Construction and Finishing The majority of alterations were done in brickwork ( specifically to the signage towers and the parapet walls ), with Nutec cladding in areas where loading and access were of particular concern . All additional feature roofs to the signage towers were done in steel .
The signage brief was addressed by squaring off the pitched gable walls , and forming recesses in order to contain the signage . An additional signage pylon was built , visible in both directions to traffic on Beyers Naudé Drive , which forms part of a restaurant ’ s outside seating on the first floor . Three prominent signage walls received mono-pitched roofs .
The finishes to the façades and the new signage parapets and towers were achieved with simple plaster and paint . Painted Nutec board provides contrast . The subtle colour scheme of muted avocado with
bright accent walls succeeds in making the centre look less dated . Walkways were covered with canvas canopies , replacing the corrugated sheeting that led to poor visibility of the lower level retail spaces from the parking area . The canvas canopies were echoed in the outside seating areas of the restaurants . In addition , the lower ground level lift lobby and the public ablution areas were redone .
Conclusion Giving new life to existing buildings is an important part of any city ’ s life cycle and as much part of sustainable ( re ) development as being energy and resource conscious . Achieving this within a tight budget and during strained economic times require innovative thinking , the clever use of materials , and clever spending in areas where the maximum effect will be achieved .
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