Architect and Builder September 2020 | Page 27

UPPER ROOF LEVEL LEVEL 2 and an acoustic specialist early on in the design process. The recommendations of both specialists were incorporated into the building. For example, sound-absorbing materials and acoustic separation between meeting rooms were included throughout the building to achieve a specified performance in terms of decibel reduction. Additionally, and beyond the requirements of the regulations, consideration of car parking locations, emergency evacuation, ablutions and vertical circulation, are all examples of how the spirit of universal and inclusive access have been addressed. Furthermore, Capitec rehabilitated a neighbouring area of public open space to be used by staff and the broader community as a recreational area for activities such as walking and running. Fittingly, the building also provides cyclist facilities and purpose-designed showers. Looking to the future, the development incorporates a car parking structure on an adjacent site that follows iKhaya’s core principles, designed for future adaptation into an office should there be a modal shift towards public transportation and less reliance on private cars. Peter Stokes, a partner at dhk and lead architect on the iKhaya project says, “Capitec is a renowned South African brand that highlights values of simplicity, innovativeness and collaboration. dhk sought to create an extra-ordinary, world-class office that is progressive and relevant in the South African context - designed to be agile, drive productivity, increase operational efficiencies and ultimately reduce company operational expenditure”. LEVEL 1 LEVEL 0 LEVEL P1 Capitec Bank 27