Plein Street revamp revitalises an old landmark

The completed 75 on Plein building conversion. Distinctive external features include the upper glass facade, as well as lower perforated metal facade

Across South Africa, inner-city renewal programmes are key to revitalising central business districts (CBDs) and providing a new lease on life for redundant buildings. A prime example is the 75 on Plein conversion in Cape Town’s CBD.

The Plein Park building, as it was originally known, was designed by KMH Architects in 1962 and once housed the former Department of Justice. Then, as fate would have it, some five decades later, KMH was approached and reappointed to give the 16-storey building a modern makeover.

Professional team members included Afroteq Advisory (project managers), GVK Siya Zama Construction (main contractor), Bernard James & Partners (quantity surveyors), as well as consulting engineering firms KFD Wilkinson, Triocon and GIBB.

“What started out in 2016 as a relatively small project to design and execute the fit-out of two floors of the building for a Truworths’ call centre turned into a major, four-year development,” says Pieter Vlok, senior project manager at Afroteq Advisory.

“This saw the old brown and drab building progressively transformed into a state-of-theart office block that meets world-class facilities management and green building standards,” Vlok continues. The extensive overhaul included the: • installation of new services infrastructure (from basement to roof), including

HVAC systems, fire protection and security upgrades • refurbishment of the main entrance and lobby situated on the ground floor in

Plein Street • renovation of the 10th and 11th floors for the Truworths Group’s call centre and completing white box preparation of the 12th to 16th floors for future tenants • installation of a new lightweight structural steel extension of the 10th floor, as well as a contemporary, wrap-around curtain wall facade made from performance glass • installation of a borehole water system and a mechanism to recycle greywater • incorporation of a temperaturecontrolled environment.

The reception area to 75 on Plein

PLEIN STREET REVAMP

revitalises an old landmark

The socio-economic benefits

“Property conversions provide an opportunity to reutilise existing buildings at a fraction of the cost of a new one, and in the process act as a stimulus for a much-needed boost in construction and related employment,” says Vlok.

“With the growing tendency for companies to adopt a hybrid working model, we’ve seen a sharp decline in pure office space. This – together with the increasing demand for residential space – makes it a no-brainer to convert traditional office space into mixeduse or residential use. Also, these buildings are often located in prime positions, allowing residents or tenants easy access to the city centre, and avoiding long or difficult commutes,” Vlok continues.

In some cases, the cost of converting an older building might not make it plausible or viable for the owner. For example, downstand beams under slabs could potentially cause issues with allocating spaces for individual units and running plumbing lines through the spaces.

“However, with out-of-the-box thinking and an innovative design approach, most older buildings – depending on the budget – are candidates for conversion,” Vlok asserts. “Part of the process of determining this must factor in future life-cycle costing.”

Software tools available enable quantity surveyors and facilities managers to run simulations and cost estimates of an extended maintenance plan, with projections 10 years into the future.

“However, the final decision to choose a specific building to convert will come down to expertise in the property market. Location is always the starting point, as is the anticipated return on investment for developers, while for public owners’ building conversions serve as a prime opportunity to address social housing backlogs and revitalise ailing CBDs into vibrant economic zones,” Vlok concludes.