CLOCK TOWER
RETAIL CENTRE & OFFICES
CLOCK TOWER RETAIL CENTRE & OFFICES V & A Waterfront , Cape Town
CLIENT V & A Waterfront
ARCHITECT Mike Smuts Architects & Urban Designers
PROJECT MANAGER Clock Tower Project Managers
QUANTITY SURVEYORS MLC Quantity Surveyors Ngewu & Associates
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS Partnership de Villiers ; ASCH
ELECTRICAL & MECHANICAL ENGINEER Arthur Morris & Partners
FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES Bramley & Associates
MAIN CONTRACTOR Murray & Roberts
PHOTOGRAPHY Fiona Barclay Smith
The client wanted a centre which would be the arrivals port for tourists visiting the V & A Waterfront . The client also required as much retail as could be supported by visitors (± 5,000m 2 retail and ± 3,000m 2 A-grade office space ). At the same time the architects knew they had to provide a prominent entrance for pedestrians from the swing bridge as well as the provision of a suitable backdrop to the square . This meant that the 9m wide axis had to be respected .
The existing and future fishing industry had to be accommodated as well as a provision of accommodation for portions of the Robben Island Museum . The auditorium and administration facilities fall within the retail sector . The architects wanted to provide dining venues , including terraces , which were protected from the prevailing wind , and which also provided stunning views of the harbour and its surrounds .
Resolution The result was a three-level retail centre , which provides for level changes via escalators , lifts and stairs . The centre focuses on a central atrium . This atrium was employed to resolve the complex geometries resulting from the layout of the Clock Tower Square , the orientation of Fish Quay , the imposition of the urban design open diagonal , the creation of the BoE Square and the direct route to the Arrivals Plaza on the south side of the precinct .
The existing and future fishing industry had to be accommodated as well as a provision of accommodation for portions of the Robben Island Museum
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