PROJECT 23
Following on from the successful completion of Deloitte ’ s new Africa headquarters at Waterfall City in Midrand , Paragon Interface has just completed a new workplace for the professional services firm at The Ridge at the V & A Waterfront in Cape Town .
This was a high-profile project for the interior architecture company Paragon Interface , part of the Paragon Group , as The Ridge has just been awarded a 6-Star Green Star Office Design rating by the Green Building Council of South Africa ( GBCSA ).
“ Maintaining the design integrity of the base building architecture while successfully incorporating the distinctively Deloitte brand experience was our aspiration for the interior of this groundbreaking ‘ green ’ building ,” highlights Paragon Interface director , Claire D ’ Adorante . “ The result has been a project that we are immensely proud of . The Ridge has quite a unique aesthetic – it ’ s industrial but still very elegant and well-detailed in response to the technical requirements of the sustainable design brief .”
The Ridge is the apex of the new Portswood District green development at the V & A Waterfront . It has a gross lettable area of around 8 500m 2 and consists of ground , plus three levels of office accommodation and three basement parking levels .
The ground floor accommodates the more public functions such as a Deloitte reception , client-facing meeting rooms , a staff restaurant and a Vida Café that can service both Deloitte employees and the public realm through a service hatch inserted into the covered entrance façade . The ground floor experience is completed by Deloitte ’ s ‘ Xcelerator ’, an immersive environment where clients can experience the potential of digital transformations in an innovative environment that enables the creative development of customised digital solutions .
To facilitate and encourage active movement for both employees and visitors , The Ridge has a light-filled internal atrium conceptualised as a street that runs through its centre . The workspace planning focuses on activating this street edge through the deliberate positioning of agile workspaces around the atrium to create a bustling working corridor .
Apart from the application of similar branding elements in the signage , finishes and colour scheme as at Waterfall City , The Ridge has a distinctively different atmosphere . Extensive use of natural materials such as exposed concrete , timber and glass echoes the external façade . The indoor planting completes a holistic wellness experience for users .
“ With the previous water crisis in Cape Town and limited availability of water resources , the wet service engineer ’ s design was to integrated systems that will minimise water consumption .”
August 2021 Volume 27 I Number 6 www . plumbingafrica . co . za