Site Orientation and Access

The site is principally oriented north / south with access from Leeds Street, in order to simplify the entry route and maximise the architectural exposure and interest.

Vehicular and pedestrian routes have been designed with clear integrity avoiding issues of cross circulation. Entrance to the building is designed around a legible process and set of experiences designed to add clarity to the use while presenting an impressionable initial understanding of the building. Separation of tenant, visitor or service is clear and unambiguous.

Form and Stacking

The principal driver determining the form and stacking is the maximisation of the bulk. Parking requires an area of approximately 1.5 x the site area. In order to maximise the 3 storey allowable bulk it then becomes necessary to excavate and place the majority of the parking below ground. A split basement solution has been adopted in order to minimise the excavation at the rear of the site, offering opportunities for ventilation while still allowing the ground storey of office space to be connected directly to the ground level and maintaining the full 3 storeys for office accommodation above.

The split level basement configuration is also highly efficient as all the level transfers are only half level changes and can be maintained within the roadways to the parking layouts

The building stacks around an atrium which behaves as a heat sink in the summer months and can be closed to retain heat in winter. The added natural light source to the deeper space is also important.

The plan form creates a forecourt which is used to facilitate entry, vertical circulation and amenities.

Legibility

The positioning of the entrance in a negatively articulated forecourt space allows the architecture of the positive form to clearly and legibly indicate entry. The process of entry can be read through the position of stairs and canopies drawing the user into the scheme.

Lifts, stairs, receptions and entries to various office tenancies have been designed with strong visual connections all contributing to the overall legibility and clarity of the space

Planning

Planning is organised on an H Frame plan allowing formal access to be delivered to the heart of the floor plate and in so doing facilitating a multi-tenant scenario and flexibility. Future proofing buildings is critical if the commercial value of the building is to withstand the test of time. Issues such as flexibility of tenancy size, churn, culture and work ethic must be able to be absorbed.

Planning is organised on a 8400 grid. This allows a sub-grid of 2800 for space planning and is generally regarded as an economic workstation. A 600 finishing grid is also a derivative and facilitates a relationship between structure, space planning, and finishes. All important factors contributing to the overall resolution and appearance of the finished space.

The office space has been designed to facilitate mixes of both cellular offices and open office areas with pause areas integrated in strategic positions to allow for a variety of office configurations and their various working cultures.

Finally the 8400 structural grid allows for parking to be planned within the column positions in both directions and in so doing allows the designer more opportunity to achieve a higher parking yield and efficiency.

Aesthetic and Materiality

The Building applies a simple set of rectilinear forms selected for their ability to produce efficient and highly usable space and translating into simply articulated commercial architecture which has characteristics strongly embedded in economics and simple resolution. Clean lines deliver an uncomplicated elegant aesthetic.

The Vosloorus Shopping centre is located on Sam Sekoati Avenue, just 150m from the main expressway Barry Marais Road.

SITE DETAILS

The site is bounded to the south by Vosloorus Ext. 4, (and adjacent residual triangular site area), to the east by the Botshelong Empilweni Hospital (and existing taxi rank). The site development being 1,1445 Ha in extent, with allowable bulk of 20, 601m².

The primary site access is provided along Sam Sekoati Avenue, with two access and two egress lanes leading to the customer parking area. A delivery access is located at the south east corner of the site providing access to the staff parking as well as for servicing/delivery vehicles to yard areas.

SITE LAYOUT

The Vosloorus Shopping Centre development comprises approximately 4,690m² of leasable retail area.

The retail shops are located on ground level with shop fronts facing out directly onto an open parking area.

A pedestrian covered walkway separates the parking area from the shops and provides weather protection to shoppers. Servicing, deliveries and fire escapes are provided to the rear of the shops.

The Shopping centre is anchored by Pick n Pay and Cashbuild and will include a variety of retail stores, banks and food outlets.

Selborne House

SARS

6 Old Pretoria Main Road, is located in the high demand area for logistics and warehousing premises in Midrand, Gauteng. The site is located within 0.5km from the Allandale interchange on the N1 freeway, on the highest part of the street and enjoys maximum exposure, visibility and views in all directions.

The site has been zoned for Industrial, commercial and office development.

This outstanding high-street business environment facilitates extensive on-grade staff parking and excellent proximity to labour and transport. Importantly, it has a secured power supply. The secure business park, also provides internal road infrastructure designed to deal with large commercial vehicles. The proposed development practises sustainable energy efficient principles such as water harvesting, water-wise landscaping, waste sorting and re-cycling, sustainable materials for construction and energy efficient principles for Electrical and HVAC.

The façade of the building is designed as a thermally efficient and contemporary structure with specific attention paid to orientation, insulation and materials. Organized as a simple steel construction the production warehouse is a single storey structure and two stories of offices (to the north) with loading bays directly accessed next to it. The building measures 12m at the highest point.

The steel portal framework allows for 3 meter high strip polycarbonate sheeting at second floor level, they provide daylight for the working areas, which interns reduces the consumption charges.

The office front is integrated into the Warehouse but has an individual of fact façade. The inviting main entrance to the building connects two different areas and enables the building to function as a Show room and Office administration block.

House Petersen

So often, in the first industrial revolution, factories were dirty. We have these images of factories as gritty buildings with smokestacks—facilities that no families would want in or near their neighborhoods.

The Lords View Industrial Business park, the area at the highest land in the Metropolitan area, between Klipfontein View Extension 5 and Chloorkop, is a exciting concept. The master plan states that companies that want to set up business there, only buy the footprint of the building from the city. Within this surface area they need to fulfill all their needs. The Park provides the basic conditions, such as parking facilities, a road network and site maintenance.

Organized as a simple steel construction the production hall is bracketed as a single storey and two stories of offices (to the north) and a drive-through loading bay (to the south). The building measures 13m at the highest point.

The steel framework of the roof construction allows north-facing skylights within the structural depth; together with the 3m high strip polycarbonate sheeting at first floor level they provide daylight for the working areas.

The office front is integrated into the Warehouse volume but has an individual of fact façade.

Finally, the cladding of the facility was designed to be contextual to Hargram as well as provide thermal absorption.

The Metcash Building, was purpose made to provide a corporate building with a residential presence. Many of the ideas of relaxed work environment- proved to be external rather than work space freedom.

The conversion of the existing building intends to respect the essence that the original building was trying to achieve by modernizing, cleaning and freshening up the work environment. Natural Light, healthier work spaces and access to views are paramount to “healthy design”. The project is designed from user needs out rather than cosmetics in.

Having said that. The buildings presents a 1970’s appeal, and needs to be tuned to the longevity and corporate identity needs of the 21st century .Address value plays heavily on the psyche of the user and visitor. Specific attention has been given to creating the wow factor where it pays the highest dividend for user and owner. The sense of arrival and public areas set the tone of the entire organization.

The facades of the building need to be replaced in entirety. The aging timber window frames, striated plaster and exposed plumbing undermine the corporate identity of the building and need to be brought into abeyance with the updated national building regulations – sans 10400.

The building offers a number of exquisite design opportunities with internal courtyards – meeting niches and identity zones. We don’t expect to bring the full potential of this building to fruition in the tender period enquiry, but with a lease in place- and spending sufficient design time with the owner and tenant we can provide suggestions and solutions which will magnify the work space experience.

Clean, structurally sound design resolution and simplicity of execution in the new works will certainly add to medium to long term maintenance benefits, pigmented plaster finishes, aluminium windows, new toilet cores and the provision of vertical circulation to allow the building full accessibility to differently abled personelle and visitors will be a paramount concern in the ultimate realization.

While off grid energy solutions are options under consideration, these will be addressed in design development, to ensure the viability and cost effectiveness in the short term.

Imagine the energy-efficient office of the future. Do you see a space filled with smart gadgets and low-energy technologies?

Lets asses the Site first - The site is located within 500m of most major public transport services.

The "Advanced Energy Office" has proven that offices can cut their energy use 30-60 per cent by taking on a comprehensive office retrofit. Of course, efficient technologies play a role. But smart design — of the office space and lighting — is where efficiency really begins.

The building was designed as a mixed use environment and a contemporary aesthetic, with flexible letting options in terms of units sizes, sub-divisible floor plates and calming user friendly private spaces with the internal courtyard.

The heating and cooling of the building are shared between natural ventilation, flushing or purging of heat and an efficient mechanical air conditioning system. This allows for savings to be made with the design of the mechanical ventilation system and operational costs of the building.

The external building envelope as the outermost part of the building plays the main role in creation the comfort conditions (visual, sound and thermal comfort) for their users.

The external envelopes of the building was designed for appropriate thermal performance and reduction of the total energy demand.

Sun screening are applied to the Northern façade & Eastern facade strip windows.

Sun screening to the Northern & Western façade are by ventilated screen.

All Western façade glass is double performance glazing.

All other external glass is performance glass to minimize heat gain and loss.

Rain water is harvested & stored in tanks in the basement and utilized for WC & urinal flushing and landscape irrigation, all of which are separately metered.

Openable areas per Floor (Usable area) are between 7% - 10% .

The atrium / lobby provide for cross ventilation through office areas, and a stack to expel hot air from internal areas. There will be vent openings at the top of the atrium, all automated and linked to the BMS to open & close under most favorable conditions.

Fresh air is supplied by the mechanical system when these conditions are not met.

A range of other design elements make a difference in the office of the future. Standardized sizes for workstations and equipment means fewer components are discarded when the space needs to be reconfigured.

Low-VOC (volatile organic compound) materials protect air quality, and easy-to-dissemble furniture aids recycling when a piece has come to the end of its useable life.

Colour choice makes a difference too. A lighter colour palette for fabrics, carpets, and desktops helps make the most of available light.

"Thinking sustainably, we make conservative colour choices that will stand the test of time for permanent elements like building envelope, furniture and carpet.

200 Rivonia - Offices

Hilti SA - Development Proposal