providing new commercial and retail spaces,
a 150-key Canopy by Hilton hotel, and secure
pedestrian routes linking Kloof Street to Cape
Town’s CBD.
The client brief for Longkloof’s catalyst project,
32 on Kloof, was to establish additional premium
rentable space by adding two floors to the existing
building, maximising the floorplates and reinventing
the windowless basement. Ultimately, the client’s
vision was for 32 on Kloof to serve as the attractive
‘front face’ of the Longkloof precinct concealed
from Kloof Street.
dhk’s response was to respect the buildings’
heritage and intentionally contrast its existing order
and rhythm with a new contemporary addition. This
concept allows for an honest dialogue between
heritage and contemporary elements, forming a
hybrid of architecture that politely enhances the
building’s street presence.
To increase the building height and provide
additional commercial space, the existing hipped
red-tiled roof (originally added in the 1990s) was
removed to allow for a two-storey orthogonal
addition atop the heritage masonry building.
Not only does the glazed façade showcase the
property’s enviable Table Mountain and City Bowl
views, but the two distinct levels provide a clear
distinction between old and new – referencing, not
replicating, the building’s heritage. Deep expressed
aluminium-clad fins articulate the façade, contrasting
the historic building’s order and rhythm
while acting as a ‘stitching device’ integrating the
heritage detail with the contemporary portion. To
ensure a single articulated composition of contrast,
building setbacks permitted by Heritage Western
Cape were contested. Overall, the minimalist
design refrains from competing with nor detracting
from the building’s heritage, ensuring that the
total building mass and scale are sympathetic to
its surroundings.
Occupied by Workshop17, a provider of coworking
spaces, the building offers 30 private
offices, nine meeting rooms, three boardrooms,
a seminar room, event space and bar, six lounges
and libraries, and a courtyard and café. Striking yet
respectful, the contemporary addition modernises
Kloof Street’s streetscape and serves as an indicator
to the upgrades occurring behind the building.
The new sunken courtyard is another notable
element of the design. Constructed at the rear
of the building, the courtyard was reinstated by
demolishing the two-storey 1990s annexe building
and lowering the existing courtyard to align with
the basement level. The existing retaining walls
were broken out to create new glazed frontage
facing the courtyard with external staircases on
the northern and southern ends connecting the
courtyard to Kloof Street and the remainder of
Longkloof. A café occupies the courtyard and
basement, engaging the local community and
forming an exciting new hub of activity within
the area.
32 on Kloof 35