African project
85 Grayston
+bespoke
The new offices of Shanduka and McDonalds, located on 85 Grayston Drive,
Sandton is a striking multi-faceted building that sits prominently on the
northern side of Grayston Drive, creating a highly visible landmark from all
approaches.
T
he residential building to the east is recessed from the building
line and to the west the site is bounded by Stan Road, which makes
85 Grayston easily discernible from all approaches. This unique
development offers the perfect combination of a highly public
office with a connection to the street, and a peaceful elevated urban
refuge. Elevated green landscaped terraces create a calm respite for
users of the building.
Pedestrians are welcomed into the double volume street level
lobby and transported up into the main multi volume atrium which
is overlooked by the seven levels of offices. Vehicular entrance is provided
from Stan Road, away from the busy Grayston Drive.
The atrium houses the main reception softened with green trees, some
informal lounges, a new concept McCafe and provides access to the main lift
bank. The office levels wrap around the central core and atrium, linked from
the north to the south through the atrium by bridges, with the top two office
levels capping the atrium, allowing for more floor area.
The floor plates juxtapose highly linear Northern spaces and faceted Southern
zones, thus providing for the perfect mix of flexible open plan organisation and
the need for breakaway areas containing meeting rooms, pause areas and the
like, with panoramic views across Sandton and the West Rand.
The exterior of the building consists of a combination of two bold tones of
tiling creating strong geometric forms and crisp light glass elements. The
western and eastern facades slope into and out of the building reinforcing the
angular forms. The planted elements create softness to the bold urbanity of
the building and modulate the city environment by integrating natural balance
with the tectonic statement. The building has a high base housing the parking
for the building, broken up aesthetically by the combination of dark and light
tiling, frameless louvres and angular glass reaching towards the ground.
Various sustainable building principles have been incorporated in the building,
from electrical and mechanical features to the facade and other architectural
elements in the building.
This unique office in the heart of the prominent Sandton district is the perfect
combination of practical and bespoke, making it the perfect headquarters for
any business. AD
africandesignmagazine.com
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