African project
The Citadel – South Africa
around the site and my mother used to walk me to pre-school past this building in
the early 1980’s. Suffice to say, Citadel’s client base and target market is very much
associated with, and invested in the area – and a more hospitable site would be
therefore difficult to find.”
Having grown up around Claremont and Newlands, Silke knows that there is
disappointment as to the plainness and commercialism of the built environment
– particularly in the Claremont CBD. Given that the area constitutes one of the
most prosperous enclaves in the country, it is ironic (and painful) that the built
environment of the area is so short in terms of aesthetics or urban fabric. “The new
Citadel represents an investment in craftsmanship and materials that transcends
the developer-driven norm and represents a magnanimous contribution to the
urban environment for many years to come,” he says.
“Based on the ‘style-moderne’ architecture of mid-20th century cities such as
New York – and being the first stone panel building in Claremont – it is intended
to be distinct,” says Silke. “With it, we aim to convey the solid presence of Citadel
– its heritage and its future.” Citadel ultimately wanted to move out of its existing,
generic office space and to use the opportunity to create a bespoke new building
from scratch – in the process producing a new structure that is not so much an
office building as it is an expression of Citadel’s core values.
Whilst most ordinary office buildings are designed to keep the staff inside and
others outside, Citadel’s focus was to foster a hospitality experience for its clients.
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