Architect and Builder March/April 2016 | Page 13

THE SENTINEL, CAPE TOWN The Sentinel is a mixed use development in the central part of the city, bounded by Loop and Leeuwen Streets. The building has a gross construction area of 16,000m2, the site being 900m2. There are two levels of retail due to the steep aspect of Leeuwen Street, with two basement parking levels and six stories of parking above the retail totaling 125 parking bays. The remaining 11 stories accommodate the 96 apartments - bachelors, one, two bed and 3 bed duplex penthouses. The building totals 19 stories in height. The concept developed from long discussions with the local authority, where the zoning scheme calls for a ziggurat type form, which the architects, as well as heritage Committee, felt would be detrimental to the city scape and consequently two years were spent obtaining certain departures to try and limit the feeling of the ziggurat. There is a distinct two story feel at the street level to respond to the scale of the existing fabric of the surrounding properties. There is a podium of 24m before the setback of the main structure of the residential block. There was also a conscious effort to try and fragment the façades by layering the building both with the setbacks, and façades of sliding shutters, and louvered pergolas. Client: Pearldale Property Developers Architect and Builder: DesignLab Quantity Surveyor: Rubiquant Structural/Civil/Mechanical/ Fire: Sutherland Engineers Electrical Engineers: McAvinchey Consulting Engineers Health and Safety: Constructsafe Consultants Land Surveyor: Biff Lewis Geomatics Completion: October 2017 PROJECTVIEW POLO VILLAGE OFFICES, FRANSCHHOEK Paarl-Franschhoek Valley’s Val de Vie Estate, one of the country’s front-runners in property development, recently announced the launch of a brand new offering – the elegant Polo Village Offices. These offices, with the conceptualised importance of a balanced lifestyle in mind, can be purchased or rented and will measure 3,500m² in total. Each of the eight single units can be divided into rooms measuring 20m² to 445m² according to individual requirements. Designed by Boogertman & Partners and true to Val de Vie’s elegant style, the offices will feature luxurious interior fixtures and finishes, state-of-the-art technology, including the option of high-speed fibre optic connectivity, and inspiring touches such as expansive windows that provide panoramic views of L’Huguenot Wine Farm, Simonsberg and Paarl Rock. The Cape remains high on the list of the world’s top tourist and residential locations. While many establish roots in the Cape and travel to Johannesburg and other cities for business, the demand for offices close to one’s home has grown to the extent that Val de Vie saw the gap to add this to their vast range of property offerings. Comments Ryk Neethling, Marketing Director at Val de Vie Estate: “The Polo Village Offices are the perfect solution for those who want to keep a pulse on their business commitments but who also want to win back time lost on commuting, in order to make the most of the Cape’s enviable lifestyle. “ www.valdeviepolovillage.com Project Watch 11