PROJECTWATCH
PROPOSED , CURRENT AND FUTURE PROJECTS FROM SOUTH AFRICA AND ABROAD
PROJECTVIEW
PRAN BOULEVARD , UMHLANGA RIDGE
Located in rapidly evolving Umhlanga , this will be Paragon Architects ’ first building in Durban . The project comprises two wings with a central service area . Building One will be occupied by KPMG while Building Two has been designed for either a KPMG extension or for other tenants . The interiors of Building 2 will be designed by Paragon Interface . The design of the project is an extension of the lessons learned by Paragon using parametric modeling , combined with a building envelope that responds to the site , the views and the climate . The structural system is concrete with a glazed and clad envelope . www . paragon . co . za
Developer : Shree Property Holdings Local Architect : Zadar Studios Architect : Paragon Architects QS : Brian Heineberg & Associates Project Managers : Orion Structural Engineers : L & S Consulting Electrical Consultant : Tesla Mechanical Consultant : Mahesh Khoosal and Associates Wet Services Consultant : Redline Consulting Fire Consultant : Umlilo Environmental : Triplo4 Green Consultant : AECOM Traffic : RMC Landscape Architects : The Ochre Office Main Contractor : Trenco
RIDGE 7 , RIDGESIDE PRECINCT , UMHLANGA
Ridge 7 , as its name suggests , is the seventh sectional title office block to be developed by FWJK Developments in Tongaat Hullet ’ s Ridgeside Precinct in Umhlanga .
Designed by FWJK Architecture , this 12-storey office building is comprised of three basement levels of parking , a ground floor entrance urban court with café , four levels of structured parking above ground and seven office levels positioned above the parking levels . The major driver behind the design was to create an architecture that responded to the site and the future built context of the precinct . A typical office floor-plate designed to accommodate multiple occupants was orientated to maximise the sea views towards the Durban harbour and the Umhlanga ocean .
The architectural form was ordered in such a way as to create a seamless transition between the parking and offices levels . The building aesthetic aspired to read as one form instead of a parking podium with top structure offices above .
Nicole Richards , a director of FWJK Architecture , outlined her endeavour , which was to create an elegant and lightweight sense to the building by using slim , white slab edges and a muted palette of grey and charcoal tones . The building ’ s strong identity is expressed in the alternating interspersed play of white solid panels and void glazed panels throughout the façade . This sophisticated office development opens into an urban court and addresses a street spine which is tipped to become the new ‘ Palm Boulevard ’ of Umhlanga Ridge .
The construction contract for Ridge 7 commences in August 2017 and has been awarded to Rubro Construction and will be complete at the end of the first quarter of 2019 . www . fwjk . co . za
14 Project Watch