Architect and Builder November/December 2015 | Page 12

PROJECTWATCH
PROPOSED, CURRENT AND FUTURE PROJECTS FROM SOUTH AFRICA AND ABROAD

PROJECTVIEW

AMROD IS ON THE
MOVE TO WATERFALL’S
COMMERCIAL DISTRICT
Waterfall’s

Commercial

District

will soon be home to a substantial
37,000m² custom-built office and
warehouse for leading promotional product provider Amrod.
JSE-listed

real

estate

capital

growth fund Attacq Limited holds
the

commercial

development

rights to the prestigious Waterfall.
Atterbury Property Developments
is

responsible

for

the

Amrod

project, on behalf of Attacq.
Amrod currently operates from
a

25,000m²

office,

warehouse

and production space. Its new
headquarters will be located in
Waterfall’s

Commercial

STRIKING NEW OFFICE SPACE UNDER CONSTRUCTION
IN BEDFORDVIEW
A new 2,800m2 GLA office building
developed by the HBW Group to house
the FNB regional headquarters is under
construction in Bedfordview. Set for
completion in November 2015, the building
was designed by MDS Architecture. The
design was selected from a number of
entries in a competition by FNB.
The contemporary building is located on
a prominent corner site on Van der Linde
Road with the popular Bedford Square
in the background. The building sits on
top of a semi-basement and appears to
float above the ground. FNB has taken a
5-year lease to occupy the building and will
relocate to Bedfordview from its current
location in Bruma.
Pierre Lahaye, MDS Architecture lead
partner on the project, says that the main
entrance and the corner fronting Van der
Linde Road feature curtain walling to serve
as a transparent interface with the building
from the outside. “The full height glazing
has been rationalised to ensure the highest
possible energy efficiency standards and
is enhanced by striking lighting features to
illuminate the entrance. Reflective ponds
and columns further create a sense of
arrival at the entrance,” he says.
The building features a large
entertainment area in the form of a covered
patio with views to Linksfield Ridge. Given

that the area is residential on the south
side, the landscaping fulfils important
aesthetic and screening functions,
including the west side of the site which
backs Bedford Square.
“The building’s roof has been
designed to ensure that neighbours view
of air conditioning and other services is
screened. The enclosure has also been
acoustically treated to ensure low noise
levels,” explains Lahaye.
The colour palette is neutral, using light
colours with darker accents, in keeping
with the requirement to ensure flexibility
in terms of future leasing plans.
The developer was look [