Longkloof Canopy by Hilton, Cape Town
OVERALL WINNER | MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT AWARD
Covering 16,500m 2, the Longkloof Precinct has been through a carefully phased development that balances heritage preservation with modern urban renewal. The project comprises the restoration, refurbishment and additions to five historic buildings, the construction of a new hotel for a leading global hotel operator, and the creation of a new publicly accessible urban square.
Longkloof Precinct was envisioned as one of the most important creative hubs within the city; an attractive address for innovative businesses within a vibrant mixeduse precinct. The overarching vision was to create an interconnected, landscaped public realm with new street frontage and a secured, yet publicly accessible, external space at the heart of the precinct.
The multi-erf site previously lacked spatial cohesion, integration and connectivity to its surroundings. As Kloof Street grew in popularity, the area became increasingly constrained by insufficient parking. The precinct was landlocked and access to commercial buildings was controlled and restricted, compounding its disconnection from the immediate context.
Due to significant heritage indicators on site, new development required Heritage Western Cape approval, along with compliance with land use management systems, building plans and heritage protection overlay zoning. New buildings needed to respect and not detract from historic structures. Height restrictions were based on the roof heights of the adjacent Darters and
Threshers buildings. View corridors into the site had to be maintained, and façade articulation and materiality were required to reference the site’ s industrial character.
The urban design response introduced a more accessible language. Fragmented building forms reduce visual bulk and reference historic building scales. New pedestrian links were created to connect different parts of the city and activate the streetscape. The result is a vibrant, publicly accessible environment that strengthens the activity of Park and Kloof Streets and promotes pedestrian permeability. Street edges are defined with canopies and colonnades, and vehicular access is restricted to ensure a car-free pedestrian environment.
The historic buildings were refurbished and upgraded for contemporary use, including co-working and office spaces:
32 on Kloof: A two-storey glazed form was added above the original structure. Internal walls were removed for open-plan offices, and the courtyard was excavated to basement level, creating a café space and improving light.
Darters and Threshers: Originally minimally refurbished in the 1990s, dhk’ s intervention included internal demolitions, new WC cores, and external walkways. A new courtyard was excavated to activate basement spaces and create a visual link with the adjacent precinct.
The Refinery( West Cliff School): Former classroom walls were removed to open the interior for retail and office use. Glazed doors were installed in arched
96 SAPOA Awards