VIVID ARCHITECTS

VIVID ARCHITECTS

Bolstering SA’s built environment

V I V I D

A R C H I T E C T S

WEX1, Woodstock, Cape Town

2

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

C

O

N

S

T

R

Characterised by an ethos of excellence and dedication, Vivid Architects has been maximising customer satisfaction for more than two decades Writer: Jonathan Dyble Project Manager: Eddie Clinton

U

C

T

I

O

N

Mastering the Architectural

Craft S

ituated in central Cape Town To this day, this dream remains at the forefront of the Company’s and standing as a commercial culture, largely reflected in the high architecture practice that specialises in large scale offices, standards that Vivid has maintained throughout its portfolio, treating each hotels, residential buildings and alike, Vivid Architects celebrated a milestone and every project as an opportunity to 20th anniversary in March of this year. not only showcase its capabilities, but better them.

Having won numerous commercial “We don’t see ourselves as ‘prima property awards across a number of sectors since its inception, the current donna’ architects, but rather as a strong scale of the business now seems a competent design practice,” explains Viotti. “We acknowledge that we do not far cry from its exceptionally humble know everything in this profession and beginnings back in 1998. that we can all make mistakes from time “We started Vivid Architects in to time, but it is how we manage this and the spare bedroom of Trevor’s small semi-detached house in Gardens, Cape improve our service that is crucial.”

This outlook is evidently expressed Town,” says Paolo Viotti, one of three through the implementation of Directors at the Company, alongside post project reviews, analysing the Trevor Versfeld and Imraan Ho-Yee. successes and challenges of each “It was rather a mad and brave build from inception to completion. In decision to make at the time as doing so, Vivid has been better able South Africa headed into its biggest to critique its own work, whilst recession to date. But we also advising its consultancy were armed with very teams and client bodies good postgraduate experience in themselves.

“You’re only as the business of good as your last architecture, a project, and it is this thorough knowledge reputation that we of how to design and put together a believe has ensured our ongoing growth commercial building, Paolo Viotti, and sustainability for the and a dream of creating Director practice,” Viotti adds. a successful practice.”

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

3

V I V I D

A R C H I T E C T S

Exemplary ethos

For Vivid, success has continued to be encompassed by an emphasis on quality not quantity. Long term, the Company’s primary goal is to master its craft rather than expanding as broadly as possible – a core value that Viotti is quick to highlight.

“Our objective is not to grow our business beyond a medium sized architecture practice, but to grow our efficiency, competency, creativity and profitability,” he states.

There is a real sense of this throughout the business’s day to day operations, working out of an open plan office in central Cape Town that facilitates collaboration and allows creativity to flow throughout Vivid’s close knit team of experts.

In doing so, the business is able to leverage a range of insights, ideas and knowledge in the planning of each and every project, whilst also allowing its staff to both perform to their highest potential and enjoy the opportunity for substantial personal development.

Avalon Gardens, Cape Town

LANDMARK PROJECTS Viotti describes some of Vivid Architects’ most impressive projects to date: Century City Square, Century City, Cape Town “This project was all about putting the pedestrian above the motor vehicle allowing for a seamless and safe transition through and around the buildings where the ground floor activities could spill out onto the public square and provide an ongoing 24/7 hub of activity and life.”

WEX1, Woodstock, Cape Town “What excites us about this project is how this building will relate to the street at pedestrian level, with double volume high shopfronts and active vibrant retail offerings. The architecture will complement the look and feel of the industrial nature of Woodstock with a palette of finishes made up of dark painted brickwork, polished concrete and textured plaster that is offset against bright design yellow aluminium perforated and solid screen elements.”

Avalon, Gardens, Cape Town “The new Avalon mixed-use retail, offices and apartment building will be a very innovative addition to interface between the city centre and the residential neighbourhood of Gardens. This building will be home to 155 apartments of varying size and interior feel, with residents enjoying the additional offering of a bespoke pool deck entertainment area and 360-degree views of our incredible city.”

Ratanga Junction, Century City, Cape Town “We are currently busy with the design of the first building that will kick start this redevelopment project. It is another mixed-use building comprising office space, an 80-key business hotel and 96 apartments.

It will face predominately onto the theme park’s existing water body and overlook the wonderful established landscape ‘jungle’ that will be carefully retained as a memory of the old theme park.”

The River Club, Observatory, Cape Town “We are also involved in the urban master plan and rezoning application of the River Club site in Observatory for a mixed-use development comprising approximately 150,000 square metres of bulk in the form of retail, offices, residential and education. It is an iconic, well-situated site on the periphery of the central business district that will include a central landscaped park and rehabilitated public accessible riverine edges.”

4

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

C

O

N

S

T

R

U

C

T

I

O

N

Cubicle Solutions, manufacturer of 100% moisture resistant, durable and robust toilet cubicles, shower cubicles, lockers, benches, locker-bench combinations and urinal divisions.

Toilet & Shower Cubicles We combine design flexibility with affordable costs by providing a tailor-made toilet and shower cubicle system for toilet, shower and changing room applications.

Available in Cube Exclusive, Cube Standard and Cube Max Range.

Lockers Our locker features include excellent resistance to impact and mechanical stresses, they are 100% moisture resistant, unaffected by high humidity or corrosive environments and easy to clean and maintain.

Benches Our benches are made to measure with flexible styles, offering seating durability in any high traffic environment.

Locker-bench (combined) Space saving multi-functional, offering storage and seating combined.

+27 0861 000 451 admin@cubiclesolutions.co.za www.cubiclesolutions.co.za

.co.za

loyal, talented and highly efficient team that work with us, many of whom have been with us for over 10 years.”

Over time, the Vivid team has developed a real understanding of the science of commercial architecture, recognising and satisfying the balance between delivering award winning projects with client viability, set budgets, ongoing cost control and associated technical requirements.

In search of opportunity

“We encourage ‘a share to teach’ attitude where knowledge and experience is always sitting close to you and available on a personal level or in an organised larger formal workshop gathering,” Viotti adds. “We find this form of teaching and knowledge building is key to creating a sustainable and fun team atmosphere.

“Our business is conservatively run, and we are very fortunate to have a

TBM structural column inside a shopping mall

Vivid’s home of Cape Town has been particularly helpful in allowing the firm to thrive. Named as the number one place to visit in the world by both the New York Times and the Telegraph in 2014, the city is renowned as one of the most developed areas across the whole of Africa, largely thanks to the illustrious architectural industry there.

However, having seen an array of domestic successes with its own approach, Vivid is now increasingly

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

5

V I V I D

A R C H I T E C T S

Century City Square, Century City, Cape Town

looking to pursue a broader range of opportunities in new markets on a case by case basis in a bid to maintain its upward trajectory.

“Thus far, we have looked at projects in Senegal, Botswana and currently Rwanda, and have also recently completed a series of commercial buildings on Eden Island in the Seychelles,” explains Viotti.

“We are particularly interested in assisting in the conceptual design and design development stages of new projects in other regions.”

Equally, in the aim of continually

6

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

In the past 20 years, we have been exposed to and delivered a diverse mix of building typologies...”

reinforcing its internal procedures, Vivid has been consistently monitoring current design trends and emerging technologies so that it can take on new projects in the most effective and cost-efficient manner possible.

“We have recently purchased licences for new internal resources and project management software, together with new and innovative architectural presentation software and have now also fully embraced building information modelling, having used architectural modelling software since 2006,” Viotti reveals.

C

O

N

S

T

R

Looking ahead, Viotti is confident that Vivid’s continual commitment to its sound ethos and exemplary corporate attitudes will pay dividends, ensuring that client satisfaction is maximised on a consistent basis.

He concludes: “In the past 20 years, we have been exposed to and delivered a diverse mix of building typologies which gives our clients an enormous amount of confidence.

We understand how these buildings work and hence can be efficiently, innovatively and cost effectively designed.

U

C

T

I

O

N

“With this approach, I believe that in time we will have completed a range of other award winning and environmentally responsible buildings that add real value to the built environment that we can be really proud of.”

Vivid Architects Tel: +27 21 426 1500 info@vividarchitects.co.za www.vividarchitects.co.za

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

7

www.vividarchitects.co.za

www.outlookpublishing.com