Architect and Builder March/April 2016 | Page 60

The site occupies the corner of Rivonia Road and Katherine Street, and has a significant presence at the highest point of the Sandton CBD box at the start of Sandton Drive. The land is well-positioned in terms of visibility within the neighbourhood, and vehicular and pedestrian access, ensuring that wayfinding is clear and logical, and that building users have easy access to the surrounding amenities. Building Description The core concept of the scheme is to create a place which responds to the site specifics and knits the company and its building into the supporting 58 environment, creating a generous and open multifaceted architectural form which contributes to and engages positively with its surrounds. The building has a striking presence on the prominent Rivonia / Katherine intersection, where the architecture is modulated to create a dynamic form addressing the corner. Because of the setback of the adjacent properties towards Pybus Avenue, the northern corner is also able to open up, and the buildings are cut back to create a generous and welcoming pedestrian park-like entrance which reaches down to the street to scoop up visitors and staff approaching from the Gautrain or Sandton City. 90 Rivonia