CUTTING EDGE ON THE RIDGE

LANDLORD

V&A Waterfront

TENANT Deloitte

ARCHITECTS

StudioMAS

ENGINEERING TEAM

Arup

PROJECT MANAGERS

Mace

QUANTITY SURVEYORS

Smith & Co

INTERIOR ARCHITECTS

Paragon Interface

MAIN CONTRACTOR

GVK Siya Zama

GEO-TECH ENGINEERS

Core Geotech

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS

Planning Partners

ACOUSTICS

SRL

ECO-BRICKS V&A Waterfront

The latest real estate development at the V&A Waterfront employs some of the most advanced sustainable building technology available on the planet.

Cape Town’s newest innovative design building has opened. With its Six Star Green Star Design Award it has utilised some of the most advanced technology in the world. Born out of the V&A Waterfront’s desire to set new standards for the construction and utilisation of commercial office space, The Ridge, on the shoulder of land adjacent to the Breakwater, opposite the One and Only, had a far reaching vision that preceded the Covid pandemic and projected a worker space that was environmentally friendly to capture the better quality lifestyles of its new tenants.

A healthy office environment that cares for the wellness of those who work within it is not only good for staff morale but essential to the well-being of a business.

As a swing away from the hermetically sealed air conditioned box buildings, The Ridge has opted for natural air flow, allowing windows to open and breathe in the freshness of the sea air. The Cape’s climate allows the moderate outdoor temperature to be applied indoors for over 80% of the year.

An impressive main street atrium, three levels high, draws a volume of air into the building which, once body heated, draws roof wards and is expelled through roof lights.

There is minimal air conditioning. Non-energy consuming temperature controls ensure a far lesser electricity bill.

The zigzag timber façade, whilst looking fresh and distinctive, have an ingenious purpose. They orientate the glass windows towards the north or south. This prevents the low angle heat and glare of the morning and late afternoon sun from the east and the west, penetrating into the workspace with its hotspots and overall heat impact.

On the roof are chiller and heat pumps that circulate water into the concrete ceilings to regulate temperature and create the optimal degree of comfort.

The mixed method air temperature methods means conventional air cooling or heating will only need to operate for about 20% of the year.

As a people-connectivity building, the atrium serves as a free flowing pedestrian area where occupants of the building can interact with coworkers as less formal encounters as well as meet up with visitors.

Natural lighting flows through the impressive skylight of the atrium. An array of solar panels on the roof top harvests energy from the abundant sunshine of the Cape. This adds to the flood of conventional lighting into each floor. LEDs give low energy additional luminescence, suspended between acoustic panels. Those panels absorb ambient noise and create a softer sound environment.

The building has become the head office for Deloitte. In their fit out, the company has created an environment in keeping with the world class standards of its international brand. There are no private offices. Desk sharing and customisable agile working is the key consideration – a direction embarked upon in its conceptual phase and strengthened by the pandemic imperatives of distanced work or work from home, and now entrenched as the new way of working.

The building is designed for low water usage with minimal tap usage and grey water, with rain water harvested from the roof catchment, is used for toilet flushing and plant irrigation.

The use of reused, recycled, dematerial components have been utilised in non-load bearing partitional walls.

Not only is the surrounding environment enhanced with specially selected greenery but the Portswood buildings with their charming old world character, have been incorporated into the precinct to add a vibrant coffee shop / restaurant zone with restored buildings, a garden, including a vegetable area to supply the eateries, pedestrian walks and cycle tracks with the exclusion of motor vehicles from the zone.

It’s a new vision. One of great sensitivity and empathy and a project that has come to fruition well deserving its Green Star Awards.

Royston Lamond