Architect and Builder October 2016 | Page 40

PROJECT FEATURE 54 GLENHOVE 54 GLENHOVE Melrose Estate DEVELOPERS Alchemy Properties ARCHITECTS Paragon Architects PROJECT MANAGERS CAPEX Projects QUANTITY SURVEYORS RLB PENTAD Quantity Surveyors STRUCTURAL & CIVIL ENGINEERS Pierre Badenhorst Consulting Engineers ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS Quad Africa MECHANICAL ENGINEERS Adaptive Resource Engineers HEALTH & SAFETY CONSULTANTS Cairnmead Industrial Consultants FIRE CONSULTANTS TWCE LANDSCAPING Countryline Africa MAIN CONTRACTOR ASTEK Group The new development at 54 Glenhove, in Melrose Estate was completed during July 2016. The building has a total rentable area of 5,687m2. Half of the building will be occupied by the Johannesburg office of the auditing, accounting, tax and advisory firm, Mazars. The developers of the project, Alchemy, have also taken space in the building with the balance being let to other tenants, including Stonehage Fleming, Schneier & London and Stonewood. ARCHITECT’S REPORT The building exploits its location close to the M1 highway on Glenhove Road and its refreshing adjacency to the Houghton Golf Course. The architectural character and function of Glenhove Road has changed considerably over the last decade and this building seeks to establish a strong business identity without overwhelming the adjacent residential components. The building form sits atop a podium which appears almost as a lily pad and explores bold rectinlinear shapes with fenestrated blocks piercing the exoskeleton of the monolithic structure. The windows appear as dense gems expressed in highly reflective glass which contributes to the control of emisivity of the building. The H-shaped plan has been designed in a manner to allow for a single tenant or, in this case, a number of tenants. The east and west wings are separated by an atrium and connected with bridges, enclosed in a double skinned integument which allows light but reduces heat. This contributes to the occupants receiving sunlight and revitalising views of the golf course and its vegetation. PHOTOGRAPHY Courtesy of Paragon Architects The building form sits atop a raised landscaped podium as a pair of two bold rectilinear shapes 38 54 Glenhove