African project
1948 Houghton Estate – South Africa
characterizes our work. Also the curved façade, cantilevered facing Oxford Road with
the tenants’ bold signage.
The Inspiration
Factors in the environment affecting the design were the west facing orientation, the
wonderful views both east and west, and the traffic noise of Oxford Road. “Inspiration
for the design was the work of Gerrit Rietveld, as well as the Passing Planes which we
use in our buildings, also our use of colour in our work. However when SaatchiAbel
arrived we had to change the colour scheme to their corporate colours of black and
white,” says Schlapobersky.
Sustainability
Sustainable initiatives incorporated in the design are the triple volume entrance
foyer and the resulting fire protection solutions, the use of low E glass throughout,
the insulation of west facing walls and the outdoor spaces provided on all floors,
especially on the roof top terraces.
Conclusion
“We have a close working relationship with the contractor, Barrow Construction,
which endured until SaatchiAbel arrived, then the challenge was to accommodate
their specific needs and colours. Looking back, we are happy with the result and feel
enriched by the experience. More importantly, SaatchiAbel feel the same way,” says
Schlapobersky.
The Project Team
Architects: M/Architects
Main Contractor: Barrow Construction
Client: Barrow Construction
Interior Design: Tonic
Structural Engineers: Kantey & Templer
Mechanical Engineer: Adaptive resources
Electrical Engineer: One Zero
28 africandesignmagazine.com