would need to create the critical mass of related activities , intended to revitalise this part of the city . As the location is also part of the Central City Urban Conservation Area , the relationship with its historical context and urban ecology was also a crucial design consideration .
Intended to be an urban marker , the building also needed to respond to its context in the greater CBD as much as the local precinct and its immediate surroundings . As such , the design addresses the building ’ s urban form , through its massing , height and composition , as well as its relation to the urban environment . Furthermore the concept needed to address the building ’ s urban functioning in terms of movement systems , public space , land use and building interface . The visual impact of the building was therefore carefully considered to create a legible identity
on three scales ; those of the distant , middle and immediate perspectives .
As FirstRand and Old Mutual had agreed to be equal participants in this sectional title development , but with each having different functional requirements , a somewhat complex sectional title register has evolved in the final built form of Portside . One of the key requirements of the brief therefore was for the development to have two clear and legible addresses for its respective corporate owners . This was achieved through the creation of two separate entrances and foyers on opposite sides of the building , each with its own plaza - with Old Mutual ’ s off Bree Street , whilst the FirstRand entrance is located off Buitengracht Street . In addressing the cross fall over the building ’ s footprint , the vehicular entrance for the parking and service vehicles is located on the upper ground level off Mechau Street .
The character of the built form was paramount , in particular the height , massing and proportion . Notwithstanding rights up to 147m in height , it was felt that a slightly lower tower was more appropriate to the nature and character of the precinct , as well as to reduce the visual impact of the building in relation to the larger urban and geographical context of the city and Table Mountain .
The architectural quality , material and detailing of the building were crucial , not only in terms of the external envelope - particularly the relationship to the public realm where street level activation , scale , legibility and permeability are key drivers in addressing social context and urban regeneration - but also in terms of the indoor spatial environment from the perspective of occupant comfort .
Portside was designed as a benchmark of integrated sustainability and to raise the stand-
194 Portside