Architect and Builder November/December 2018

PROJECT FEATURE 33 33 BAKER STREET Rosebank, Johannesburg CLIENT Sasol Pension Fund PROJECT MANAGERS & PRINCIPAL AGENTS Term Project Management ARCHITECT SVA International QUANTITY SURVEYORS Matla QS CIVIL & STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS Sutherland Engineers MECHANICAL ENGINEERS Wingrove Consulting Engineers ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS WSP WET SERVICES Smal Consulting FIRE CONSULTANTS Specialised Fire Technology LIFT CONSULTANTS Projitech HEALTH & SAFETY CONSULTANTS Cairnmead Industrial Consultants BAKER STREET T he 33 Baker Street building was originally developed by the Sasol Pension Fund. With the vacating of the Sasol Group from Rosebank, it became necessary to rejuvenate 33 Baker in addition to accommodating a large corporate tenant. Clearly commanding attention, the façade provides the perfect counterbalance between light and dark through the subtle use of texture. The striking glass curtain wall represents the perfect combination of aesthetics and practicality, sweeping across over 80% of the building’s exterior. Although the building has a strong exposure on the corner of Oxford Road and Baker Street, it is diminutive in scale compared to the adjacent buildings and demanded a new architectural expression that would achieve a unique identity. The intention was to replace the building’s existing outdated façade with a modern, contemporary flavour. This entailed demolition of the entire façade and pitched roofing, enclosing in all but one of the recesses in the façade cladding, with a curtain wall concept and introducing a new roof concealed behind the new façade. The 33 Baker building has received its second refurbishment. Dating back to the early 60’s, it was chopped to the bone and reconfigured to its current form and shape. Thus, extending this building’s lifetime for a second round, with the remaining existing retail tenants (Fournos & Exclusive Dry Cleaners) still trading, became quite a challenge. Site The existing, prominent site is a landmark in the Rosebank precinct positioned on the corner of Oxford Road and Baker Street. It lies opposite the Rosebank Gautrain Station INTERIOR DESIGNERS & SPACE PLANNERS TC RPv Architects LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS Insite Landscape Architects MAIN CONTRACTOR WBHO Construction PHOTOGRAPHY Graham De Lacy Derius Erasmus The building is diminutive in scale compared to the adjacent buildings and demanded a new architectural expression that would achieve a unique identity. 32 Baker Street

Architect and Builder November/December 2018 | Page 32