There is a level difference of more than 1m between uMhlanga Rocks Drive ( the western side ) down to the ground-floor podium level , while down Ntusi Road ( the northern side ), most of the firstlevel basement would have been exposed was it not for the cascading planters next to the stairs , which provide access from more than 1.5m below the podium level . Therefore the landscaping is technically on street level . The steepness of the site does guarantee panoramic views , even down to the sea itself .
Design The project comprises construction of two separate office buildings of three levels each above ground floor , linked together on each level by bridges . There are three basement parking levels providing about 250 parking bays , as well as a ground-floor podium level with walkways , landscaping , and water features . The total building area , including basement parking , is approximately 18,600m 2 .
Paragon was the lead architect on the R140 million project , with Zadar Studios assisting with local requirements in terms of planning submissions and building requirements for the eThekiwini Municipality .
An interesting aspect of this project was that , because it consists of two interlinked buildings , it can either be multi-tenanted or occupied by a single main tenant , which maximises the lettable area of the floorplates . Some of the main architectural features of the project are the cantilevered corners , the fantastic panoramic view , the landscaped area with water features , an interactive floor area between the two buildings and expansive timber decks under three of the cantilevered areas . The project aimed for a 4-Star Green Star Office Design v1.1 certification from the Green Building Council of South Africa , which it received in May 2018 .
Façade The building itself has slabs or overhangs that cantilever more than 3.5m in some cases . In most instances , the high-performance glazed façade angles upwards , with curved glazing on the corners - a particular challenge in terms of detailing . Kevin McPherson of Orion Project Managers agrees : “ The façade was a challenge , nothing was straight or square . Every single section of double glazing was a special size . In some cases the double glazing was curved and sloped in 2 directions . The façade cladding was also a challenge as every panel was different shape , size and dimension and each and every panel on the building was made to fit a specific position .”
Paragon ’ s total solutions approach was showcased by the fact that it provided an interior design service for three floors of Building 2 , namely the Shreeprop Head Office and the Thusa
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