Sandton skyline dominates property development awards

15 Alice Lane Towers in Sandton Central - Overall winner of the SAPOA Innovative Excellence in Property Development Awards 2011

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Checking in for top award

The stylishly distinctive abstract 'chequered' 15 Alice Lane Towers in Sandton Central has scooped top honours as overall winner and best in the office development category.

The development is set atop a six-storey basement, with two towers that rise 17 floors into the Sandton sky. Co-developers Zenprop Property Holdings and Tiber Projects commissioned the addition to the Sandton skyline, designed by Paragon Architects. The 24 000 sqm development is the new address for well-known legal firm Deneys Reitz.

Located at the western edge of bustling Sandton Central, next to Sandton City Shopping Centre, the twin towers constructed of concrete, glass and aluminium rise as statuesque architectural markers on the skyline. The architectural form of the towers is unique in South Africa. Viewed from all angles, the building presents a highly patterned and highly abstracted surface of architectural elements that change constantly with the shifting time and atmosphere of the day.

Retail pizzazz

Winning the retail development category is the striking new Pick n Pay Nicol, developed by Abland, owned by Pick n Pay and designed by Bentel Associates International with an innovative extroverted design approach.

Hotel design

The Park Inn Sandton was announced winner in the other development: hotels category. Developed by New City Group, owned by Crystal Lagoon Investments 53 and designed by GLH Architects, The Park Inn Sandton is a 273 room 3-star hotel.

Mixed use award

Taking the winning title in the mixed-use developments category is Legacy Corner, developed by Legacy Development & Management, owned by Sandton Square Portion 7 (Pty) Ltd and designed by Bentel Associates International.

Green development

Securing the award for overall green development, Nedbank Phase II shone above all other green developments. Owned and developed by Nedbank, designed by Grosskopff Lombart Huyberechts & Associates Architects. Nedbank Phase II was submitted at two stages and achieved a certified four star Green Star rating from the Green Building Council of South Africa on both submissions - 'design' and 'as built' - becoming the first Green Star certified building in South Africa.

Frank Berkeley, managing executive of Nedbank Corporate Property Finance is passionate about furthering excellence in property development. Nedbank's commitment to the highest quality property development extends beyond its sponsorship of the awards, to its own development as demonstrated in Nedbank Phase II which won the SAPOA Excellence Award for overall green development.

"We are pleased to contribute to furthering the highest standards of property development in South Africa. The excellence that has been achieved in 2011 is something that the sector can be exceptionally proud of," says Berkeley.

Developments, refurbishments, transformation

Castle Walk Shopping Centre owned by the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) took top honours in the refurbishment category with Boogertman + Partners appointed to design the external refurbishment of the development to create a fresh and modern facelift to the building.

Winning the other developments category is the University of the Western Cape Life Sciences, developed by the university and designed by DHK Architects. This cutting-edge institutional research laboratory is an embodiment of social and environmental scientific research in Africa and brings together several science departments and research institutes formerly located in a number of old buildings.

The winner of the social development category as well as scooping the award for the new transformation category this year is the Lebone II College of the Royal Bafokeng in Phokeng, in the North West Province, developed and owned by Royal Bafokeng Administration and designed by Activate Architecture and Afritects. Lebone II provides world-class education and is a resource centre for education in 45 other schools in the region. Lebone II has capacity for 800 learners in an environment that supports and stimulates learning with extensive facilities over a gross floor area of some 25,000sqm.

"The awards acknowledge quality, excellence in design and innovation - all essential to the ever-evolving art of property development," says Neil Gopal, CEO of SAPOA. "They epitomise the ability of South Africa's property developers to find exciting solutions for client's requirements and stay on the forefront of global trends."

SAPOA Awards committee chairman John Truter notes, "The recognition that these awards provide, both locally and internationally, has lead to an exceptional quality and scope of entries received. We're delighted at the continued enthusiastic response from the property sector and the esteem which they have bestowed on the awards."