Real Estate Investor Magazine South Africa May 2016 | Page 45

blocks and their texture. This methodology was taken
throughout the project, and has lent itself to a distinct
language and materiality.
New retail was instated along the main, Somerset
Road, activating it with a new entrance to the
building, life and activity, while the slope of the land,
up towards the mountain at street level, enabled an
entrance and exit into/from the new parking level.

Reclaimed architectural
salvage from old projects, a
sales counter and entrance
canopy, found new life in
the building as the security
desk and lift lobby entrance
canopy
Reclaimed architectural salvage from old projects,
for example a sales counter and entrance canopy from
the Natural Cafe (1995) and the Cohibar (1996)
found new life in the building as the security desk and
lift lobby entrance canopy. Old salvaged doors were
recycled throughout and even the old clothing factory
workers’ toilets were resuscitated to their original
glory. The result; an edgy juxtaposition of past and
future, residing in the present. A reminder, looking
out through the back of the buildings’ industrial steel
windows, (also restored) that we live close to the
struggle of our recent history. Just behind a few row
of neighbouring houses, below the majestic mountain,
we see the desolate land of old District Six, and
secure reminded, of our responsibility to the future
of our city. It’s this combination and dialog of past,
present and future that provide the tension we are so
accustomed to in this society. The design, attempts to
respond to this, authentically. Showing the past, and
providing a fresh layer of hope, for the future.
Some 13 years later, and Fairweather House
has come into its own. Most recently, a R2 million
installation of solar power was installed, empowering
the building with its own source of energy, sufficient
to power the entire bundling and more.
With restaurants such as the Test Kitchen, just
across the road, the numerous galleries, artisan shops
and other significant projects, hubs and buildings
popping up, Woodstock has evolved at the right pace,
to make it convincing.

RESOURCES
Leon Saven Design
MAY 2016 SA Real Estate Investor

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