The Onyx
RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AWARD
The Onyx ( Block 6 ) is one of six city blocks that forms part of the Jewel City development . The architectural brief involved repurposing the existing industrial buildings , The Onyx , previously an empty city block used as a parking lot , now houses a 13-storey residential building that stands as the flagship building in Jewel City .
The Onyx , the second of the residential buildings , features a large public square and urban park , flanked with trees and retail space as well as a safe children ’ s play area that spills out on to the square , animated by fountains and public art . The zero-level fountain will be easy to deactivate so that this central piazza can be used for various events .
This new building is an important architectural intervention in a precinct where the existing building stock is re-purposed and re-imagined . The new building sits comfortably in its context as a contemporary building but look to complement the architecture of its context as well . In that way the inspiration for the architecture can be found in the light industrial character of the some of the older shed like buildings in and around the precinct . The puristic simplicity and functional honesty embodied in this architecture is still appropriate . The materiality
of this building is a device used to root the building in the context . Robust masonry and concrete walls , steel trusses , metal cladding and steel articulation have been used to articulate the building ’ s façades .
Retail is provided on the ground floor that opens to the urban square and public space . The ground floor retail consists of two retail spaces . Both these spaces have a double volume head height . The reception to the residential building is situated in the south portion of the building . This entrance is pronounced by the vertical building core . The lobby contains a concierge desk and security monitoring facility .
The main core has been provided with 3 lift shafts and a central escape stair . The core is off shutter concrete . Two additional building cores containing fire escape stairs are situated in the east and west wing of the building .
The residential floors consist of different unit types , ± 16m 2 micro units , ± 22m 2 studio units , 20 - 30m 2 1 bed units and 40 – 50m 2 2 bed units . Each unit has a bathroom facility with shower , WC and HWB . Each unit has its own kitchen with built in stove . Micro units have space for a small table and chair area . 1 bed and 2 bed units have a lounge area and space for a table and chair . Each floor level includes a lobby area centrally located around the circulation core as well as store rooms and refuse areas . The top floor has loft apartments in the southern building with double volume spaces and a mezzanine level . The passages are naturally ventilated and there is an outdoor entertainment area on the top level in the eastern wing , overlooking Maboneng and the Jewel City precinct .
Client : Divercity Urban Property Group ; Atterbury Property Developments ; Ithemba Architect : GASS Architecture Studios Quantity Surveyor : MATLA QS Civil & Structural Engineer : EDS Engineering Mechanical Engineer : Graeme Page Consulting Engineers Electrical Engineer : ELR Electrical Engineers Rational Fire Design : FENCO Fire Engineers Health & Safety : Cairnmead Industrial Consultants Landscape Architect : Daniel Rebel Main Contractor : WBHO Construction / Motheo JV
86 SAPOA Awards