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Rock star Ditiro House near Rustenburg, designed by MMA Design Studio for the Public Investment Corporation, is as much a statement on local design as it is a catalyst for the redevelopment of the town centre. Phot og r aphy: suppl ie d
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itiro House, an office building designed to house various government departments in the North West province including Home Affairs, SASSA, and the Department of Labour, represents the first phase of the Tlhabane Mixed Use Precinct, a multi-phased project just outside Rustenburg that is being developed by the Public Investment Corporation. The broader precinct involves the redevelopment of the 10-hectare old town centre to include a mall, magistrate’s court and a police station, as well as a fuel station and a taxi rank. It is bordered by an existing school and a hospital. Future plans for a hotel with conference facilities are also likely, given the precinct’s strategic position en route to Botswana and the fact that the court will serve as the provincial court as well.
Before its redevelopment, the site included a smaller shopping centre, office building, library and town hall. The precinct provides much-needed upgrades to public infrastructure and buildings, offers improved access to government services, and is designed to revitalise the town centre and catalyse much needed economic development in the region, especially the surrounding township community. MMA Design Studio was responsible for the precinct plan and the government infrastructure, the first phase of which involves Ditiro House as well as infrastructure for the second phase of development, which will include a magistrate’s court and police station. Continued next page//
Left: Louvres on the western and northern façades not only provide shelter from the harsh light and heat, but also ensure privacy for the nearby houses that Ditiro House overlooks. Right: A metal screen hovers like a veil above the building's main entrance. Its patterning was inspired by the beading on local garments.
18 Leading Architecture + Design DECEMBER 2021/JANUARY 2022
