“The original single level structure that made
way for this exciting new building was being
dwarfed by massive developments as this part
of Sandton grew. For us, the site holds so much
history and, while wanting to pay homage to our
roots, we also wanted to ensure that the new
building reflected the future of both practices as
well as that of the burgeoning greater Sandton
precinct,” he explains.
Two Distinct Aspects
The building has two distinct aspects. The street
address façade on Stan Road is west-facing and
is treated as a solid face with massive full height
fins behind which thin slivers of glazing peep
southwards over the roofscapes of Sandton. In this
way, the design manages the typical heat build-up
of a west-facing façade and controls the associated
glare issues. It also provides a sense of privacy and
intrigue for the occupants.
The north-facing façade is fully glazed. It opens
up the office spaces to the views across Bryanston
towards the Magaliesberg, as well as looking onto
a private landscaped courtyard on the fourth level.
The entrance to the building slices vertically
into the solid west street façade, creating a unique
permeable street address with reception facilities
at street level.
The entrance is distinguished from the
other buildings with lush green landscaping
contrasting with the angled and sculptured forms
of the building. The slope of the street led to
the contrasting angles in the façade. At night,
vertical illuminated shafts between each pair of
26
trees mirrors the concealed vertical illumination
between each of the façade’s fins, further creating
a dramatic presence in the street.
Sky Deck as Sanctuary
In order to meet the owner’s brief for aboveground parking as opposed to excavated basement
parking, the architects created a podium with a
generous landscaped sky deck onto which the
offices open. This level has been designed as
a useable sanctuary for the occupants to break
away from their work. It has large-scale indigenous
trees providing shade with under planting that will
attract birdlife to the area. The deck is made up of
areas of timber decking and imitation lawn with
tables and chairs under umbrellas and a bar area
for entertaining purposes. The area enables the
office building to stand back from the boundaries
and creates a pleasant green space at high level
in between all the other neighbouring buildings.
The floor plates of the offices are in a loosely
triangular shape, providing north light and avoiding
the sense of being crowded in by the surrounding
buildings. “The podium and deck is at the same
level as those of the surrounding buildings but it
has privacy due to the treed green berm created
around it; you are not aware of other people using
their decks,” explains Sean.
Materials and Aesthetic
The use of dark full height performance glazing on
the northern façades ensures a modern, timeless
expression complemented by large scale white
porcelain clad fins adding vertical interest to
Stan Road