Architect and Builder Magazine South Africa July/August 2014 | Page 13

PROJECTVIEW
SPATIAL LEGACY PROJECTS
UIA2014 DURBAN

The Durban City Architecture
Department was a key supporter
of the UIA 2014 Bid. In a Celebrate
Cities competition, together with
the KZNIA, they identified long
aspired to projects to provide
‘acupuncture’ points in the city’s
development. The following Spatial Legacy Projects have been
developed to tie in with the themes
of Resilience, Ecology and Values:

NEW OFFICE BUILDING IN GROENKLOOF, PRETORIA
The introduction of higher density
development into residential neighbourhoods is always a challenge. It is usually
met with disparity from the community
and the notion that it will negatively affect
the neighbourhood.
Planning
The outset of this project is no different.
It involves the design of a new office
building for Volumode (Pty) Ltd in
Groenkloof, Pretoria, an established
residential neighborhood. The property
borders George Storrar Avenue, a busy
road connecting Fountains Circle with the
business hub of Brooklyn Circle. Due to
the high traffic flow of this road, existing
properties alongside it no longer offer
a desirable residential environment,
resulting in many of them being
transformed, at low cost, into offices. The
result is a currently, visually un-appealing
and unplanned, architectural theme.
The latest City of Tshwane’s Spatial
Development Framework identifies this
strip of residential properties bordering
George Storrar for higher density
development, to act as a buffer between
residential and commercial property use.
This project will be the first where the
existing building is not transformed, but
replaced with a new building designed
for the sole purpose of accommodating
offices. The planning process involved
rezoning the property from Residential 1
to Business 4, with the resulting changes
in coverage and floor space ratio. The
planning and re-zoning was done in
consultation with the Groenkloof Home
Owner’s Association (GHOA). Approval
for demolition of the existing house older
than 60 years was obtained from the
Provincial Heritage Recourses Authority
on grounds that it had no significant
Project Watch

architectural value. The proposed design
was favourably received by the GHOA,
with the hope that this will set the
architectural theme for future projects of
a similar nature.
Design
The brief from the client was for new
cost-effective headquarters in a building
of ±500m2, with sufficient parking, and
street appeal. Accommodation requirements were reception and waiting area,
conference room, executive offices
for management, a server room and a
security gatehouse.
The proposed building is designed
to be functional and energy efficient.
It utilizes the rezoned coverage and
FSR zoning of the property fully with
a resulting 590m2 total floor area. The
building is positioned to provide guest
parking close to the street entrance and
covered employees parking out of sight.
A central courtyard allows maximum
daylight usage and minimum need for
mechanical ventilation. North windows
are provided with sufficient sun control
measures to reduce heat gain; while
east, west windows are minimal. Low
maintenance finishes include flush jointed
brickwork and exposed off shutter
concrete. Painted walls are only used as
focal elements. Double glazed aluminium
framed windows further helps with
energy efficiency.

Pixely ka Seme Linear Park
The City has long envisaged a
pedestrian route connecting Warwick Junction in the West to the
Beachfront in the East. In the long
term a linear park redefining the
perception of the Inner City as an
economic, social and cultural centre
for the City is proposed. Step One
is to activate a 400m stretch of the
road with a full-scale demonstration
of the experience and an exhibition
documenting future plans.
River Town
A sub-terranean canal runs along
John Milne Street and drains into
the harbour at Cato Creek. The
activation for the UIA 2014 event
entails lifting the lids on a stretch
of the canal and to refurbish an
exhibition hall in the Beer Hall
building adjacent to the canal.
Pocket Parks
This is an initiative to find opportunities for delight in the urban
fabric through temporary or
permanent ‘pocket’ parks. T