainable concepts to help
achieve a greener building. Rain
water harvesting will be utilised
for the car wash facility. All indoor
spaces will be fitted with motion
sensor lights and the glass used in
the building will have solar shield
properties to reduce heat gain in
summer and prevent heat loss in
winter. The design makes use of a
‘cut and fill’ strategy whereby
imported material for site works is
reduced
by
reusing
excavated
materials on site to achieve a
balance between the higher and
lower floor levels. Landscaping
forms an integral part of the
Riverside Park Precinct and to this
end the design includes a large
planted area.
Architects: Co-LAB Architects
Civil & Structural Engineer:
LEW Consulting Engineers
Contractor: Norse Construction
16
Project Watch