Architect and Builder September 2020 | Page 20

CAPITEC BANK HEADQUARTERS CAPITEC BANK HQ Stellenbosch DEVELOPER Capitec Properties ARCHITECT & INTERIOR ARCHITECT dhk Architects PROJECT MANAGER SIP Project Managers INTERIOR DESIGNER Collaboration QUANTITY SURVEYOR De Leeuw Group (Stellenbosch) STRUCTURAL, CIVIL, RATIONAL FIRE, MECHANICAL & ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS AECOM HEALTH & SAFETY CONSULTANTS Solid State Group Safety Consultants ACOUSTIC CONSULTANT SRL South Africa DISABILITY CONSULTANT Disability Solutions LAND SURVEYORS Friedlaender Burger & Volkmann LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS Planning Partners MAIN CONTRACTOR WBHO Construction PHOTOGRAPHY Dave Southwood Wieland Gleich Adam Letch Capitec Bank, one of the largest and most progressive banks in Africa, has unveiled its innovative new headquarters, iKhaya, meaning ‘home’ in Xhosa. Designed by multidisciplinary studio, dhk Architects, the three-storey curvilinear building is defined by its dynamic interior architecture, which embodies the company’s progressive outlook and embraces the concept of agile working. Striking and otherworldly, dhk’s holistic architectural approach considers both the exterior and interior to optimise corporate expenditure, internal flow and sustainability - demonstrating that commercial offices can be innovative and cost-effective while driving operational efficiencies. Capitec’s success and growth over time meant that the company came to occupy numerous offices. These offices were geographically dispersed, resulting in departments becoming increasingly isolated from one another with the need to move between buildings to meet face-to-face. Consequently, Capitec opted to consolidate its staff and facilities into one operationally efficient headquarters. Located in the scenic Cape Winelands in South Africa, a key driver of the design concept involved capturing panoramic vistas and drawing the landscape within. The building form optimises the shape and size of the site while referencing the brand’s distinctive curved logo. The three-storey superstructure wraps around itself, which creates a unique ‘doughnut’ shape and forms a central triple-volume atrium - an internal ‘social spine’ at the heart of the building. Contributing to the contemporary appearance, white aluminium panels clad the building’s sinuous form which is further accentuated with continuous ribbons of fenestration. The building form optimises the shape and size of the site while referencing the brand’s distinctive curved logo 20 Capitec Bank