central physical link between the Hotel and the Office Towers .
Each Office Tower consists of ± 4,000m 2 of office space built on a basement plinth level ; the basement parking is for the building tenants . The landscaping in front of the basement walls is bermed up in front of the precast ‘ sandstone ’ clad basement wall to minimise the visual impact and height of the basement level . The landscaping of the entire complex ties in with the rest of the Palazzo Hotel and serves to soften the impact of the two large office blocks . Visitor ’ s parking is reached via curved ramps up to the ground floor level outside the double volume entrance doors of the main foyers .
Both buildings are finished in a light yellow Gammaplast . The texture and colour of the Gammaplast complements the Palazzo Hotel finishes perfectly . All of the windows , doors , balconies and profiled eaves add further detail , while the windows and necessary air-conditioning vents are cleverly masked by intricately designed window louvres and precast concrete surrounds . Sandstone coloured pre-cast concrete mouldings , quoins and stringers surround the light yellow Gammaplast walls , a lighter shade of the Palazzo Hotel .
The overall massing of the building steps back with each of the three levels to reduce the scale and soften its appearance and to draw attention to the detail . The open profiled eaves detail , stained in a dark Imbuia , again elaborates the amount of intricate detailing .
The ground floor floor-to-ceiling height is considerably higher than a standard office floor and serves to accentuate a grand sense of arrival into the main double volume entrance foyer areas . The height also allows for impressive large open plan office space on the ground floor . All of the public areas are designed to be on the ground floor . The entrances to the Tsogo Sun Office Towers have beautifully detailed copper canopies with hand forged wrought iron supports . Apart from providing obvious entrance shelter , these canopies provide a sense of scale as one enters into the large double volume entrance foyers . The copper canopies are slowly taking on an aged green hue as time and weather age them . Carved Carrara marble plaques , with gold lettering , act as the corporate signage to the Tsogo Sun building . The external lampposts , urns , benches and street furniture , as well as the hard and soft landscaping , again follow the same Tuscan theme and style . All of these intricate details enhance the theme and style of the buildings , thereby complementing its Tuscan neighbours .
Full height arched windows allow natural light to pour into the double volume foyer , which impressively denotes a sense of arrival . The first floor double volume took some convincing on the part of the client because it detracts from the commercial viability of the design but , without it , much of the hotel flair would have been lost , as the huge open space enhances both the architecture and the interior space . A bridge spans across this double volume entrance with intricately detailed wrought iron balustrades and timber joinery .
Conclusion The architects were able to successfully realise two commercial office blocks within the Montecasino Precinct through the clever use of building orientation , massing , materials and detailing . The landscaping and interiors both enhance the Tuscan style and theme of the surrounds .
Palazzo Towers 19