Architect and Builder October 2016 | Page 16

PROJECTWATCH PROPOSED, CURRENT AND FUTURE PROJECTS FROM SOUTH AFRICA AND ABROAD ZERO 2 ONE TOWER, CAPE TOWN Construction of FWJK's latest R2.3 billion ZERO 2 ONE Tower is planned to commence at the beginning of the second quarter of 2017. According to Craig Armstrong, head of FWJK Cape Town, this 44 storey skyscraper to be developed on a site opposite the Cape Sun, will become Cape Town's tallest building when completed. The development will include 631 residential apartments with ground floor retail and will be topped by a sky bar which will enjoy 360° views over Cape Town. The architectural expression has incorporated design elements which amplify the building's soaring verticality and size which has been expressed in glass and precast concrete elements for speed of construction. ZERO 2 ONE TOWER is located on the north-west corner of Adderley and Strand Streets in the heart of Cape Town’s CBD and is ideally positioned at the gateway of the City to tower above its peers, whilst enjoying Cape Town's first world public transport infrastructure on its doorstep. The site is positioned on the original shoreline when Cape Town was founded in 1652. Significant land reclamation from Table Bay took place between 1930 & 1940, which led to the extension of Adderley Street. The locality of ZERO 2 ONE TOWER has tremendous importance in terms of the history of Cape Town and the design responds to this by improving the precinct and will act as a catalyst for the ongoing rejuvenation of the Inner City. The apartments comprise studio, one bed and two bed apartments plus penthouses at the highest level and start at ±36m or ten storeys above ground level which will allow for unobstructed views from the apartments. The building has been designed specifically to make full use of its North orientation, thereby providing a sunny, comfortable and most importantly, an energy efficient living environment. 14 The architectural design calls for an iconic building sympathetic to its surrounding context and, to achieve this, the building has been ‘lifted’ off the ground in order to create safe, open and protected on-grade walkways that allow access at various points along the building perimeter for pedestrians, thereby creating an active urban streetscape. The typology of the building leans towards a multi-punctured façade, allowing for balconies and windows to each apartment. This is further rationalized by the use of an architectural language incorporating various elements, materials and form which gives the building its unique signature and style. Fuelled by Cape Town's ability to buck the national trend, demand for inner city residential accommodation continues unabated according to Armstrong and the project is already virtually sold out to wholesale investors who have individually taken investments of between R30m and R300m in ZERO 2 ONE TOWER. An added bonus to investors is that the development will enjoy UDZ tax benefits. Developers: FWJK Developments Architects: FWJK Architecture Project Managers: FWJK Project Management Quantity Surveyors: FWJK Quantity Surveyors Structural Engineers: Aurecon Group Electrical Engineers: Converge Consulting Mechanical Engineers: Ekcon Wet Services Engineers: Ekcon Fire Protection Engineers: Ekcon Traffic Engineers: Trafficon Wind Engineers: Machoy Engineers Urban Designers: Gapp Urban Designers Project Watch